The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-18
A SKETCH OF MAJOR
BURKE.

/
shot on the field, and in the seat o
honor. He Won bis proud distinction
by most arduous and skillful labor
and deserves review of the steps 81
which be assembled.
Beginning as q modest manipulatol
OF primary returns, Mr.. Burke'a bril-
liant talents in the line of fiction and
surprising mathematics soon qualified
him as a man upon whom Louisiana
democracy could depend. He then
became foreman of a fire company
and shining light in the scientific
corps DEVOTED to the shotgun method
of spreading the political gospel
among beDighte1 African voters. In
the celebrated charge made by the
impetuous 1000 White Leaguers
against I.ongstreet's 300 fierce police,
Sept. IA, 1874. be for peerless gall
laDtry IN keeping the rear together
and bis heroic refusal to quit his post
where the bullets were thickest-
with the ammunition wagon-wss
breveted msjor upon the field. Re-
firing again to civil life, he devoted
several years to perfecting himself in
the art OF successfully counting
minority votes. and. when in the
next campaign be unfurled his
gonfalore as candidate for state
treasurer, it iis not to be wondered
at that the returns were unanimous
in bis favor.
His bounding ambition, however,
refused to rest. He purchased the
New Orleans Democrat, which was
then In feeble financial health, and
SCARED al an editor. Some few literary
difficulties being ia the way Of bis
Immediately filling the tripod, be re.
tanned Mr.. Il. ]. Hearsey, it's former
owner and editor, to do the writing,
while he "superintended." After
six months or so, however, he learned
enough to suit the journalistic re-
quiTements of his subscribers, organ
lied a powerful staff, bounced Mr..
Hesrsey. and assumed full control.
During the next six months even the
grsyest of local newspaper men Ge-
clared that Horace Greeley in his
palmiest days had written nothing
which resembled the leaders emanst-
ing every morning from the gifted
Burke. He was outspoken on the
subject of molasses and absolutely
fearless in his treatment of the
" leather, while his philippics agsinst
the cotton-Worm were models of
vehemencs and inveetive.
About this time Mr.. Hearsey
daWned upon the horizon with a
small but stirring sheet called The
States, and, being somewhat OF an
inquiripg mind, 10 Instituted . series OF |
conundrums therein, touching upon |
Major Burke's handling Of csrtsin
public responsibilities. Then the
Democrats editorial page suddenly
lost its agricultural complexion and
bristled with personals. satisfactorily
settling the question Of Mr.. Burke's
by calling Mr.. Hearsey
coward end q liar. Mr.. Hearsey-
Who:Was also Q ''mejOr," by the way
Jumped up at this, knocked bis
heels together, and hoWlsa for instant
blood, but, on reflection, accepted
cocktail as temporary stay, sat down
and wrote Major Burke CORY and
terrible challenge.
This was duly conveyed, with the
ceremony and pomp BETTING. A
caucus of war was held in the
Democrat Office, where the awful pos
1bility Of their distinguished chief
being mas5scred was discussed in
frightened whispers by all hands,
rom the fifteen .dollsr-a-Week editor
n-chief to the sinecure-holding
Lawyers in the next room
rev up the majors, will. The
sketChed out half 3
lozen forms OF q dyiBg speech. ALI
vas gloom, Mr.. James D. Houston.
sheriff, who had filled q
private graveyard in years gone by,
declared to Hearsey's seconds that he
himself had written the obnoxious
ejoinder, and stated bis willingness
o 90 out and shoot HeSrsey in
3urke's place. The seconds gently
rat firmly urged that as Burke was
lot only editor of the Democrat, but
VIGOROUSLY poor shot, they would
Iold him responsible, and him alone.
'his waa appalling news, but as just
hen q detective rushed In to say that
1earsey had been vsinly trying all
be morning to shoot hole through
be folding doors OF his appointments, :
nd was so near sight ted that he 5
ouldn't see bis pistol. Major Burke !
erved up all that spirit which made
i'm famous In war, signed the will,
ccspted the challenge, suggested an
iteration in his dying speech. and
I'll upon the neck of his beloved
[ouston aud Wept.
The particulars of the encounter
re- too we'll known TO need more than
rief reference. The adverss-ies met
ear the cemetery Tor sake OF mutual
They were strapped,
D the Farrsgut principle, on two I
axes ten yards apart. They ex.
hanged two shots. Major Hearsey
inged lame duck thirty yards to
urke's right with his first shot, and I
q the second brought a stray mule
} grief twenty yards to his left.
Major Burke bagged :
tame hen and rash porker, both :
whom had imprudeutly strayed Q
;kh;,, fopfsy Yoanr IF r. 11L;