The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-08-19
FInEp wITn porm EWES snur.
As an American He Fought the Duel and
Killed the Cuban.

Unueu Ill uhYana as the agent OF an I
American agricultural works, says II !
writer in the Detroit Free Press. For {
tunate for me in this case could chatter !
away in Spanish with any of them, and Q
though was born and reared in Ohio !
l was supposed to be an Englishman. {
Had given out that [ was straight {
haired Yankee the chances of being t
mobbed or knitted or shot, would have
been excellent. The feeling against
Americans was so very bitter that one
from the States was liable to insult and
violence on the public streets.
[ had been here about week when an
American named Charles Whitley, from
Michigan, arrived with his wife, Whit
ley was an invalid and he had come to
Cuba by the advice of physician. [ re-
tremely courteous gentleman, while she
was q little bit of woman who was all
hope and sunshine. 1t SO happened that
made their acquaintance the first day
they landed, and l felt it my duty to
warn Whitley of the feeling entertained |
against our nationality. My advice to
him was to keep close for n time and to |
carefully avoid being mixed up in any
discussion of n public nature He had
been there week without anything be-
ing said to him, whom one day, as we
sat in the hotel reading room, u couple
OF Cubans who spoke very good English
came III and took seats near us. There
was no doubt III my mind from the first
that they meant to draw Whitley into a
trap. They began by abusing and
maligning Americans and wishing for
war, and when he pcrsistcntly refused to
take notice of them one Of them dclibcr-
atcly turned upon him and said:
"Havann is no place for such us YOU"
"The gentleman is an invalid" L re-
piled.
"But he is also Yankee" continued
the Cuban. "Our Government should
not permit them to even land on the
island"
Whitley's face grew palcr, and he bit
his lips to keep back the hot words which
wanted to come, but he made no reply.
The larger of tho two men, who appear
cd to be native fire cater, waited for u
moment, and then rosc up and said to
the Michigander:
"All Yankees arc cOwards! [ insult
you! Demand satisfaction if you darc!"
81 do demand it," answered Whitley,
in q low voice. 'You evidently want u
duel! You shall have it?"
''Good!" Missed the other. sNIy friend
here will arrange tho details with your
friend. You have moro courage than ]
thought for"
He walked away with u nod to nc, and
was tollowcdb by MS friend, who promised
to return in half an hour.
"You can't mean to fight hm?" I in
quired of Whitley when we were alonc.
'But ] do. He insultcd me as an
American, hoping to provoke duel,
and rs an American / will fight him."
"But your hcalth?"
"Never mind my health. All [ want
is to keep the affair from my wife until
it is over with Arrange to fight him to-.
morrow morning"
''With what wcapOns?"
81 never had sword in my hand, and
L have had no experience with pistols.
Choose pistols, however. l know enough
to sight and fire one, and | must take
my chances"
There was no doubt that the man was
an experienced duclist, but the more |
argued with Whitley the moro dctcrmin-
cd he was TO fight Under all the cir
cumstanccs it would have been no dis
grace Tor him to refuse, but from the
very first his mind was made up. Such
affairs are easily and quietly arranged in
Cuba. When the second returned, we
settled on pistols for weapons, and he
was kind enough to say that he would
arrange for surgeon to be present. We
were to be at n certain spot about four
miles distant ut Il certain hour in the
morning The follow was Il pink OF
politcncss, and | carried the idea that
had been mixed up in several affairs OF
the sort, and that my principal was not
green hand on the field of honor.
L did not sec Whitley again until we
took carriage in the morning to drive
to tho grounds He was calm and self
possessed, and on the way out arranged
with me about sending his wife home in
case of his death, and provided for Other
emergencies. The little woman had not
received the slightest hint of what WAS
on the tapis. We found the other par
ties waiting for us, and the details were
speedily arranged The men were placed
fifteen PAGES apart, and it was under
stood that they were to fire until one on
the other was killed or wounded. in
case either was wounded and wanted to
continue the fight the duel should go
on. The two pistols were loaded and
handed to the principals, and the awk-
ward manner in which Whitley held his
made the Crlbans smile. | had told him
how to stand so rs to present the smallest
possible target to his opponent, but as
they took their places L was mortified to
sec him present his full front. 1t seemed
as if any one who could sight a pistol
must bore him through at the first fire
Helwas trific pacr than usual, but he
stood firm on his feet and was in good
nerve.
The word was finally givcn-onc, two,
three, 1irc-and both pistols were dis
charged at once. | was looking at Whit
ley. | saw piece of cloth from his
should fly in the air, and as turned nv
gaze toward the Cuban | SAW the latter
sink down in heap, as if he had been
struck on top Of the head. We ran TO
him to find bullet hole in the center
Of his forehead, and he was stone dead, |
His bullet had Clipped Whitlcy's RIGHT
shoulder, but without drawing Blood. / |
never saw two men so dumbfoundcd rs
the surgeon and the Cuban's second. It
was q minute before they could realize
the disaster. Everything had been fair
and according to the code, and nothing |
80 Z