New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-12
A FINOUS BdTTLE,
apiece.

4 FAMOUS BATTLE.
Chivalry of the old fashioned, staggering
kind is not dead in the South. 1t is dull week
which is allowed to roll by there without a duel
or a more or less bloody encounter OF s0me
kind Only few weeks have passed since
pair of New Orleans editors peppered away AT
each other for half day or so without serious
damage to either Last week two Georgia
editors arranged for similar amusement, Out
one of them, who feared he might lie III
Iured by the explosion of his own pistol or some
other unforeseen accident, gave the Wink 10 tue
police, who arrested him on his way to the held
of battle. The other editor arrived there WITH
out hindrance, but as his opponent was Locked
ND there was no duel, and consequently
"honah" had to go IYyindicated, though we
believe it is understood that both fierce COM
batants established their reputation for cour-
age, and that Georgia is now proud OF them.
But the encounter which SURPRISES all other
recent ones in ferocity and craftsmanship oc-
Cured in the streets of Louisville on Monday
afternoon This was also between two editors.
One of them, Colonel Sears, Is an eX-Conled-
crate officer, and Editor of The ErtnIng Post.
The other. John b. Gaines. is described as
man who has been all over the State OF hen-
lucky starting newspapers, which have been
DISTINGUISHED mainly for their BourbOnsm and
a common propensity to die young. Mr.. Games
started q morning paper at Louisville 10 XIII
off, The COurier-Journdl. After troublous
existence of thirty days it succumbed to
printers strike and Mr.. Gaines disappeared.
Soon afterward he returned and started an
evening paper designed to work the destruction
of The Post This experiment was no more
successful than its predecessor, and after brief
career. distinguished chiefly by virulent abuse
of the Editor of The Post, it repaired to the
Gaines journalistic graveyard and slept with
his other ventures. On the day of its death
Colonel Sears made the somewhat rasplng
remark in The Post that the paper had "died
from lack of brains and money" This so
enraged the unfortunate Gaines that he re-
vived enough of his paper to issue poster
signed with his own name as Editor, upon
which was printed in bold type fervid tribute
70 Colonel Sears, who was spoken OF as an
@ignoble indecent and cowardly sculllon and
"cur, coward, sneak and marauder, vul-
parian, BLACKBOARD, deadbeat and whiskey-
SOAK From this we infer that Mr.. Gaines is
q powerful writer. The poster also bore the
information that its author could be found at
his office.
As might have been expected, this elegant
document brought matters to a crisis Colonel
Searss [" first impulse was to shoot his ma
ligner on sight" but he abandoned that idea
and took the street with revolver in his
rocket and a heavy knotted walking stick in
his hand While conyersing with friend in
Court House Square, Mr.. Gaines happened
along AS he came near Colonel Sears the
latter raised his stick and saluted him with
vigorous thwack on the head Gaines stag
eered under it for moment, rallied, and
reached for his pistol. Although he was only
few feet from Sears his aim not deadly.
The first shot grazed his abdomen, the next
three missed him entirely, and the fifth hit him
in the flesny part of his foot" This exhausted
Gaines, and then Sears drew his revolver to
return the bombardment Gaines did not wish
for this. but started on a run down the street.
Sears sent five shots after him, four
of which missed him and one inflicted
a slight flesh wound. The local chronicler says
at is a great mystery how Gaines escaped
"aliye, for Sears is celebrated for his accurate
Workmanship and adds that it is the gen
"eral opinion that Gaines Is a dead man as soon
"as Colonel Sears is able to get about again.
The Colonel will probably vndicate his repu
tation for "accurate craftsmanship " by hav-
ing somebody hold the fleet Games while he
shoots at him. He is not used to taking his
game on the fly evidently
At first it looked as if this duel, like all other
modern Southern ones, had been deficient in
gore, but when the battlefield was surveyed
it was found that one of the stray shots had
taken effect The first shot Gaines fired struck
an ex-Confederate soldier who was walking on
the opposite side CT the street, and shattered his
arm. The poor fellow said ruefully that he
had been in a score of battles and had never
been scratched before. From the fact that one
of Gainess bullets had gone so far out of the
way it was inferred that the one which hit
Sears in the foot first went across the street,
struck the curbstoDe and caromed on that.
This curious possibility, coupled with the
veterans shattered arm, threw gloom over
the community by demonstrating that a South
ern duel might after all kill somebody unless
it were more carefully managed. The only
really safe method for future contests will be
to have blank cartridges used. Otherwise it
will be necessary to empty Southern city
whenever duel is imminent.
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