New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-29
A TERRIBLE FIGHT.

From, The Cincinnoh Commercial Gdsett
During Mr. Stephens's Congresslohal seINlSo s al
pending the campaign of 1S4S he returned lroul
Washinpton to Georgia He fresh from the
great debates the acquisition OF Callornia aIu
NewMexico as United states @If of
having taken, against the wishes OF majority ~
the Southern members, most prominent pa ai ~ -,
the opposition to such acquisition he was lnov
much adverse criticism Judge zone, MY W. Georgia
the time one of the leading politicians OF ueoi
was particularly in his comments upon nh Nh
Stephenss action. and was reported as naVths pun
licly denounced him traitor 10 tne 9uuei' bon
Hardly had Mr. Stephens reached his home WH i
these and similar reports were conveyed W i h
At first he did not credit them but rs ome had
caIIed him traitor and advised, in the true ooutn
ern sTrit that he owed il to himself 10 ueiiaiu
what is called satisfaction, Ins Kissed
mn and he declared that if Judge cone w Snmth he
NIT having called him Nj 'E Sns after this he met
the Judge at a numerously attended WING s"'ho'
| inc and going up to him quietly SAID for roo.
fudge Cone have been ISr1 . me as traitor
70 The South, and take this opportunity oi "'N'"s
you If such reports are true "tbev ara not trneD
Il am yery glad to hear you say So. said MI
stenbens, cordially; and in the same friendly tone
connsed Of o0uJse &c Conc MOI but in order that
we may have no further mlsunders,anI'ns It 20
tbe srepresen alton of others, think III rehC t0
Won admitted having used the language attributed
TO you. ,.o1 bo,.;no
Upon this the Judge again dlsowned naVins
spoken disrespectfully of Mr.. Stephens and SO ior
the time the affair ended 1t was the subject oil DIS,
cussIon all over the State, however and the geheral
verdict was that Judge Cone, very poweriuI man
nv the way had shown the white feather 10 blliie
Aeck Stephens" In such a community, no public
man resting under such charge could nope etner
for political preferment or popular respect one n
of course, knew this, and very much heated anu {,
ANNOYED by the comments which were being made
upon him. wrote to Mr. Stephens demanding
;mmedIate and public refraction of the threat. In
10 that rhp threat OF Shaping
the Judges face had been contingent upon tne
truth of reports regarding which he Mr. Gomez nad
pronounced to be untrue, and that such being the
case there could be cause for offence or angry
feeling on either side Unfortunately TINS letler
was never received by Judge Cone. Three or fonr
days after it was written, however, ne met MI;
Stspbens on the piazza of hotel i'll Atlanta. ana
disregarding that gentlemau's friendly greeting
said IN a very offensive tone:
| "Mr Stephens, demand that you make an I'm,
| mediate Ietracton of your threats regarding me
! Sick and weak though he was. Alexander H. Steph-
ems could allow one TO speak 10 MN III inc lasn-
ION described. Judge Cone was very giant III si]e
and muscular development, yet the iran man
| whom he addressed with aggravating poilteness
| and without hesliatlng moment replled ar
! don me sir / have already written you on Iha'
| subject must decline TO discuss II iurtherr;
| Am | to take this for your answer 7 asked
Cone. excitedly. -. - =, o.
| " Ii Is the only answer nave W blNo )'"' We
Then denounce you as a miserable little trai-
tor cried Cone mad with e1ct9nst,. ahv 1edcd
hS v The mick hand of the man he bad insulted left
| its red scar across his check. Wild with pam ano
| passiOn without utterng word, he drew "a keen
nointed dirk knife and made one furious thrust al
his weak little advcrsary's heart. Instantly as Il'
did 50. however, Stephens, seizlng stout umoleh'
| which he held III his left hand, luterposed " ~.
| defence and Was able for q moment 20 hold hiu
| ar AIMS length. The knife fell short OF ITS marx
| Once more II was thrust at stephens cutting
deep cash in his arm, but reaching no VITA
polut eighteen times II cut deep INTO ms breast
arms aud body, but still he did not fall. Then h'
could hold ont no onger n" G%dra age HG
| such an attack. Cone was determined 10 hnlsn ni
work He threw all his great weight against th'
umbrella which held him away from the man u
| utended TO kill II broke Stephens, half faintng
fen upon his back. The giant Cone was at ~
throat in moment; his head by gI1p OF IRON wa
| held against the cruel floor; the keen ana olool
dripning knife was held aloft before him ready To
the last fatal thrust; but still the poor pale Iac
of the little hero set and debaDt-his DacK eye
still flashed undoubtedly. , -, Ii.
Cone. 80, 4, H.
1ifeless stephens Like flash the knife came down
With an almost superhuinan effort the pros RAJ
man caught 1t in his right hand. Clear through IN
muscles and tendons and bones OF the hanu II W. Tut
then stuck fast aud reached no vital parf' VII
desperate strength Cone tired 10 wrench IL free
With grasp almost of death the horribly mahRle'
and muiiated hand still held IT. fast In the stIug
| Gle Stephens once more dragged 10 hls lrel
The blood was rushing in streams from his man
wounds His hold upon the knife which sought NJ
| brave heart began 10 IcidA Ilc was Wy
when he believed the next moment would be III
last strong men came to his RELIEF. Inc mauma
! Cone was secured ann held fast. - .
Then quickly tho wounds which Mt. stephen
had received were examined. 1t was iOund ina
| one of them had penetrated 10 Within a sixteenth
| of an inch of his heart. An inercostai arteT
| had been cut. The cctOrs declared that II
would surely die. Happily their prediction
were not verified. HIS HE was saved By Tn
unlemittng care of a surgeon, ms devoted friend
who as good fortune would have IT, happened TO d
IN Atlanta at the time. When he recovered, with !
maQ1lanlInity of which few men are capable even O
understanding. he refused to prosecute Cone, an
| that person. instead of getting his deserts IN tb
darn C. Ii of a State prison, was fined 81 900, am
with his honor vindicated,' was allowed TO &
free. To the day of his death, Mr.. stephens spok
of him in terms of consideration ana forgiveness
Not long ago. referring to the terrible struggle
have attempted TO describe and showing Inc TN
| great hole in his manged hand, he sad, with
| Guiet and far-away look his deep, dark eyes
= Poor Cone Pm sure he'd be sorry If he knew wha
J 4 rit ut q