The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-01-15
BLOOD-STAINED LEAF.
Kept Alive the Memory or Two
Fatal Duels. N

hep1 AnVe-Jne memory or TWO
Fatal Duels.
'wo fatal duels fought within a few
nths of each other on the same spot
life-blood of two men staining lit
shrub, which, too, was sapped to
th-are the bases of a story as true
i is hideously romantic. Every one
b was in New Orleans in the summer
S72, and is still living, must remem-
the Rhett- Cooley duel. Judge
Pley resigned his, position as Judge
Pne of the courts of the Parish Of Or
ns to challenge and fight R. B. Rhett,
n editor of the New Orleans Pscayune.
onel Rhett had published an ex-
|nely abusive article, impugning ~
lge's motives and viciously assaulti{ i{la
character The duel was arranged
Bay st. Louis, Miss, on the otheA
Of Pearl River, fifty-two miles frols
" Orleans, was selected as the ground
5 unnecessary to mention the. .nama3
those who witnessed the said aft ~
ineaddition to tlssnprincipals ,sWill
Bufacfentsto explain n \ I :. "a "a
hcidences ofswhitss I 4 II /
ktsa af ts@ a ~. IN !! !
carson Nudge was sl'ls 81 u tsA7&s
st prominent dealer inguns and
rtsman's materials in the Crescent
He was known by all sportsmen
liked. The weapons selected were
lble-barreled shotguns loaded with
The manner of loading the gun is
Important factor when accuracy is
Pred, as every sportsman knows Mr..
dge did this service for Colonel Rhett,
he earnest solicitation of the seconds.
had performed similar fayors before,
up to that time the arm of his man
not been as true, nor the intention
ieadly, as those which characterized
governed Colonel Rhett. 1t was to
duel a Loutraace, and Mr.. Nudge
his best.
wo parties of men left. New Orleans
an early train for the" bay, and ar
Pd at about gen o'clock. Carriages
fe taken to, Nicholson avenue broad
running from the edge of the Mis-
5ippi Sound to the railroad, mile
ant. just half way from the railroad
PIX forty yards were stepped off and
positions drawn. Colonel Rhett's
seconds stood over Nudge as he
efully measured the powder, weighed
ball and wrapped it in small piece of
h, until the leaden missile had grown
\ its covering to a size to tightly fit
bore. 1t was driven home, a few mo-
pts after the same operation had been
formed among the little cluster of
fious men who stood across the lane.
! principals parted with the surgeons
\ whom they had been speaking, and
fe led to their places Both men
Pd erect, theis faces showing deter
patton, deadly hatred, but no fear.
acing Colonel Rhett were orange
fs just beginning to bud, and in front
udge Cooley was long row of ole
ers, whose bushes contrasted
Pngly with the spotless white Cape
pines that alternated with the acacias
ling the rear of a large, inclosed gar
he Sound lay in limitless space on
east, cleaning like polished brass in
dancing rays of the sun. The bar
OF the shOtguns, too, were gleam-
but the glints were the smiles of a
3phisto.
he mocking birds were still singing
+ morning welcomes to the bright.
when the word was given: seo
Are you readypn
he two men nodded assent.
Fire! One, two.''
he reports were almost simultane-
and the duel was over.
Judge Cooley had washed out the
p on his honor in his blood. Col
Rhett had sustained his by killing
adversary. III
he birds had been frightened into
nce, but only for moment, and
m their carols went up and their
flc blended in the ethereal with the
ume OF flowers. A man had been
fd and that was all-it had been done
gentlemanly way. One glance of
surgeon satisfied him; one look at
face of their friend told the tale to
seconds. Carson Nudge had loaded
the bullet had gone to the heart of
game and the sportsman was salts
|he two sets of seconds were satis-
all said they were satisfied-but
little scrub was growing where
ge Cooley fell, and as the red stream
Ted from his breast two drops drip
upon two of its leaves. It was a
u OF deer grass, succulent little
fn vegetation, tender as the sensitive
~. The two thin leaves swelled and
Pped with the blood of the dead, and,
rated, sent the surplus through their
Is to the stem.
ne dead was removed and the living
rned to the city.
ie newspapers at the time published
lied accounts of the affair, as repre-
'atives of all the journals were pres
hnd vouched for the perfectly fair
ner IN which a question of honor
oeen decided under the code. There
been no interruption by law officers,
no subsequent Judicial cognizance
taken of the case. Colonel Rhett
Fined to his old home In South Caro-
and edited newspaper.
fongh the people who lived near the
% the duel could roe spots OF