News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-02-23
A KENTUCKY DUEL.
How they Handled Derringers in
the Days that Tried Men.

Victor Duquesne, the famous pistol
shot of New Orleans, while travelling IN
Kentucky stopped for the night at q
tavern in Frankfort. In his day pistols,
like Kentuckians going to take q drink,
went in pairs. Every gentleman carried
his twin Derringers. After supper Du-
ouesne went to the office counter, behind
which the proprietor lounged, and put
ting down a half-dollar, requested him
TO change it. The proprietor swept the
coin into his money drawer in q mechan-
zeal way. and taking out two "bits," or
twelve and a half-cent pieces, showed
them towards Duquesne. The latter,
seeing that the proprietor made no move
towards giving him any more money,
said:
81 gave you half a dollar; here are
only two bits"
'FYou gi' me q quarter, SIT" responded
the host.
'Beg your pardon; you are mistaken.
look in your drawer and you will see"
"Do YOU mean to say | don't know a
balf-doliar when [ see it? I say, sir, you
ri' me a quarter and you've got your
change for it."
Duduesne looked steadily at the
tavern-k eeperfor a moment. The guests
seated around the fireplace became
silent.
sEYou are q liar!' said Duquesne, in a
low, even tone. Those terrible words
mant something in Kentucky, and the
speaker knew it. He felt nervously Tor
his pistols. They were missing. He
had left them in his room. The tavern.
keepers movements were as quick as II
he had been charged by an electric bat
terry. He ierked open his money-draw,
took from it q pistol, cooked 1t and
covered Duquesne, who stood notion
less.
"WouId you shoot an unarmed man?"
inquired the latter, calmly.
Gan unarmed man has no right to give
an insult"
"WiH some gentleman lend me q pis-
toll" 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 a pistol 1 n Du-
quesne's hand, while two more were
dropped into his overcoat pocket. The
crowd parted. The men tired stimuli
~taneously. The landlords right arm
dropped TO Ills Slue, DIOhCLl, "lN Alo
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 a word, levelled
q pistol at Duquesne, but before he
could pull the trigger Duquesne fired
and and his new antagonists right arm
dropped to his side, broken.
"Any more 2" inquired Duquesne, pre-
pairing another frearm.
Yes" exclaimed the third brother,
firing one shot wildly and e~ndeavoring
to shoot again. Duquesne fired quickly
again, and that brothers arm fell,
broken, Just as the others had fallen.
"Who are you?" cried the landlord,
! clasping his disabled arm.
81 am Victor Duquesne, of New Or
leans"
81 beg your pardon, Mr.. Duquesne;
I'm satisfied it was q half-dollar you gi'
me. Give Mr.. Duquesne two bits
more out O. the drawer, SAM" said the
tavern keeper to q Whitehead clerk
who had crouched beneath the counter
during the fusiIlade. "Next time [
want to shoot I'll look at the register
and see who it is that is goin' to shoot
hack