Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-25
POTTER AND PRYOR
A NEW ACCOUNT OF A NOTED "AF.
FAIR OF HONOR"
A Duel Of twenty-five Years Ago. Which
Did Not Take Placs-Bowi is-Knivss
at Four Fsst-A Plueky
Wife.
lCroffut In New York World.

[Croffut In New York World
A Chicago newspaper the other day pub
lished a letter from Wisconsin speaking Of
the town where John F. Potter lives and the
farm which he works, and then it gave au
editorial version Of the duel which was
barely prevented at the beginning Of the
war between him and Roger A Pryor, Of
Virginis-ths popular and false version, of
course So on Monday / called on Mr.
Pryor, at his office on Wall street, to get his
version of the story. He has been an active
lawyer in this city for some fifteen years
now, and has risen to a large practice, his
black eyes, tawny complexion and long black
shaggy name being conspicuous in all our
courts. found him in, but when bro.ched
tho matter he said, Il must decline to reopen
the matter Of that quarrel For quarter
of a century the people Of the north have
preferred lie to tho truth, and do not
care to go into particulars at this late day"
Fortunately can get along without Mr..
Pryor's testimony. l was In Washington
during the three years subsequent to the
affair, and know the facts from Mr.. Potter
himself and from other participants 1t wa,
the beginning Of Buchanan's last year. FoI
q year or two northern congressman had
been intimidated by those from the south.
tho latter being generally expert swordsmen
or pistol-shots, and the former unfamiliar
with either weapon and brought up to regard
dueling with adherence. Two or three
northerners had been insulted, posted anC
bullied, replying simply that they would
fight if attacked. There was a growing
feeling among Mr.. Lincoln's friends that
it was necessary for some Yankee TO
fight
Mr.. Pryor rose to question of privilege
one morning, saying that at Tho Congress
sional Globe office he had found that Mr..
Potter had inserted at the end Of his, Pot
ters, speech the words: Tho Republicans
will be heard, let the consequences Be what
they may" No such words, Mr. Pryor sail,
had been uttered In debate.
Mr.. Potter replied that he had used Tho
words referred to, and that Pryor had eras-l
them from the record, and added: "Ho ha !
no right to do it. 1t was none of the geat.s
mans business stand by what said"
! doubt IL these words are properly cbul
lengeable, but those were hot times, =. :
Pryor sent a challenge and escaped to vir.
GINA to avoid arrest. Potter ans~.c.j
through his friend, Col f. W. Landsr,
that he would fight with bowie knives,
in the presence Of four friends Of ths
volvers to see fair play. Distance four feet
at commencement Of engagement Knives
of equal weight and length Of blade. Fight
to commence at the word three" 1t was
added, These terms are such as will alone
enable my principal, who Is unacQuainted
with the usual weapons Of duellists, to meet
your friend on equal terms" Mr.. Chisman.
whom Pryor had left to represent him, tool
20 e. - ,viy,-
cipals friends, Keitt Hindman and other.
| They all agreed that the weapon was mad
missible, and that Potter, instead Of being
, So Mr.. Chisman answered that mot recog-
nizing this vulgar, barbarous and inhulnan
| mode of settling difficulties" he could not al
low Pryor to engage in It
! Next day Pryor came back from hiding in
| Virginia, and, seeing what . mist,ke his sec
ends had made, straightway repudiated them
and asked that tho matter be reopened, an
nouncing his willingness to accept the terms
| and fight with bowie-knives Tho seconds
declared a reopening impracticabla Lander
| offered himself In Potter's place without re
strictions," but nobody had any quarrel with
him Pryor sent word to Potter that he
would attack him at sight, and few hour.
J
! and put under bonds to keep the peace.
! Potter's pluck caused a great furore at the
north at q time when pluck was at a prem
ium; and Pryor suffered from the outcome
| Of it mainly because, In the heat Of passion
the facts were obscured, and 1t was gensr
ally believed that he had refused ~ fxh
with bowie knives, and had rather ignomini
ously backed out. II the fight had taken placs
one or both would have been killed, and Il
might have done something to abolish tn.
savage and preposterous custom Of dueling
| Iremember a talk had with Potter abou
the affair in 1861. Il always confids wholly
in my wife," he said, -and even in thi
strange dilemma went to her the first thing
I showed her how we stood; that hal don't
! no wrong; that the north needed champion
and that our cause was depressed because M
man would fight, and then I asked her wha
to do. She had . good crying SPELL q
the women call it, but she said my
duty was clear-I must fight him Sh,
stood by mo pluckily straight through.
got such instructions in the uss Of the bowie
knife as l could AMI practiced for an houl
every day. l am very strong and quick
II we had fought / should certainly hav,
slain Mr. Pryor 1t Is better as it Is.
For months afterwards Potter's friends
somewhat against his will, hedsed hin
about with their vigilance, accompanying
him in his walks to and fro One OF thes
was Col William 8. King, Of Minnesota
who was as quick as q cat and strong as
tiger. Whenever Potter started from hi
seat to leave the house King rose at his sid,
like an apparition