Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-28
POTTER AND PRYOR
4 NEW ACCOUNT OF A NOTED a.
FAIR OF HONOR"
Duel Of Tventy-Flve Years Ago. VIA
Did Not Take Observation-Disclosures
1t Four Feet-A P1neky
Wife.
ICro6ut in New York world-l

|
[Croifut in New York World
A Chicago newspaper the other day pub
iished letter from Wisconsin speaking of
the town where John F. Potter lives and ths
| farm which he works, and then il gave an
editorial version Of the duel which was
barely prevented at the beginning Of tie
war between him and Roger A Pryor, Of
Virginia-the 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
courti l found him in, but when preached
the matter he said, Il must decline to reopen
the matter Of that quarrel For quarter
OF century the people Of the north have
preferred a lie to the truth, and 1 do not
care TO 60 into particulars at this late day. y
Fortunately can get along without Mr..
Pryor's testimony. i was in Washington
during the three years subsequent to the
affair. and know the facts from Mr.. Potter
himself and from other participants. 1t was
the beginning of Bucbanan's last year. For
Year or two northern congressman had
been intimidated by those from the south,
the 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 and
bullied, replying simply that they would
fight il attacked There was a growing
feeling among Mr. Lincoln's friends that
1t was Necessary for some Yankee, to
fight
Mr.. Pryor rose TO question Of privilege
one morning. saying that at The Congress
sional Globe Office lie had found that Mr.
Potter had inserted at the end of his, Pot
ters, speech the words: The Republicans
will be heard. let the consequences be what
they may No such words, Mr.. Pryor said,
had been uttered in debate.
Mr.. Potter replied that no had used the
words referred to, and that Pryor had erased
them from the record, and added: He had
40 right to do it 1t was none Of the gentle
mans business I stand by what said"
doubt If these words are properly chal-
lenseable, but those We're hot times, and
Pryor sen; challenge and escaped to Vir-
GINA to avoid arrest. Potter answered
through his friend. Col. F. W. Lander,
that he would fight with bowie-knives,
in the presence of four friends of the
parties, who should be armed with navy re-
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" II 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.. Chisnan,
whom Pryor had left TO represent him, took
the strange acceptance to several Of his prin-
cipal's friends, Keitt Hindman and others,
They all agreed that the weapon was mad
missible, and that Potter, instead Of being
fought, should be denounced as q barbarian.
So Mr.. Chisman answered that, mot recog-
nizing this vulgar. barbarous and inhunan
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 a mistake his sec
onds had made, straightway repudiated them
AMI asked that the matter DO reopened an
nouncing his willingness to accept the terms
and fight with bowie-knives. The seconds
declared a reopening impracticable. Lander
offered himself in Potters 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 hours
afterwards Potter was arrested by the police
and put under bonds TO keep the peace.
Potters pluck caused great furore at the
north at a time when pluck was at prem
ium; and Pryor suffered from tho outcome
of it mainly because, III the heat of passion,
the facts were obscured, and 1t was gensr-
ally believed that lie had refused to fight
with bowie knives, and had rather ignomini-