, 1884-02-07
MaRruder's Fight With a Doctor in a
Restaurant


lEhlld ShllApIlllhsl
During the autumn of 1852, in Los Angeles,
Cal, Col since a distinguished general in
the Confederate army, and now deceasedl J.
Bankhead Mngruder, Third artillery, U. S.
A, who was visiting that city fron San
Diego, commenced an evening Mt Harry
Monroe's restaurant, in company with three
or four other c%ongenial fellows, by ordering
a champagne dinner of an elaborate chnrac-
ter. 1t was not long after the initial move
ment Of the real old Duff Gordon sherry from
right to left that an exhilaration set in
which was rapidly and radiantly heightened
to "a hilarious pitch, the reader
may rest assured; so that, after
the "feast OF reason and low of SOUP had got
completely under way, the nocturnal way
fnrer might have m-isinterpreted the medley
Of moderation for sounds of revelry second
only TO those attributed TO the beauty and
chivalry of Bclgium's capital upon n mo-
mentous occasion by the author Of "Childe
Harold's Pilgrimage" In other words, an
uproarious controversy had quickly followed
the gastronomic discussion, during which
Magruder declared, with his characteristic
suavity, that Andrew jackson was "the
greatest man who ever trod in shoe leather"
Col. John O.. wheeler tossed off a goblet Of
Krug "to the greatest of American states
men, Henry Clay" while Thompson Burrill
quaffed placidly away to the memory Of
"Daniel Webster, the greatest man the world
ever produced"
A certain disciple Of Esculapius, who was
present, then arose, as SYSTEMATICALLY as It
was possible for him to rise under the circum-
stances, and said: "My father, who was sheriff
Of Cayuga county New York., was the great
est of all Americansl' To which Magruder
replied, vehemently: doctor, you're u
damned fooll' The doctor at once challenged
MAgruder TO fight, which cartel of defiance
was at once accepted, the combat to take
place on the spot, and over the dining table,
from end TO end, distance twelve feet;
weapons-derringer pistols. Maj. Horace
Bell, in his exciting book entitled 'Remi-
%niscences of a Ranger" presents his readers
with the following description OF the duel:
Wilson Jones, the doctors second. got the
word, and the principals, without shaking
hands, took their respective stations, the ma
iestic form of Magruder towering above that
Of the diminuttve doctor, VINO paiei and
~shuddered when brought face TO face with
the grim visaged son of Mars.
All was suspense. The word was to be-:
Rendyl trei One, two, threel At the word
ready" to tho dismay of all, the doctor
blazed away. when the smoke cleared some
what, to the horror of the valiant disciple
of Esculapius, his antagonist stood as stiff and
NfN'bAhb Noihohs hp hbNbbl
quailed; M~agruder glared savagely on him
for a full minute The spectators, spell
bound, looked on with horrible forebodimg.
Magruder took two ''side steps to the right"
which brought him clear of the end of the
table. He then advanced the right foot TO
the 'front.' with his glaring eyeballs bent
tiercely OF the now terrified doctor. He
then brought the left foot up to the level of
the right heel and leveled his derringer at the
ghassly face of the trembling doctor. Then he
advanced the right foot as before, and in this
way, with firm and unrelehting tread, he
slowly advanced on the now thoroughly
frightened doctor, who made a movement
toward the door. The spectators interposed,
and cut of the possibility OF retreat in that
direction. The doctor tried to hank the
colonel by diminishing around the table. Ma
gruder faced 10 tho left, as though moving on
a pivot, and kept the direful derringer aimed
directly at the doctors pallid countenance.
In the excitement the doctor ran under the
table, crawled through, grasped the knees Of
the irate hero, and affectionately embracing
them, said; "Col. Magruder, for the love OF
God, spare me for my family The colonel
gave him a kick and said: On you'll I'll
spare you for the hangunan-" And. so saying,
he handed the weapon to his second, and the
festivities were adjourned.