The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-09-16
"iIIT IN THE KNEE
Editor James Watson Webb and Colonel ThOs.
T. Ninrshoi', and Their Bitter Quarrel and
Fight Forty -four Years Ago.

, f'Sh tortN'tOur Years Ago.
, 'rOlitical differences are settled easier
nowadays than they were half century
, ago, sNid an old, guy-haircd statesman
| to Philadelphia Times writer. "I re-
, mcmbcr distinctly" he continued, "when
James Watson Webb, one of the great
+ cdltors OF the oldcn tine, lay wounded
J. at tho United States Hotel on Chestnut
street near Fourth. Tic was shot in q
; duel within twenty-five miles of the CITY
, Dy kentucky statesman, Colonel Thos.
+. Marshall, son of Chief Justice Mar
shall. That was forty-four years ago
, this summer. The duel took place carly
III the morning, i'll a lonely field skirting
Hook. Josiah Randall, ex-Spcal1or
Randall's father was one of the partici-
pa..tS. All ill-fccling had arisen from
Il Congressional debate on tho repeal of
the bankruptcy bill of 1871. About the
samc time Monroe Edwards was coh-
victcd i'll New York of forging drafts to
the tune Of $G0,O on bankers and 9th
crS i'll that metropolis. Among those
who defended Edwards in court was
Colonel Tom Marshall. An editorial
paragraph from tho pen of Colonel
Webb, published III tho Now York Cou-
ricr and Enquirer during tho famous
trial, read rs follows: "Wc learn that
Lion. j. +. Marshall, after wandering
about the country for some thirty days,
| lccturmG on temperance and giving his
experience rs Il dcvotcc Of the bottle,
has returned to defend the notorious
Monroe Edwards. For his forty days
absence he will draw from the Treasury
$500 for making mOuntc- bank Of him
self and dcvotinG his time in advocating
the claims Of II notorious scoundrcl"
In addressing the jury Marshall aGvcrted
to this attack, and spoke in meaning
| way oi charges made against him and
! fellow members in receiving, by way of
| bribery, British coin to the music of
| 500, 900 apiece. The defeat of his client
and other grievances were too much for
! Southern blood, and the satisfaction then
usually cNnctcd among gentlemen was
| demand.
After some skirmishing meeting was
held III Wilmington, and prcliminnrics
settled. The arrival of the parties be-
coming nolscd abroad, bl clear re-
course to Stratn8cm they out -manDuvcred
legal Vigilance. DIR. Carr and DR.. Gill
son, son OF Professor Gibson Of this city,
waited on the siX-foot two Kcntuckian,
while Major Morrcll, proprietor of the
Courier, and DIR. Tucker, n Virgininn,
then residing here, did the hon0rs for
Colonel Webb. Josiah Randall was
present rs Il friend Of the editor. He
was then, like Colonel Webb, u staunch
+, Wing. BY daybrcall ten PAGES wcy2
measured of, and stone placed at TIC
cNtrcmltlcS OF the line. MAJOR Morrcll
/ tossed com Tor choice Of position The
: silver lnlhnS IL the grass caused some
controversy, but Marshall settled il by
mpaticntly calling out to his second:
, "Cilvc 1t to them, doctor. | came here
TO have d shot ut him, and L do not
mean to DC banlcd by trihcs." "Wo ask
you to give nothing" proudly answered
the Major. eve ask but what 10 right. !"
Again the com spun upward and fortune
was again with tho New Yorker. The
G"rn2ts and their friends were searched,
according to stipulation. "Gcntlomcn,
arc you rcady?' sang ont tho Major, rs
the sun was struggling into light. 81
am, SI;! thc Colonel. 81 am not" put
/ III Alar@hull, now the object Of general
observation. With q searching, earnest
look ut COlon"! Webb, he flung of his
coat @"a slowly lifted his hat and tossed
IT. aside. 'Now, sir, / am ready" The |
Major distinctly commanded: "Firo-
one, two, three" Tho simultaneous re.
port made hom0 believe at first that only
one Ilad fired. Both were wide of the |
mark.
'"Anothcr Shotr' shouted Magahal, |
f"iSih1 ms pistol. Again IAnc the sig
nal and CoIon%! Webb was observed |
Sh@hliY G,l.66crlng. lie was prevented |
;!"m falling by one Of the seqoNds !
Upon the surgeon reporting TO Marshall |
that Colonel Wp.E WAS wounded below
,,. M :
a'cc! IL is the damndcst lowest oct of
my life. We must exchange onothcr
@lot; that l0Gn has injured mo more
than Any being on earth. If hc can
AA4d expect and demand that we shall
exchange fire again" The bystandcrs
intcrpoSln8, the matter was Lett to tho
surgeon 5 decision, who made it under
stood + at it WAS impossible, owing to
the Coloncl's condition, to continue the
matter at present. Tho Southcrnor
'4cr9upou shrugged his shoulders and
observed; "Mo have no further business
nero and may as we'll return to the
hot,l."
Colonel Webb, on learning OF the dc.
mand made for Il third shot remarked: !
81 have entertained no unkind feelings
toward NJ. Marshall ut any time, nor do |
! now feel unkindly toward him. / do |
not know why he should bear such I'M
compromising malice toward me-" When |
Mm5NEA returned to the hotel ho COVER
! ga down somewhat and made inquiry of |
Mr.. Randall as to the extent of Colonel |
Wchb'# injuries. Ills subsequent career
lost iHNth OF rs Drlliiancy by too free |
! Use OF atlmulants. The wounded Colo
mel was laid up for some time in the
United StUtO3 Hotel. IlC took it good !
naturcdly and, upon one occasion, he
i@cctlously remarked: 81 am confined to
Dcd under Marshall law" Under the
statutes Of the State Of New York he was
tried and convicted, but Executive elem
cncy being evoked, intcrposcd in his be-
half. Colonel Webb was appointed
Minjstcg to Brazil by President Lincoln,
ana while in that position he is credited
with obtaining settlement of the claims
OF the United States against that coun-
try, nr! oi being instrumental, through
Ei8 intimacy with Napoleon Ill, of
h"Yn8 the Ere nch troops withdrawn
from Mexico.