Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-07-27
-TrM0sf 4 Duel.

CincinnAti EaquireP. Z
III see the papers are full now Of
things about Bill Lytle," said old DR..
William Hunter to an Enquirer sman
yesterday; "but they have managed to
miss the critical event OF his life. Eytle
and were bosom friends, and all are
gone of that spectacular old quintet but
myself. Would you like to hear the
=. story?"
The Enquirer man was all ears. and
ventured to ask who composed the quin-
tet.
'Thats my story" said the doctor.
"Now, here tbs, and, strange to say, il
has never been published. I'll give it
from the standpoint of my own exper.
ience, andithen answer any questions
you care to ask. It was in August of
1858, think, lovely night, the moon
full and clear and the evening delight
and was sitting on my front step when
it occurred to me that stroll down to
the St. Charles and Highland Mary
would. be good ,preliminaries to sleep.''
"What isa ....Highland Mary" doc
"Well, that old name is out of date
now; but it used to be famous among
The patrons of the St. Charles. We
we're all fond Of. Scotch whisky, and
during the winter time would take the
Scotch hot. When the dog days came
the hot part began to be unparliamen-
tary in the highest degree, and SO we
substituted sort of a cold toddy of
Scotch whisky, and gave it the poetic
Now for.thS story" said the scribe.
Yes. When I entered the St.
Charles there was panorama on hand.
onlyfour parties were present: George
Selves, the proprietor; Tom Marshall Of
Kentucky, tall, gaunt and dark; and, in
place by themselves, Lytle and Rob.
ert d. Graham. l knew all the parties
well but Marshall, and to him l was at
once introduced. l could see at once
that some disturbance had taken place.
MarAhall was white with excitement,
George Selves was trembling with ex-
element, like an aspen leaf, Lytle was
fiery and boisterous, and Graham was
trying to splay the heavy diplomatic in
his manners and features. / was all at
sea. Marshall said he had known
OF me by reputation as a believer
in the code and master of the
fence, which compliment l returned in
some pleasant way, ana then George
Selves called me to one side and told
me that Lytle and Marshall were about
to fight duel, anu for, Gods sake to
stop tiff could. One look at Bill salts
fed me that he would be more apt to
hit church steeple than his antagonist,
and Marshall was not in much better
fighting condition. 1t seems that few
minutes before l came in words had
passed between Lyt!e and Marshall.
Lytle and Graham had been quietly
lunching together when Marshall drop
ped in, as. he always did when on this
side Of the river, and Bill was just III
that dogged and warlike frame of mind
that cares for no consequences! and he
began to abuse MAJ shall in the most
venomous terms. 1t quite astounded
me when the language was repeated.
because Lytle, whether perfectly sober
or IN his cups, was paragon OF suavity,
and courtly bearing. Marshall, of
and Lytle had promptly challenged him
to personal encounter. This was the
situation, the calm before the expected
storm, when entered the house."
What did you dor"
''Well, the circumstances we're some
what critical, especially because of
Lytle's frenzy. Marshall was angry, but
cool. l knew Graham was little weak
in the knees when it came to war. Now
the hitch in the proceedings had been
caused by the fact that Marshall4was un
armed, and had no second, while Lytle
was equipped in both respects, Graham
promising to act as his friend. Well,
ioyed Bill Lytle better than brother,
and didn't care to face the code rules
thof mo NJ oocnnH IN 70 ko hia
principals place if he was not able to
act for himself. Lytle or Marshall was
liable to- be hors de combat in less than
no time, and didn't care to confront
the possibility of having .to,pop away at
Bill Lytle in cese Marshall should weak
en- or stagger out of line. Heroic treat
ment was the thing required.
So, when had grasped the situation
fully, I stepped quietly up to Mr.. Mar
shall and said: You seem to be
in some difficulty, and I will cheerfully
do what can to help you out. Do you
gentlemen wish a personal encounter?'
,hdX}| "Xs d0l' from both Lytle and Mar
''a %Vsry we'll, then, so be it. The moon
is at the full--the light is good and clear.
There need be no delay. Pm a believer
in the code, and Mr.. Marshall is entitled
to it's fullest protection. He is without
second and unarmed. | will cheer:
fully act as his second, and in few min-
utes r'ill be back here from Hudson's
with pair of dueing pistols, so that all
the conditions of perfect equality may
be met. Then, if you please, gentle
men, we will repair to Hammond street
and adjust this difficulty by the terms Of
the coce."
"The effect of this outburst was trifle
electrical. Lytle wheeled in his chair
at the words and looked at me with a
face of blank Observation-Disclosures
struck at the idea that one of his boon
companions should be willing to enter
the lists as the champion of his enemy.
Graham--well you gould see the cold
chills running down his spinal cord at
the prospect of being implicated in an
affair where actual blood and life
were evolved. George Selves
heart began to beat at about
four strokes to the second, and the
glance he cast at me was one of wild and
pitiful entreaty. Evidently he supposed
that the trouble had about guieied down
until came in to fill the requirements
of the code, when he seemed to realize
the full force Of the situation. Marshall
sat slolid and metionless as statue.
My young friend, it was a critical mo-
men., and | felt in painful doubt for a