The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-06
PARSON BROWNLOW.
incidents in the Life of the Fighting ParsoD
as Preacher and Editor.

SIT came from his always being ready to
defend himself Journalism, in his time,
was peculiarly personal journalism. Editor
Brownlow had vocabulary inexhaustiblein
its sarcasm and his remarks about his OPP
ponents and their principles often led to as
saults upon him. In these attacks he always
defended himself He often used to say he
would rather be taken home q corpse than
to tamely submit to threshing at the hands
of any man. He was a man of great moral
and physical courage, and though naturally
peaceable he would, on being attacked, de-
fend himself to the last extremity"
Tell me of some of his battles" said I.
MANY of them happened" replied Mr.
Brownlow. ''before 1 was born, but have
asked my father about them, and though he
was usually retcent on such matters, he has
told me some. He was often assaulted, but
he forgave every one of his enemies except
two"
who were theseT'
"Fayette McMullen, once a member of
Congress. and Loudon G. Haynes McMullen
came to me in Washington while father was
in the Senate, and asked me to arrange
meeting and reconciliation, but father
wcnld not hear of it."
"What was the story of the quarrelT
at arose." replied Mr.. Brownlow, out of
newspaper cut Fayette McMnlen was
originally WAGNER among the Virginia
mountains and one of the events of his ante
political life was the catching of his fingers
between the iron saws of rat trap when
trying to getsome corn through the bars OF
crib by the roadside. The trap, however,
was intended for thief who had been steal
ing the corn. but the owner of the crib in
authorizing McMullen to get the corn, had
forgotten the trap. 1t was l think, along in
1912, that James X. Polk and this McMullen,
then in the Virginia Legislature, made
Democratic speeches in Tennessee. They
came to Jonesboro, and McMulen there
charged Clay with being drunkard and
corruptionist Father as editor of the
Jonesboro Wing. denounced Polk and
ridiculed McMullen, who was very
lliterate and coarse Among other
things he published wood-cut showing how
McMullen had lost the thumb and two fin
gers of his right hand | don't wonder that
McMullen was mad. The wood-cut was a
horrible caricature 1t presented him with
his wagon on the road beside the well-flled
corn-crib, his fingers caught in the steel trap,
and his face writhiug in agony. McMullen
ewore he would be revenged. Father knew
this and he expected him, but he did not
know that McMullen was a coward, and he
expected fair, open fight. But McMullen
took him by surprise. He slipped up be-
hind, accompanied by his brother, and
yelled out, Defend Yourself Father turned
quickly but as he turned McMullen struck
at his head with his club. Father raised his
arm, and thus broke the force of
the blow. He then drew Derringer
from mis- pocket, put the muzzle against
McMullen's breast and pulled the trigger.
The cap flashed, but the pistol failed to go
off McMullen exclaimed, My GodF and
struck again, knocking father down. He
tbat, lnh nd
s. until a crowd collected and took him off
The pistol was tried afterward with another
cap, and it made such mark in target as
to show that had it gone off it would have
killed McMullen. MeMullen was afterward
wont to cite this case to illiterate and negro
audiences as an evidence that he bore
charmed life and that God had saved him to
go to Congress. He also boosted of having a
horse killed by the cars while he was riding
him, and himself saved by falling on the
cow-catcher. A few days after he had told
this the last time he was killed by the cars"
What was Parson Brownlow's first hght?T
said l.
ut occurred forty-three years ago. He was
editing the Weekly Wing and had attacked
in its columns local politician, big burly
old fellow, whose name l don't care to give,
as don't care to hurt the feelings OF his
grandchildren, who are still living, and who
are my friends After the paper appeared
he vowed vengeance and bought a rawhde
es he said, to whip that damned preacher
editor
Father was standing by stream near the
village when he saw him coming. Father
told him to stand off, that he was an old man
and that he had better leave his sons to fight
his battles.
The hurley old man told him he was
bound to whip him, and started forward.
Father stepped backward and picked up
wagon-spoke, and when the old man struck
~ ,rifI r. D.; do ha fad uyifl,
club He hit the man across the temple,
knocking him senseless to the ground. When
his eyes opened he saw BrownlOw standing
over him. He looked up at him and then
down at his shirt, which was covered with
blood, and said: You are a dam nice preach
'er, amt your "
1T does seem" replied father, "that know
how to get the mourners down"
did your father believe in the code?'
mo, he considered dueing foolish and
wicked. He deprecated the state of society
in early DAYS but before the war man who
did not defend himself could have no inf1u-
enoe. If ne had acted differently he could
have done nothing for the Union or himself,
Once he accepted challenge. 1t was from q
little Democratic politician. As being
challenged he had the choice of weapons. He
chose his enemy's pig-pen as the place, after
the first rainfall as the time, and pitchforks
as weapons. The politician, who was dapper
little fellow of less than ninety pounds, was
80 disguised that he let the matter drop
Several attempts were made to kill my
father" continued Mr. Brownlow. zone
night he was writing by tallow dip, when a
bullet whistled past him. He ran to the door
and shot at two men who were running
away in the darkness. He hit one OF them.
1t was the one he had knocked down with
the wagon spoke. At another time two
young Democratic legislators, brothers,
called at the office to shoot him. He wounded
one in the arm with his Derringer, and then
ran from the office home, they firing at him
as he ran. When he came inside the house
he got double-barreled gun ard returned to
the door. On seeing him the men concluded
to desist, At another time a stone was
thrown at him when he was walking in q
Wing procession. He lodged, aud it struck