Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-30
a PISTOL wIru 4 nIsronY.
A Weapon That Has Figured Largely
in Some Exciting Scenes.


On last Friday MI. James IL, Robert.
son Of this city received by express
from his old friend, A. Smith Gibson /
Of College Mound, Macon county, Mo, |
n duellng pistol which has a history. |
10 was the historical association that |
induced Mr. Gibson TO present Il to /
MIR. Robertson. The pistol has Eve |
inch barrel, walnut stock, silver |
mountings, hair trigger and weighs |
one pound ana three ounces and a
half IL discharges by percussion aud
has the name OF the maker, j. Riddles
barger, cut on the barrel, with
the word warranted ON the lock, aud
a silver sight The initial letters
OF the name Of the former owner are
cut in large letters on the silver plate
at the butt end OF the stock AS follows.
- j. L. 10 is In good condition,
though II shows that il has been used
much and Ia considerably worn. This
pistol is the one used by Mai Taylor
Berry Of this county In the celebrated
duel with Judge Abiel on September
I, 1884, aud one OF the pair that Dr..
Lowry carried In his saddle-pockets
for 40 many years, while he was at the
head Of the old Fayetle regency. Az
/ that time Howard county was the
! brains of Missouri. Here lived
In their prime Gen. Dun Green,
the Rectors, Cows Boggs and Rey.
nolds, the BartOns, aud Others equally
| distinguished and talented. The fight
that Missouri made 20 enter the Union
! created a bitterness that existed for
/ years The injustice heaped upon our
people la 1919 and 1890, and the
warmth with which IL WAS resented
can hardly he appreciated now. These
| usurpatious OF congress were roundly
denounced. DR. Lowry led in these as
he did afterwards In all the struggles
Of the Democratic party, and pArtlcu'
larry In the great Eight that crushed
Benton. His brains, his nerve and
his sagRcity did IT, He was a
nervy, game, brainy man, splou
didly educated aud one Of the boat
writer's and parliRmentarians In the
state. His enemies called him quar-
relsome, desperate man. His friends
obeyed aud almost wOrshipod him. II,
was naturally drawn ia as friend ant
surgeon TO Mai Berry In the due
above alluded TO. II is said he dictated
J the cartel between the parties which
] provides THAT the arms 10 be use,
shall be pistols, each party choosing
his own, without reslrlcLinnt eN
cept that rifle pistols are pro
I hibited Distance ten PAGES
A position, side 10 side. II the pistol o
I either party snail snap or llash Il ahal
! be considered Ere, etc. The due
was fought thirty miles below Cairo oi
4 Wolf island. Judge Leonard WIS no
hit. Mal Berry WAS shot through To
: breas., n Is said Mai Berry did no
v die from the wound, but contracted
I cold and died from the effects Of II b,
q fore he left New Madrid. MAJ. a, 4
/. Langham Was Berry'A second and
j. Boggs Leonardo. Dr. Dawson wa
surgeon for the latter aud DIR. Lowr
for the former. A writer describes tai
duel as iollowg: Here on this lionel
A island, IN the shadows Of evening, o
a sand bar surrounded by an impeui
trable forest, with only surgeons an
seconds present, these brilliant yOun
e men fought this bloody duei-one I
N avenge his lnsulted honor aud III
- other TO redeem promise made la
y passion" The old heirloom before |
Dl 4 q speaking witness Of. the sad ailai
" and was given by Dr. Lowry to hisao
le DR.. VIII /. Lowry, who gave II 20 Nj
:, Gibson.