The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-04
THE MOODY-HEFFREN DUEL.
Interesting "reminiscences from the Life
of One of Dak0ta's Senator's.
How Moody Challenged Heffren Twenty-Five
Years Ago, and How They Went to Ken
lucky to Fight and Came Back Alive.
..carp.. in Cleveland Leader.

ing one of the two new Senators from Dakota,
is short, portly fair-skinned, gray-haired
blue-eyed man, with anything but a belligerent
air about him. He is very talented and men
from the Northwest say he will be leader of
the Senate when Dakota is admitted as State
Senator Moody has had a wild and romantic ca
reer, and many of the incidents connected with
it are unknown to the public. He went from
Indiana to Dakota and twenty five years ago
was member of the Indiana Legislature. The
Legislature at this time was full of hot blood.
The debates abounded in personalities of the
most insulting character, and rumors of duels
were as plenty as oficeseekers. Mr.. Moody was
one of the few legislators who would not permit
an insult, and in February of 1861 he chal-
lenged Mr.. Heffren, one of the Democratic mem
bers of the House. to fight duel
Moody had made some remarks about friend
of Heffren's, Governor Willard, and Heffren in
replying had charged Moody with being mixed
up in some questionable transactions, and had
denounced him as being cowardly For this
Moody challenged Heffren to fight duel, and
the two, Heffren and Moody, left Indianapolis
with their seconds, and arranged to make the
fight upon Kentucky SOIL The Indiana laws
were very strict against dueling. and in Ken
lucky the duelists had to slip around very quiet
ly to keep from being arrested by the police.
They stopped awhile at CoviDgton, and then one
party went to Newport and the other to Latonia
Springs, and the correspondence for the arrang
ing of the fight was carried on from these points
General Heffren, as the challenged party, had
the choice of weapons, and it is said that his
friend selected bowie knives. To this Colonel
of inequality, as General Heffren was tall, six
footer of 240 pounds, while Moody was five feet
six, and weighed only l35 pounds 1t was stated
If knives were insisted upon in the duel that
Colonel Mllroy, who was six foot high and mus
GUAR, would take his principals place.
General Heffren's second then changed the
weapons to rifles, and it was with these
in view that the arran gements were made. Long
before sunrise of Feb II, 1861, both parties,
their seconds and their surgeons, started for the
feld~of combat The spot selected was very
retired one, near the Ohio river, in the vicinity
of Covington, and one-half mile from place
called the Four-mlle House, kept by Mr.. Met
calf The duel was to take place as near day
break as possible. and the majority Of the party
mad arrived at Metcalf's as the light broke upon
a very stormy morning All Of the party was
present except Mr.. Moody's surgeon, who had
missed his way. and who compelled the parties
to wait until 10 o'clock. Had DR.. Duke been on
time the duel would have been fought, and Mr.
Moody, instead of being now United States SEN
ator, would have been, in all probability killed,
or have killed his antagonist Between day
break and this time friends Of both parties, Col
w. G.. Terrill and Col Thomas L. Jones, did all
they could to adjust the difficulty. and finally
succeeded. Heffren withdrew the charges which
Moody objected to- and the parties went back to
Covngton together to be arrested by the sheriff
on the road. They got out Of his hands very
easily, and it is curious thing in connection
with the settlement Of the duel that Buell., one
of Moody's seconds. resigned his position rather
than listen to an adjustment He said Congress
had SO disgraced the code that he would hear of
nothing that did not involve fight.
The correspondence of this duel lies before
me. Where get it is no matter 1t is interest
ing at the present as giving some idea as to how
gentlemen settled their difficulties in 1861 l
give extracts. Here is is verbatim copy of
Mr.. Moody's challenge. It is dated:
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 5, 1851.
Honorable Fl. Heffren:
"Sir-Your unprovoked and insulting attack
upon me in the House of Representatives, on
Friday last, cannot suffer to pass. But you
have now had time for cool reflection and dep
reeating as do the of the code -duello, or
violence of any Sort except as last resort, l
now give you an opportunity to withdraw your
offensive language
my friend Mr.. Gordon will hand you this, and
receive any communication from you IN relation
to the matter g. c. MOODY"
To this note J G. Walker, Mr. Heffrens sec
ond, replies and accepts the challenge for his
principal, but states that the language objected
to is not specified. The next letter is from
Moody inquiring where his opponent be
found ouside of the State, and few short letters
following fix the place of meeting at Covington,
KY. Three days later, at Covington, Heffren
having asked Moody TO state the language upon
which the duel turns. Moody replies that it was
the assertion that he had been engaged in
swamp-land frauds. Heffren hereupon with
draws this charge but reiterates his other at
tack in such way that Moody will be satisfied
with nothing but fight. At P. NJ. of Feb 9
Mr.. Moody writes the following:
sLAToNIA SPRINGS, KY, Feb. 8, 1861
''The Hon. Horace Heffren:
''Sir-You have refused the demand I made
upon you for an honorable adjustment of the
difficulties between u.s. therefore demand the
satisfaction you promised. Please to name the
time, place and mode, when and where it will be
accorded. Yours, G. G.. MooDYn
A letter or two more, and the following terms
of the duel signed by General Walker, Mr.
Heffren's second, are delivered to Mr.. Moody
1t is addressed to Mr.. Moody's second, and reads
NEWPORT. KY, Feb. TO- 1861
Major George p. Buell.:
'Sir-Mr. Heffren will meet Mr.. Moody to-
morrow morning as nearly sunrise as possible
and at place within few miles of the city
to be designated to you as soon as selected
The rifle is the weapon selected, brace of
which will be furnished by me, as the friend of
Mr. Hetfren, the choice OF which will be given to
you, as the friend of Mr.. Moody, and the other
returned for the use of his antagonist.
The choice of ground will be decided by lot,
and the second of the party not receiving such
choice shall give the word of command. unless
these two points shall be determined upon by
the mutual agreement of the seconds
1.-THE distance shall be seventy five yards.
1.-The guns loaded, cooked, and, with triggers
set, shall be handed to the parties, who shall
take their positions side toward side, and hold
their pieces in the order of present arms The
words of caution will then be: Gentlemen, are
you readyp when both parties shall respond
sreadv.' The words of command will be given
as follows: Firel one! two! three! stopr The
firing shall be done between the words fire and
stop, and neither party shall take any rest for
the support of his gun. nor move from the posi-
ton of present arms, until the command of fire
is given nor after the command to stop is ut
tered by the second commanding under the
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