The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-02-09
STRANGE Do Eli.
Aagruder's Fight With q Doctor
IN q Restaurant.
GAlta California. j

kAxt0 NU1AAOA
During the autumn of 1852, In Lo'
Angeles, CAL, Col. (since a distin
guished general in the Confederat'
army and now deceased) J. Bank
head Magruder, Third Artillery q,
8. A., who was visiting that city
from San Diego. commenced an eve
ming at Harry MOnrOe's restaurant
in company with three or four Other
congenial fellows, by ordering 9
champagne dinner of an elaborate
character. 1t was not long after the
initial movement of the real old Duff
Gordon Sherry from right to left that
an exhilaration set in which was
rapidly and radiantIy heightened to
y hilarious pitch, the reader may rest
assured; So that, after the feast OF
reason and the flow of soul" had got
completely under way, the %nocturna!
wayfarer might have misinterpreted
the medley Of vociferation for sounds
of revelry second only to those attrib-
uted to the Beauty and chivalry of
Belgium's capital upon q mOmentous
occasion by the author of "Childe
Harold's Pilgrimage" In other
words, an uprOarlOus controversy
had quickly followed the gastronomic
discussion, during which Magruder
declared, with his characteristic
suavity, that Andrew Jackson was
1.-THE greatest man that ever tr0d in
shoe leather" Col. John 0. Wheeler
tossed off u goblet of Krug Ito the
greatest of American statesmen,
Henry Clay" while Thompson
Burrill quaffed placidly away to the
memory OF "Daniel Webster, the
greatest man the world ever pro-
duced."
A certain disciple of Esculapius,
who was p esent then arose as Osten-
tatiously as it was possible Tor him
to rise under the circumstances and
said: my father. who was sheriff of
Cayuga county, New York, was the
greatest of all Americans!' To
which Magruder replied, vehemently
doctor, you're a damned fool"
The doctor at Once challenged Ma
gruder to fight, which cartel of def
ance vas at once &C ,epted, the COM
bat to take place on the spot, and
over the dining table from end to end
distance twelve feet, weapons. der
ringer pistols. Major Horace Bell,
in his exciting book called "Remin-
iscences of a Ranger" presents his
readers with the following descrip-
tiop of the duel: "Wilson Jones, the
DOCTORS second, got the word, and
the principals, without shaking
hands, took their respective stations,
the majestic form of Magruder tow
ering above that of the diminutive
doctor, who paled and shuddered
when brought face to face with the
grim-visaged son of Mars.
All was suspense. The word was |
to be; Ready! fire! one, two, three!
the word ''ready", to the disnlay |
of all, the doctor bIazed away. When
the smoke cleared somewhat, to the
horror of the valiant disciple of Es-
culapius, his antagonist stood as stiff
and defiant as an avenging demon.
The doctor quailed; Magruder glared
savagely on him for a full minute.
The spectators, spellb0und. looked !
on with horrible fOreb0ding. Magru-
der took two 'side steps to the rigl t. |
brought him clear of the end
the table. He then advanced his
fright foot TO the 'front.'" with his
eyeballs bent tiercely on the
now terrified doctor. He then
brought the left foot up to the level
the right heel and leveled his der
at the CHASTITY face Of the
doctor. Then he advanced
the right foot as before, and in this
way, with firm and u%nrelenting step,
be slowly advanced on the now thor
frightened doctor, who made
= movement toward the door. The
spectators interposed, and cut off the
of retreat in that direction.
The doctor tried TO flank the Colonel
~ skirmishing around the table.
faced to the left, as though
moving on a pivot, and kept that
derringer aimed directly at
he DOCTORS palIid countenance. In
he excitement the doctor ran under
he table, crawled through, grasped
he knees of the irate hero, and at.
embracing them, said;
Col. Magruder, for the love of God,
pare me for my family" The col.
mel gave him a kick and said: "D-n
'ou! I'll spare you for the hangman!"
md. SO saying, he handed the wea-
'On to his second, and the festivities
we're adjourned.