The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-07-20
A Few Famous Irish Duels.
STORIES or CURRAN, LORD NoRBURY'
PAT POWER vND OTHER IRISH
FIGHTERS.
From the New York sun.

From the New York sun.
During the days of the old Parma
meut in College Green, Dublin, violent
alterations leading to duels were OF
constant occurrence. Crowds OF fash.
ionable ladies, as at the Spanish bull
fights, thronged the galleries to APP
plaud and encourage them. Grattan
was a capital shot, and gave up many
hours to practice, as O'Connell admit
ted that he did himself in early life.
Paragraphs and pistols were Grattans
daily employment near Lucan, where
he first lived. Caesars character OF
Brutus, "Quid quid cult, cdlde v"!t,
which an eminent Western scholar
translated, "What he wants, he wants
like applied to Grattan in every
thing-in hitting mark or sharpening
sarcasm, in satirizing the treasury
bench or shooting down minister.
Curran, whose humor was perfect,
and never deserted him, even on such
occasions, was once challenged by
barrister named Burrowes, supposed to
be an incurable invalid. When they
met Curran's second came to him and
said "The second of your antagonist
requests, as his principal is in very
feeble condition, that he may be al
lowed to lean against the milestone
where he is standing during the ex.
change of shots" Certainly said
Curran with a twinkle of the eye, "pro-
vided am allowed to lean against the
next mile stone"
Hutchinson, the Provost of Trinity
| College, who himself fought duel with
| Doyle, master in Chancery, in which
three shots were exchanged, said, when
a pupil asked his advice about a course
| of legal study: "Buy case of good
pistols, learn the use of them, and they
| will get you on faster than Fearne or
Blackstone.
1t was favorite boast of the infa-
nous Lord Norbury that he began life
with n $50 note and a brace of hair
trigger pistols. The last were the on-
| ly stock he brought to the bench.
When there he once checked learned
brother by the significant hint that in
becoming judge he had not ceased to
be gentleman. Lord Norbury made
, good use of his pistols, or ''barkers, "
as they were called in Ireland. He
} was repeatedly "out,' one of his duels
, being with ''Fighting Fitzgerald"
, whose concealed armor Martin of Gal
way had tried by coolly walking up
: and firing two balls at him, saying: "ii
! either of those enter you, am mur.
derer,' and who afterward was hanged
, for murder not according to the
r code.
Of course the ordinary ruck of small
t gentry followed their leaders, and many
= pleasant stories are told round Irisl
tiresides of the professional duelists ot
; those days. One of the most famous
/ was Pat Power, of Daragle. He was
we are told, like Beirne, fat, robus,
man, and was distinguished for his in
Temperance and his glowing face
Among many of his affairs of homo
was one with another fire. eater of hi
# time, Bill Brisco. When taking ain
l. he had still warm friendship and
e natural tenderness for such gentle
e man of honor, and would show it. s.
IS he only shot off Brisco's whisker an,
r part of his ear When travelling i
n England Power had many encounter
i with persons who were attracted b
If his brogue and his clumsy appearance,
ie On one occasion he ordered supper in
le coffee room, and while waiting for i
10 he read the newspaper. After SON
IS time the waiter laid two covered disht
c. on the table, and when Power examil
IS ed their contents he found they wei
two dishes of smoking potatoes. Il
ne asked the waiter to whom he was i
n debtei for such fare. The waiter poin
n. ed to two gentlemen in the opposi
n. box.
lis Power desired his servant to after
ne him, and directing him in Irish what
Id do, quietly supped off the potatoes,
is the great amusement of the Englis
lie men, Presently his servant appear,
of with two more covered dishes, one
IL which he laid down before his mas,
nd and the other before the persons in t
ers opposite box. When the covers we
ire removed there was found in each
nd loaded pistol. Power took up his a
ol- cooked it, telling one of the others
take up the second, assuring him Il
Isl they were at very pleasant distar
nd for close shot, and if one fell he "
he ready to give satifaction to the 9th
ice The parties rushed out without waiti
no for second invitation, and with the
ks several persons from an adjoining be
the AS they were all in too great hui
hat to pay their reckoning, Power paid
md for them along with bis own.
to In Ireland in these days dueling
can at discount. Some few years a
wn even in Galway, the home of DAILY a
zen Dick Martin, where the custom
us- found its last dwelling place, a t
BILE bill was found by the grand jury agai
So one of the principals in duel in VIII
has the other was killed Yet in that sa
JUS county, but quarter of century
fore, judge of Assizes, Johnson
charging Il jury in a similar G.
70 a said
I of 1T is my duly to tell you, gen
ron. men, that the law of the land ma
in killing in duel a crime. At the 9;
Iary time it is equally my duty to state,
This | feel pleasure in stating, that from
'ers, interesting account given by the
rog nesses, | never heard of fairer {
as a in the many have been a party to
AN witnessed in my life.