The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-09-09
AN OLD-TIME DUEL.
The Meeting Between Fighting
Editor and a Kentucky Colonel
-Ex-Speaker Randall's
Father Present.

Political differences are settled easier
,owadavs than they were half century
goo said an old, gray-haired statesman
70 q Philadelphia Times reporter. I
remember distinctly he continued, when
lanes Watson Webb, one of the great
editors of the olden time, lay wounded
at the Union States ho'el on Chestnut
street. near Fourth. He was shot in a
duet within twenty-five miles of the
CITY By a Kentucky statesman, Col.
Thomas F. Marshall, son of Chi'f
Justice Marshall. That was forty-four
wears ago this summer. The duel took
! oIace esrIv in the morning in lonely
| fed skirting the Delaware State line,
below Marcus Hood. Josiah Randall.
ey-Spe sker RandalI's father was one of
the par icipants. An ill-feeling had
arisin from a congressional debate on
the repeal of the bankruptcy bill of 1871.
About the same time Monroe Edwards
wos convicted In New York for forging
drafts to the tune of $50 eco on BANKERS
and others in that metropolis. Among
those who defended Edwards was Col.
Tom Marshall. An editorial paragraph
from the pen of Col. Webb, published in
| the New York Courier and Enquirer dur
| ing the famous trial, read as 10 lows ::
1--WE learn that Hon. T. T. Marshal,
after wandering about the country for
some thirty days, leCtaring on tenn
perance and giving his experience as a
| devotee of the bottle, has returned to
| defend the notorious Monroe Edwards.
| For his forty DAYS absence he will draw
| from the treasury 1929 for making a
mounteback of himself, and devoting his
| time to advocating the claims of no
torious scoundrel." In addressing the
| Jury Marshall adyerted to this attack,
and spoke in meaning way Of charges
made against him and fellOw-members
in receiving, by way of bribery. British
coin to the muSi" of 100000 apiece.
| The defeat of his client, and other griev-
ances were too much for southern
| blood, and thu satisfaction usually
exacted among gentlemen was de-
manded.
After some skirmishinga meeting was
held in Wilmington and preliminaries
settled. The arrival of the parties be
coming noised abroad. by a clear
recourse of stratagem they Out-marVeled
legal vigilance. DR.. Carr and DIR.
OiOSOh. sun VI 4Ol- OlDSOll, VI bhlo
city, waited on the six-foot-tWo Ken
tuckian. while Maj Morell, proprietor
of the Courier, and Dr.. Tucker, a Vir-
ginian, then residing here, did the
honOrs for Col. Webb. Josiah Randall
was preSen as a friend of the editor.
II was then. Ike Col. Webb, stanch
Wing. By daybreak ten PAGES were
measured off and a stone placed at the
extremitieS of the line. Mai. Morell
tossed a coin for choice of position. The
silver falling IN the grass caused some
controversy, but Marshall settled it by
impatiently calling out to his second,
"GiVe 1T to them, doctor. l came here
to have a shot at him, and 1 do not
mean to be baff1ed by trifes." 1--WE ask
you to give nothing" proudly answred
the major. we ask but what is our
right" Again the coin spun upwards
and fortune was again with the New
Yorker. The duelists and their friends
we're searched according to stipulation.
Gentlemen, are you ready?" sang out
the major, as the sun was struggling in
to light. I am. said the colonel. Il
am not" put in Marshall. now the OBJ
ject of general observation. With a
searching. earnest look at Col. Webb. he
flung off bis coat and slowly lifted his
hat and tossed it aside. Nov sir l
am ready" The major distinctly COM
"Fire-ore, tive, three" The
simultaneous report made some believe
at first that only one had fired. Both
were wide of the mark.
Another shot!" shouted Marshall. |
raising his nistol Again came the
signal. and Col. Webb was observed |
slightly staggering He was prevented !
from falling by one of the seconds. |
Upon the surgeon reporting to Marshall |
that Col. Webb was wounded below the |
knee. he Numbered out: "Hit in the |
knee! 1t is the damnedest lowest act of |
my life We must exchange another |
shot; that man has injured me more |
than any being on earth. If he can |
stand | expeCt an demand that we shall |
exchange fire ogain The hvstanders |
the mater was left to the !
surffaon's decision. who made it under
stood that it was impossible. owing to |
the cOlOnel's condition. to continue the |
matter at present The irate snuthernor |
shrugged his shoulders and |
observed: eve have no further bust
ness here, and may as well return to the
hotel.
Col. Webb. on learning of the demand |
made for a third shot. remarked: Il
have entertalned no unRln0 feellrigS to-
ward Mr.. Marshall at any time, nor do
I now feel unkindly toward him. I do
not know why he should bear such
malice toward me-"
When marshall returned to the hotel he
cooled dowd somewhat, and made
inquiry of Mr.. Randall "a TO the extent
of Col. Webb's injuries. His subsequent
career lost much of its brilliancv
by a too free use of stim1lants. The
wounded colonel was laid up for some
time in the United States Hotel. He
took it goo6- laturedlv. and upon one !
occasion he fastideously remarked: Il |.
am confined tn bed under Marshall
law" Under the statutes of the State
o. New York he was tried and cow cted,
but executive clemencv beirg envoked.
interposed in his behalf. Col. \. ehb was
appointed minister to Brazil by Presi-
dent Lincoln. and while in that position
be is credited with obtaining a settle
ment of the.claims of the United States
against that country and of being in
through his intimacy with
Navoleon Ill, of having the Frendh
troops withdrawn from Mexico.
What Tom Moore Said,