The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-10
GAME.

,,hir,ty A-Sailant, Who strives Ia
rr.nYy, 20 Take His Life, hut is
,n,sln his wicked Intent.
n0ripe Mr.. Stephens congressional sers-
-. nandiug the campaign of lSiS, he
.,,sa from Washington to Georgia. He
Gosh from the great debates on the
.;s;,;on of California and New Mexico
rcited States territories, and for having
an against the wishes Of majority of
.o,,hern mem pers, q prominent part in
ss',ion 10 such acquisition, he was met
~ mich adverse criticism. Judge Gone,
aas nj the time one OF the leading
,;,;cians OF Georgia, was particularly Sc
4 in his comments upon MT. stephens'
.;on and was reported as having publicly
nonnsad him as traitor to the south.
lT,rdIv had Mr.. Stephens reached his
a'S when these and similar reports were
nre,ed 10 him. At first he did not credit
w, nm as one kind friend after another
,nrmed hun that Cone had called him
,;tor and advised, in the tue southern
~ hat he owed it TO himself 10 demand
Fl, js called satisfaction the fires of
Snacity in his nature, which are ALWAYS
,oudering, Missed up, and he declared
y, If Judge Cone would admit having
Ia him traitor to the south he would
Ian his face" Not long after this he met
mdre at numerously attended whig
t6ering, and gong up to him quietly,
@Iudge Cone, have been told that you,
reasons of your own, have denounced
. as traitor TO the south, ana take this
pportunity OF asking you If such reports
mo sir" was Cones reply, "they are not
~ am very glad to hear you say So" said
Stephens, cordially, and in the same
isrdly tone continued: "0f course do
al desire 10 be IN any way
OFFENSIVE TO YOU,
pdpe Cone, Int in order that we may have
Il iiirther misunderstanding THROUGH the
Representation of others, think it right
teU YOU that | have said | would slap
Ann face ifyou admitted having used the
nguage attributed to you"
Upon this tue judge again disowned
kayipc spoken disrespectlully of Mr.. Ste.
bbens aud so for the Iinie the affair ended.
was the subject Of discussion all over the
tate however, and the general verdict was
hat Judge Cone, 4 very powerful man, by
he way, had shown The white feather to
Little Aleck Stephens In such Il COM
nunity, no public man resting under such
charge could hope either for political pre-
erment or popular respect. Cone, of
kourse, knew this, and, very much heated
Ind annoyed by the comments which were
being made upon him. wrote to Mr.. Ste
phens demanding an immediate and pub
ic retraction of the threat. In reply Mr..
Stephens wrote that the threat OF slapping
The Judges face had been made contingent
upon the truth of reports regarding which,
Dc Mr.. Gomez had pronounced to be un.
true, and that such beng the case, there
could be no cause for otlense or angry feel
ing on either side. Unfortunately this let
ter was never received by Judge Cone.
IThree or four days after 1t was written,
however, he met Mr.. Stephens on the pi.
azza of hotel III Atlanta, and, disregard
ing that gentleman's friendly greeting, said
In very offensive tone;
mir. Stephens demand that you make
an immediate retraction OF your threats
Regarding me-"
SICK AND WEAK THOUGH HE WAS,
ALEXANDER III. Stephens could allow no one
Ito speak to him in the fashion described
Judge Cone was a very giautin size and
Imuscular development, yet the frail man
1 Whom he addressed, with aggravating po.
liteness and without hesitating a moment
lreplied Pardon me, have already
written you ON that subject; l must decline
4 TO discuss it further"
Am to take this as your answer.
\ asked Cone eXcitedly.
ut is the only answer | have to give
|you,n was the calm reply
Then ! denounce you as a miserable
little traitor" cried Cone, mad with excite.
|ment. The fast words had hardly left his
lips whena light cane, welded by tue quick
hand of the man he had insulted, lett its
red scar across his cheek.
Wild with pain and passion, without ut
tering a word, he drew a keen. pointed dirk
knife, and made one furious thrust at his
weak little adversary's heart Instantly, as
he did so, however, Stephens, seizing u
stout umbrella, which he held in his Jeff
hand, interposed 1t rs a defense, ana was
able for moment TO hold him at arms
length. The knife fell short of its marx.
Once more it was thrust at Stephens, cut
ting more deep cash in his arm, but
reaching no vital point; eighteen times it
cut deep into his breast, arms and body, but
still he did not fall. Then he could hold
out no longer. No courage, no spirit, how
ey r hrm and unyielding, could long with
stand such an attack. Cone was determined
to finish his work. He threw all his great
weight against the umbrella which held
him away from the man
lie HAD DETERMINED TO KILL,
II broke; Stephens, half fainting, fell upon
his back The giant Cone was at his throat
in moment; his head, by grip of iron,
was held against the cruel floor; the keen
and blooddripping knife was held aloft be-
fore him, ready for the last fatal thrust,
but still the poor, pale face of the little
hero was set and deiiant-his black eyes
still flashed undauntedly.
"Retract, or III cut your cursed throat !"
Kissed Cone.
Cut I'll never retract !" gaspee the al
most liteless Stephens.
Like flash the knife came down. With
an almost superhuman effort, the PROSTATE
man caught it in his right hand. Clean
through the muscles, tendons and bones of
the hand 1t cut, then struck fast and
reached no vital part. With desperate
strength Cone tried to wrench 1t free. With
q grasp almost ofdeath, the horribly man.
gied and mutilated hand still held it fast.
In the struggle Stephens was once more
dragged to his feet; tho blood was rush
mgin streams from his many wounds; his
hold upon the knife which sought his brave
heart began to relax he was dying. But
even when he believed the next moment
would be his last, strong men came to his
relief. The mailman Cone was secured and
held last.
Then quickly tho wounds which Mr., Ste
phens had received were examined. 1t was
found that one of them had penetrated to
within the sixteenth of an inch of his heart.
An intercostal artery had been cut. The
doctors declared that he would surely die.
Happily their predictions were not veri-
ned. His life was saved by the unremit'
ing care of surgeon, his devoted friend,
VINO, rs good as fortune would have II, hap
pened to be in Atlanta at the tine. When
lie recovered, with q magnanimity which
few men are capable of understanding, he
reused to prosecute Cone, and that person,
instead of getting his deserts in the dark
cell OF o state prison, was fined $1,000, and
with his "honor indicated" was allowed
10 90 free. To this day Mr.. stephens speaks
OF him in terms Of consideration aud for
glveness. Not long ago, referring to the
terrible struggle have attempted TO DIES.
cribe, and showing me the great hole In hi,
maugled hand, he said, with qulet anc
iar'away look in his deep. dark eyes, "Pool
Conel | IN sure he'd be sorry If he knew
what trouble | have to write with these
still fingers of mine III Iouisville Cou rinr