Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-09
MCARTY REPLIES TO WISE

Comparing Him to Bob Acres, and Call
ing Him a Ridiculous Little Pol
troOn.
The excitement over the anticipated
fight between Congressman John 5. Wise
and Captain W. Page mccarthy, says a
Richmond special Of the 9th to the New
York sun, has been wrought to fever heat
by the publication in the State this even
ing of the following card from McCarty:
RICHMOND, VA, March ), 1881.
To the Editor Of the State:
There is a card in the Wing this morning
from Mr. John 5. Wise, the object of which
seems to be an explanation Of why he did not
challenge me in answer to an article charging
him with being a ''subOrned witness against
his state and the alleged reason is that he
has given up dueling. If he had rested his
case with that statement there might have
been claim to dignity in his plea, but when
he calls me Sir LuciaS OIrigger / must say
that the comparison could have no other fOun-
datlOn than his own likeness to Bob AcreS,
whose reform as a duelist only occurred
in the face of an adversary whom his
excited fancy exaggerated, just as Mr..
taken ridicule for what he is pleased to
term abuse" for l certainly treated his eX-
ploits as a stump speaker on the witness stand
only in the light of the facts, referring rather
to his intentions than to any harm that his
hearsay testimony could do. Innocuous by
his over-Zeal against his State and satiriZed
by his doubtful position in a contested seat ia
Congress, perhaps he Will further signaliZe
his reform by treating the country to the par
ticulars of his contest with Mr.. Massey. in
which, during the taking of the evidence,
this suddenly reform hero of thirteen duels
on paper slaPPed thv face of Il gray-haired
preacher. This would be q good piece Of tes-
timOny (after he changed the record to put
upon the bloody shirt issue, and, artisucally
ground out by the committee. might set the
precedent for introducing the blOOd-curdling
picture he has drawn of me. As to his ''pay-
ing profession" this is the first that has been
heard of it; and when he makes money the
standard of responsibility people will natur-
ally inquire If II came by work. The people
who know us both may judge of the
comparative civilization of the two men.
and any others who are interested in Mr..
Wise's literary compositions are welcome to
his autobiography and his interesting portrait
of himself, which may do for family picture
to hang in the kitchen where he receives col
Ored statesmen. Mr.. Wise says that l would
be glad to get an opportunity ''fOr some gen
tleman to kill him. (me). When reach that
point l should certainly not apply to Mr..
WISE and for two reasons: First his unsup-
ported testimony, which he himself does not
believe, is insufficient to establish him as a
gentleman: second, the hero of thirteen blood
less paper duels is not the person one would
naturally seek to do the job. Mr. Wise's tes-
timony is good only against himself as an I'M
denlable proof that he is a ridiculous little
pOltrOOn ana an ass, who, not being able to
wear the lions skin. is fit or gust what he is
the trick mule in Sherman's Danville circus.
PAGE MCCARTY.
Capt. McCarty's friends think he has
downed Wise by this card. They claim
that its dignified tone and freedom from
gross personalities is in striking contrast
to Mr.. Wise's vituperative language. Nc
Carty's allusiOn to Wise's 'paying pro-
fessiOn" means that Wise is living on his
wlfe's money, having none of his own.