St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-11
PISTOLS BANGED MERELY.
How They Handled Firearms in
Old Kentucky.
Atlanta Constitution.

Atlanta Constitution.
Victor Duquesne, the famous pistol
shot of New Orleans, while travelling in
Kentucky stopped for the night at a
tavern in Frankfort. In his day pistols,
like Kentuckians going to take drink,
went in pairs. Every gentleman carried
his twin derringers. After supper Du-
quesne went to the Office counter, be-
hind which the proprietor lounged, and,
putting down half dollar, requested
him to change it. The proprietor swept
the coin into his money drawer in a
mechanical way, and taking out two
"bitS," twelve and half cent pieces,
showed them toward Duquesne. The
latter, seeing that the proprietor made
no move toward giving him any more
money, Sald:-
II gave you half dollar; here are
only two bits"
You gl' me quarter, sir, y responded
the host"
BEG your pardon: you are mistaken.
Look in the drawer and you will see."
"Do you mean to say don't know a
half dollar when | see it? Isay, sir,
you gil me a quarter, and you've got
your change for it,"
Duquesne looked steadily at the tav-
ernkeeper for moment. The guests
seated around the fireplace became
silent.
"You are liar!'' said DuQuesne, in a
low, even tone.
Those terrible words meant some
thing in Kentucky, and the speaker
knew it.. He felt nervOuSly for his pis-
tolls They were missing. He had left
them in his room. The tavernkeeper's
movements were as quick as if he had
been charged with an electric battery.
He jerked open his money drawer, took
from it a pistol, cooked and covered
DuqueSne, who stood mOtiOnless.
"Would you shoot an unarmed man?'
inquired the latter, calmly.
That appeal is never without its effect
in the old commonwealth.
can unarmed man has no right to
give an insult"
.'Will some gentleman lend me pis-
tol?'' said Duquesne, without removing
his eyes from his antagonist, whose two
brothers had now ranged themselves by
his side.
Fair play the world over" spoke up
a burly drover, putting pistol in Du-
quesne's hand, while two more were
dropped into his overcoat pocket. The
crowd parted. The men parted stimuli
taneously. The landlords right arm
dropped to his side, broken, and his
weapon fell to the floor. DuqueSne
stood unframed, and quietly exchanged
his smoking pistol for one of the loaded
ones in his pocket. One OF the land
lords brothers, without word, leveled
a pistol at DuqueSne, but before he could
pull the trigger Duquesne fired and his
new antagonists right arm dropped to
his side. broken.
"Any more?" inquired Duquesne, pre-
pairing another firearm.
"Yesw exclaimed the third brother,
firing one shot wildly and endeavoring
to shoot again. Duquesne fired quickly
again, and that brothers arm fell,
broken, just as the others had fallen.
''Who the devil are you?'' cried the
landlord, clasping his disabled arm.
II am Victor Duquesne, of New Or
leans"
II beg your pardon, Mr.. Duquesne; [
am satisfied it was half dollar you gil
me. Give Mr.. Duquesne two bits
more out o. the drawer, SAM" said the
taVern-keeper to a white-faced clerk,
who had erouched beneath the counter
during the fusilade. Next time |
want to shoot I'll look at the register
and see who is going to shoot back"