The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-29
THE PIGMY AND THE GIANT.
governor stephens Terrible Rencoutr.
with Judge Cone sp I81S

service. and pending the campaign O.
isis, he returned from Washington &c
Ieorgia. lie was fresh from the rrea,
debates on tie acquisition of California
and New Mexico q. United States Terri.
tories, and for having taken, against the
wishes OF majority of the Southern
mchihers, most pr0minent par, in onno
s'!loh 10 such acquisition, he WAS met
win much adverse criticism. judge
Gone, who was Al the time one of the
ieadlnH politicians Of Georgia was mar.
;cniarly severe in his comments upon
Mr.. stephens action, and was reported as
having publicly denounced him as a
traitor to the South.
Hardly had Mr. Stephens reached his
home when these and similar reports
were conveyed to him. AT first he did
not credit them, but as one kind friend
aiter another informed him that Cone
had called him n traitor and advised in
The true Southern spirit, that he owed il
TO himself to demand what is called
satisfaction the fires of pugnaci,y in
ms nature, which are always smouIdering.
his>ed up, au:t lie declared tina, if .yudse
Tone would admit having called him a
traitor to the South lie would "slap his
iaco." Not long after this he met the
Judge at numerously attended Whig
gathering, and going up to him quietly
said:
Judge Cone, have been told that
you, for reasons of your own, have de-
nounced me as IL traitor to the South. and
take this opportunity of asking you if
such reports are true
NO, sir, was Couc's reply, "thcy are
not true
.! am very glad to hear you say 30.
said Mr.. Stephens, cordially /; and in the
same friendly tone continued "Of
course, do not desire to he in any way
offensive to you, Judge Cone. but in or.
der that we may have no further misun.
derstanding through the misrepresenta.
tlon OF others, think it right To tell YOU
that have said would slap your face
II you admitted having used the language
attributed to you"
I pom this the Judge again dsowned
| having spoken disrespectfully Of Mr.. Ste
phens, aud SO for the time the affair end
ed. 1t was the subject Of discussion all
over the State, however, and the general
verdict was that Judge Cone, very pow.
erful man by the way, had shown tile
white feather to Little Aleck Stephens"
In such community no public man rest.
ing under such a charge could hope
either for political preferment or popular
respect. Cone, Of course, knew this, and,
very much heated and annoyed by the
comments which were being made upon
him, wrote to Mr. Stephens demanding
an immediate and public 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 lie (lIr.
Gomez had pronounced to be untrue, and
that such being the case there could be
no cause Tor otense or angry feeling on
either side. Unfortunately this letter
was never received by Judge Cone.
Three or four days after it was written,
however, he met DIR. Stephens on the
piazza Of hotel in Atlanta, and, disre
gaTding that gentlemnn's friendly greet.
ing, said in very offensive tone:
"Mr. Stephens, demand that you
make an immediate retraction of YOUR
threats regarding me.'
der II. Stephens could allow no one to
speak to him in the fashion described.
Judge Cone was very giant in size and
muscular development, vet the frail man
whom he addressed, with aggravating 10.
liteness and without hesitating a moment,
replied: pardon me, sir, have already
written you on that subject. must de-
cline to discuss it further
Am to take this for your answer?"
asked Cone, excitedly.
ut is the only answer ! have to give
you" was the calm reply.
Then denounce you IA miserable
little traitor, cried Cone, made with ex-
ctement. The last words had hardly
left his lips when light cane, welded by
the quick hand of the man he had insult.
cd, LETT its red scar across his cheek,
Wild with pain and passion, without
uttering word, he drew keen pointed
dirk knife and made one furious thrust at
his weak little adversary's heart. In.
stantly as he did so, however, Stephens.
seizing a stout umbrella which he had i'm
his left hand, interpOsed it as defence
and was able for moment to hold him
at arms length. The knife fell short of
its mark. Once more it was thrust at
Stephens, cutting 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, however firm and unyielding,
could long withstand 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 he intended to kill 1t broke.
Stephens, half fainting, fell upon his
back. The giant Cone was Mt his throat
in moment; his head, by grip of iron
was held against the cruel floor; the
keen and blood-driPping knife was held
aloft Leiore him, ready for the last fatal
thrust (; but still the poor pale face of
the little hero was set and defiant-his
black eyes still flashed undauntedly.
"Retract, or I'll cut your cussed
throat" hissed Cone.
"Cut! III never retract !' gasped the
almost lifeless 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, ten.
dons and bones of the hand it cut, then
stuck fast and reached no vital part.
With desperate strength, Core tried to
wrench it free. With grasp almost of
death the horribly mangled and mutila-
ted hand still held it fast. In the strug-
gle Stephens was once more dragged 10
bis feet. The blood was rushing in
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 tue
next moment would be his last strong
men came to his relief The madman
Cone was secured and held fast. Then
quickly the wounds which Mr.. Stephens
had received were examined. 1t was