Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-10-19

ClllC COdSI ClOp, WIllCll DctII
exaggerated in commercial estimates, cannot
much exceed A, 10000 bushels. The Middle
States have produced about 40, 000,0 600 bushels,
and the Southern States slightly in excess of
1000, 900 bushels. Slight notifications may
come from further investigation as the results
Of the harvest are more closely tested, but the
total amount cannot be much changed.
TIE BIRD-WIGfALL DUEL.-A CORES
pondent of the Charlotte Observer, writing
from Allendale i'll this State, gives the follow
ing description of the BirdWigfall duel, refer
ence to which is made on the first page of this
issue in an article copied from the Observer of
the Sth instant:
With good will to all, both the dead and
living, connected with those terrible days Of
Edgetield's history, knowing all the parties
except Mr.. Cross us we'll as a youth of nine
teen could be expected to know persons Of
more mature years, resident of the village of
Edgefied G. H. at the time, not seeing but
hearing the shots exchanged when poor Tom
Bird was killed, | venture to correct some
Of those errors from a well tried memory, with
the hope that an impartial pen can perform
that delicate task better than any living men,
ber from either side of the beligerants
Tom Bird was not killed in duel strictly
so-called {; but in street encounter with pis-
tolls While Tom Bird was engaged in ex-
changing shots with Gen. Louis T. Wigfall,
his friend and coadjutOr, learned and hon
ored ex-chancellor, was engaged in cutting
and pulling down a ''posting" which Wigfall
had placed on one Of the court house columns,
and pistols in hand was guarding. COL Whit
field Brooks, the father of Preston S. Brooks,
Of Sumner association, maternal uncle of Bird
and brother-in-law of the ex-chancelOr, was
the individual "posted''
Two duels, q la mode, followed within few
days first Wigfall with the distinguished ex-
chancellor, which was bloodless second with
Wigfall and Preston S. Brooks, when both
parties as you state, were badly wounded,
Brooks across the sacral region of the spine
and one bone of the left forearm broken, Wig
fall through both thighs high up missing both
thigh bones. Medical men who will take the
trouble to examine an old edition of Samuel
COoper's Surgical Directory, published after
1910, will find a short description of General
Wigfall's wounds, under the head of ssGunshot
Wounds" reported by the late DR.. Paul +.
Eve, of Nashville, describing how one ball
made six external wounds.
Miss Bird (COrrle) as she was then called
Now Mrs. Wallace was the daughter Of Capt.
Daniel BIRD, he having married Miss Brooks.
She was beautiful, sweet girl, but that any
duels were fought on her account, l think
must he a mistake. Certainly 1 remember no
such item in the town talk during that ex-
citing period, and that Gen. Wigfall was even
suitor of hers, / conclude for the same reason,
is mistake She subsequently intermarried
with Mr.. Cross, a brother of Gen. Wigfal's
wife. If the file of the Edgefield Advertiser
for the summer and fall of 1910 should be ex-
amined, my impression now is that the cause
for the shooting of Bird and the two duelS can
be found without there being "a woman in it,
TIE CONTROL OF THE NEXT HOUsE.-If
the Republican party has any leaders, they are
perhaps beginning to consider the prospect
that the Democrats will have control Of the
next House of Representatives. The increase
in membership under the new census and the
apportionment is divided pretty equally be-
tween the two parties. The Republicans have
slender majority in the present House, and
they may have none at all in the next. The
half-hearted policy of Ohio Republicans in ths
face Of the revolt of the Germans has endan-
gered several seats there. Quarrels which in
volve no principle may cost the party one seat
in Wisconsin, and at least one in Minnesota.
Offensive nominations probably will cause the
loss Of the Sixth District of Massachusetts,,
and may do the same in the Camden District
OF New Jersey. The acceptance of Mr.. Chal-
merS as the Republican candidate in the Holly
Springs District of Mississippi will limit the
Republicans to the control Of the Shoestring
District III that State. The redistricting Of
South Carolina reduces the Republican men,
bers to one. The quarrel in New York en-
dangers, if it has not lost, the Congressman at
large and perhaps several Districts. In our
own State, the retention of some thoroughly
Objectionable candidates, after due warning
md tod
will probably cause the loss of two or more
seats. TO compensate all this, there are gains
in two members in Maine, and some slender
prospects In other States.
This is where ''practical politics" have land
ed the party. In every instance, except South
Carolina, it is the want of principle in the
managers OF the party which has invited dis
aster.-Philadelphia american, Rep.
New COUNTIEs.-The Executive Commit
tee construe the Constitutional Amendments
to be party measures. from the fact that two
thirds of the members of the last Legislature
voted for them. In reply to this argument we
would say, without any fear of successful con-
tradiction, that any member from Abbeyile
county who may have voted for the amend
ment reducing the area of counties misrepre-
sented the sentiments of his Democratic con-
stituents, and we will further suggest the
opinion that if the division of Abbevile had
been made an open question before the people
that no man who took the affirmative side of
that question could have received the Demo-
cratic nomination at the primary election.
We understand that the State Democratic Ex-
ecutve Committee, by a special act of grace,
will permit the Democrats of any county to
vote ''No' on this question, provided their
County Chairman shall intercede in their be-
half to get the necessary tickets. To tell any
particular county that they will be allowed to
vote as they please, without granting the same
privilege to citizens Of other counties, is moth
ing more nor less than an insult to our intel
ligence Everybody knows that we have diff
cultes enough to contend with without enter
tanning fears that we are to be wronged by our
own trusted OtcerS.-AbberiUe Press and Ban
llcr.
HONEST JOHN. Rather an interesting
object on the thoroughfares here just now is
ex-senator Patterson of South Carolina who
recently returned to Washington after long
absence, and appears to be in atiluent circum-
stances When he disappeared he was impe-.
cunious and very much run down at the heels.
lie had made many fruitless efforts to secure
a fat government office. He turns up again,
however, to the surprise of many, with much
style anG bank account that seems unlimit-
ed. In the past few days he has given enter
tainments to friends that were marked for
their expensiveness, and has turnout in
which he drives tandem through the streets
that is the envy of the wealthiest citizen.
Just how Patterson retrieved his lost fortune
IS general mystery, and rumors as to how he
stirred up the financial zephyr are numerous.
1t is said by those who know, however, that
ne has secured the confidence of certain great
,ailroad cornnratinns in the South and South-