The Iola register., 1882-10-06
A Remarkable Duel.
DALLAS, Texas, Septemt

DALLAS, Te1aS, september S5.
Tho Ercning Times publishes a letter from
Carrizo Pass, 600 miles west of Dallas, giving
an account of hostile meeting between two
miners in the Pecos Mining Company's camp,
twenty miles north of the Mexican border, last
Monday night. The duelsts were George Hol-
lenbeck and William Stratton. both New York
ers, born and raised near Palmyra; they were
of rich descent of the early Hollanders. They
were educated at Cambridge; the former
graduated as lawyer and the latter as ply
s!cian. They came out of college about the
time of Lincoln's first call for volunteers
to suppress the Southern rebellion. They en-
listed and went through the war, serving in
Colonel Gordon's OneSHundred and Forty
fourth New York Regiment. At the close of
the war they returned home, but finding pro-
fessional pursuits too tame for them
they concluded to go West. Before they
left home a difficulty arose between
them which was prevented from endi in
bloodshed by the interposition of mutual
friends. Before they had a chance to meet
again Stratton sought his fortune in the Far
West. He wandered to California, where he
went to work as miner. Hollenbeck went in
the same direction, but stopped at Colorado,
where he also became a miner. They never
heard of each other after this. They have
since followed the business of mining
but have never become as rich as they at
first expected. A few days ago they met in
the Pecos mining camp and recognized each
other. The school and social polish had
been rubbed off by the trials and hard
ships incident to life in the mining camps.
Hollenbeck was overjoyed to meet STRAIT
ton, who repelled him and said they
would settle that little unfinished diff.
Guilty which arose between them at their last
meeting. Hollenbeck said he had forgot
ten all about the difficulty referred to, and
entertained no ill-feeings whatever against
him. Stratton insisted on a settlement ac-
cording to the code. Hollenbeck s i'd if moth.
ing short of that would do he would accommo-
date him. Accordingly arrangements were
consummated for duel. They were to fight
announce ready, after which a third party was
to count three, when they were to fire. The
room was as dark as Egypt. They went into
it and announced ready from opposite corners.
Zone, two, three" and StrattOp fired. Stratton
fired second shot, but the only response from
HOllenbeck was grOan. StrattOn, believing
he had wounded Hollenbcck, fired third shot
in the direction of the groaning. The report of
pistol came from q corner directly opposite
from where the grOan appeared to proceed and
Stratton fell. No more shots being exchanged
light revealed the fact that Stratton had been
killed, while HOllenbeck was unhurt. Hoilen-
beck is ventriloauist, and, on entering the
room took his stand in diagonal corner from
his adversary, and, to make him believe he
was in the oppr site corner, threw his voice in
that quarter of the room, whore the bullets
from his adyersary's pistol harmlessly buried
themselves in the wall. IL had been SO long
since they had Seen each other that HolIen.
beck's ventriloquism bad entirely escaped the
memory Of Stratton. The affair has caused
great deal of excitement through the camp;
but as anything is called fair in such business,
no fault is found by he miners with the st~at,
egy employed by Hollenbeck.
"A Philadelphia family has jewel
of servant girl. She's not handsome
and won't kiss the master of the house,
and still she is a jewel. When burglars
broke in, pointed pistol at her head
and demanded to know where the mon
ey was kept she replied that she would
not tell them. Though her life was
threatened she persistently held her
tongue, and the burglars departed after
calling her an impudent hussy.--
J,nbs