The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-02-13
TOBE MITCHELL'S STORY.
The Bearer Of Gebhardt's Chal-
lenge Expresses Himself.

4. c. Star.
Mr.. Tobias Mithcell, Of Central City
Col, arrived in Kansas City from the east
yesterday. Mr.. Mitchell formerly lived in
st. Louis, where he was connected with the
been residing i'm Colorado for The last yeai
or two. Bt sides being editor of the Reg
ister-Call at Central City, he has also
struck it in the mining business, and Is
largely interested in one OF the best pro-
Gucing gold mines in GiIpin county.
will be remembered, he figured some
what i'm the Cunningh am Gebhsrdt affair
at St. Louis, and Was Cunningbam's hes,
friend i'm The tussle which the st. Louis re-
porter had with Langtry's admirer. In
connection with that lively episode in ST.
Louis journalism, Mr.. Mitchell id Gun.
ninghsm had never been properly repre-
scented i'm the newspapers. The paper On
which he is employed, the Globe Demo
orat, could not, with propriety, say any
thing, and both the Republican and
Post Dispatch had published accounts
highly colOred in favor of Gebhardt. The
insult offered to Cunningham in the South
ern hotel bad been grossly exaggerated IN
the first place. and in the second place
Cunningham had good and substantial
reasons for net embroiling himself la
personal rencontre at the time.
All this talk about Gebhardt being Il
fighter and athlete, etc. had come out sine
the Southern hotel affair. On that night
Cunningham looked on Gebhardt as q
shallow Drained young fellow, ms king a
fool of himself by following around after
the petiicoats of a second rate actress, and
il was questionable IS to whether he WAS
responsible for his language in the sense
that an ordinary citizen is responsible. In
the next place, Cunningham had written
him up in a strongly satrical way and felt
II at Gebhart had real grievance-that he
had cause to be ex.spersted, and was,
therefore entitled to great forbearance.
"Why," said Mr. Mitchell. eff Cnnnir &
ham had struck Gebhardt, or used him up,
as he would have done one way or the
other if there had been a fight, he would
have been denounced ~ a brute who bad
mercilessly lampooned an un0ffendiug
stranger and then sought in the hotel TO
whip or kill him Cunningham showed
more bravery i'm not striking Gebhard,
than he wuuld have shown had he res-n eel
the insult in
HOT HEADED MANNER.
In fact Cunningham did NOT look upon
the matter as serious until the following
morning, when ne learned that the papers
hsd made solemn affair 81 it. and he had
been nut in the attitude Of 4 man VINO
would not fight.
Then Ire challenged G.bhsrdt, ard the
New Yorker showed the white leather h.
refusing 70 meet Cunningham and by
practically keeping himself under police
protection during the remainder ri his
STAY i'm 81. Louis"
Furthermore, nearly every paper IN the
country" continued Mr.. Mitchell had
described Cunningham asa blsian; south
ern colonel OF 'nsiar' who went srounc
armed TO the teeth ia wiii endeavor 70
get get IT Ciebhsrdt sni shoot him. As &
tact Cunningham Was Rat armed st all
while Gebhardt was there. and WAS neither
wild nor excited shout il. ana had nothing
TO saw on the subject except 40 few
friends. Ills conduct during the entire
episode MAS that oil perfect gentleman
As to the southern" or Colonel" business,
il was well known in 81. Louis that Gun
ningham has never put himself Up a. that
sort OF man.
He WIS mere lad when the wsr ended
and could not have been much OF
COLONEL oR MAJOR,
and he had never claimed any record a.
soldier except ss boy 1t the tail end OF
the war These sensational accounts had
been gotten up Nv lot oi biear-eyed aud
string halted reporters who dinni have.
courage enough themselves to stand up and
q. mt a blind folded Niger.
'Cunninghsr, WIS never recognized rs
braggadocio on the contrary rs . mau
who wouli take good deal but make i,
hot enough after he got into the qRsrrel
No one rho knew Cunningham hsa Tor 8
moment doubted his courage, but il had
not been impugued except by few cow
ardly newspaper men, either hostile to him
personally or to the paper lac is working
Tor. As matter OF fact. Mr. Mccullough
of the Globe Democrat was about the only
st. Louis newspaper man who stood by
or tresied him with even
common fairness"