The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-15
hit ~ THE KNEE.
:::4.iI: .tai:,es Nat:on Webb and Colonc! Thos
j. Tsnr-:I!, and Tiiei. Bitter Quarrel ant
Flight Eo:ty-:oG. Years Ago.

:'f;; Fo:ty-:ou- Years Ago.
''Pohtical differences arc settled casio
nowadays than they were half centur,
ago" said an old, gray-haircd Statesman
to Philadelphia Times writer. 81 re
member distinctly, he continued, "whel
James Watson Webb, one of the grea
editors of the oldcn tine, lay wounded
at :hc United States Hotel on Chestnu
street, Gcar Fourth He was shot IN
auci within twenty-five miles of the cit.
by Kentucky statesman, Colonel Thos
I. Marshall, son of Chief Justice Mar
shall. That was forty-four years ago
this summer. The duel took place earl.
in the morning, in lonely field skirtine
the Delaware State line, below Marcus
Hook. Josiah Randall, ex-Speake.
Randall's father, was one of the partlcl
pants. AL ill-feeling had arisen from
. Congressional debate on the repeal O.
the bankruptcy bill of 1S41. About the
same time Monroe Edwards was cob
victed il New York Of forging drafts tc
the tune of $50, 900 on bankers and 9th
crs in that metropolis. Among those
who defended Edwards in court wa:
! Colonel Tom Marshall. An editoria
paragraph from the pen Of Colone
Webb. published in the New York Cou
ricr and Enquirer during the famous
trial, read as follows: eve learn thai
Hon. J. T. Marshall, after wandering
about the country for some thirty days
lecturinS on temperance and giving his
experience as devotee of the bottle,
has returned to defend the notorious
Monroe Edwards. For his forty days
absence he will draw from the Treasury
1920 for making q mounte-bank Of him.
self and devoting his time in advocating
the claims of a notorious scoundrel. .
In addressing the jury Marshall adverted
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 music OF
500, GOO apiece The defeat of his client
and other grievances were too much for
Southern blood, and the satisfaction then
usually exacted among gentlemen was
demand.
After some skirmishing meeting was
held in Wilmington, and preliminaries
settled The arrival of the parties be-
coming noised abroad, by clear re-
course to stratagem they out-maneuvered
legal vigilance. DR.. Carr and Dr.. Glib
son, sou Of Professor Gibson Of this city,
waited on the six-foot-two Kentuckian,
while Major Morrell, proprietor of the
Courier, and DR.. Tucker, Tirginian,
then residing here, did the honors for
Colonel Webb. Josiah Randall was
present as friend Of the editor. He
was then, Like Colonel Webb, staunch
Wing. BY daybreak ten PAGES were
measured off, and a stone placed at the
cxtremities OF the line. Major Morrell
tossed Il 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:
''Giye it to them, doctor. I came here
to have shot at him, and I do not
mean to be bafled by trides. 'We ask
you to give nothing" proudly answered
the Major. "We ask but what is right. !"
Again the coin spun upward and fortune
was again with the New Yorker. The
dueliSts and their friends were searched,
according to stipulation. Gentlemen,
are you ready?" sang out the Major, as
tl42 sun was struggling into light. 81
an, said the Colonel. II am not, put
in Marshall, now the object of general
observation. With a searching, earnest
look at Colonel Webb, he flung off his
coat and slowly lifted his hat and tossed
it aside. ''Now, sir, am ready" The
Major distinctly commanded: ''Fire-
one, two, three" The simultaneous re-
port made some believe at first that only
one had fired. Both were wide Of the
mark.
s.Another shot!' shouted Marshall,
raising his pistol. Again came the sig
nal and Colonel Webb was observed
slightly staggering. BE was prevented
from falling by one of the seconds.
Upon the surgeon reporting to Marshall
that Colonel Webb was w~unded below
the knee, he thundered out: "Hit in the
knee! 1t IS the damndest lowest act Of
my life. We must exchange another
shot; that man has injured me more
than any being on earth. Il he can
stand I expect and demand that We shall
exchange fire again" The bystanders
inte.posing, the matter was left to the
surgeons decision, who made it under
stood that it was impossible, owing to
the Colonel's condition, to continue the
matter at present. The Southerner
thcreupon shrugged his shoulders and
observed: "We have no further business
here and may as well return to the
hotel."
Colonel Webb, on learning OF the de-
maud made for third shot remarked:
Il have entertained 40 unkind feelings
toward Mr.. ,Narshall at any time, nor do
I now feel llnkindly toward him. I do
not know why he shoald bear such lln-
compromising malice toward me, When
Marshall returned to the hotel lie cover
ed Gown somewhat and made inquiry Of
H. It&1.tlal as to the extent OF Colonel
Webs injuries. His subsequent career
lost much OF its brilliancy by too free
use Of stimulants The wounded Colo
mel WAS laid up for some time IN the
United States Hotel. lie took it good
naturedly and, upon one occasion, he
facetiously remarked: 81 am confined to
bed under Marshall law" Under the
statutes OF HE State OF New York he was
tried and convicted, but Executive cle1n-
ency being evoked, intcrpose3. Il his be-
hal:, Colonel Webb vas appointed
Minister to Brazil by President Lincoln,
and while j.. that position ne is credited
w::.s obtaining 4 settlcmen. Of the claims
of the United States :,sainst that coun
Try, and Of being instrumental, through
lis intimacy with Napoleon III, of