Daily Republican., 1889-11-22
a PECULIAR DUEL.

"This seems to be Q year Of duels. -
said DIR. Morrison OF the First Methodist
Church 10 an Atlanta Journal reporter.
"but l notice there's far more dueis than
blood. IL reminds me Of famous duel
fought In Kentucky IN 1913.
"bili Bowman was q noted preacher
who lived near Milleroburg. He was
typical kentuckisn-tall, angular and
muscular. Like Sam Jones, he always
said what he thought. In the midst OF
revival meeting . we'll known desperate
came Into the church and began making
q disturbance. With eyes flashing with
indign ation Bill Bowman arose and 10 a
ringing voice publicly reproved the des.
persdo. who at once retired from the
church.
''The next morning the desperate sent
q challenge to Bowman to fight him u
duel. Bowman accepted the challenge,
and there was no four column newspaper
correspondence, no railroad trips to an
adjoiniDg State, nothing hut two little
notes-one chal enge and the other an
scceptance-and then all was ready for
the fight. The town was terribly excited,
Ter such thing as a preacher fighting a
duel had never been heard OF before.
"0ld Bill Bowman, being the chal-
| ithtcu tnc CnOlCb OI WEAPONS.
He selected half bushel Of Irish pota-
toes rs big as his tist for each man, and
stipulated that his opponent must stand
htteen PAGES distant aud only one potatoe
at time to DO taken from the measure.
The town was then made wild with de-
light, for everybody knew tt at Bill Bow
man could throw with bis long. muse ular
arms as straight and almos' AZ swift as a
rife could send bullet singing toward
the target.
"The desperate was furious at being
thus freshly insulted, and made an iudig.
Dant protest against such eight that BIZ
Bowman insisted that he was tie cbal-
lenRed man and had right to choC 50 hi,
own weapons and threatened TO denounc,
the desperado as coward If he failed Il
come to time. As there was no way on
of the box but to fight, the desperate
finally consented to face the preacher.
THE fight took place on the outskirti
OF the town. Everybody In Millersbure
was present to see the fun. The second
arranged the two men In positions, by III,
side OF each being "A half bushel meAsur,
oiled with large Irish potatoes as hard ~
brick.
"Blll Bowman threw the first potato
: II struck his opponent n cent? al shot and
! new luto tnousAhu pieces. n yell o
. delight went up from the crowd, whici
ratified the desp r.do and his potato few
wide of tho tall, bony preacher.
"Blll Bowman watched his chance, ant
every time hts opponent stopped for
t potato another one hit him In the side
leaving q wet spot on his clothes, an,
then scattering itself to the four winds o
heaven. Old Bill hit the d, sporadic fly
times, and the sixth potato struck him II
: the short ribs, knocking the wind com
pletely out Of him and doubling him u
, on the grass.
"The people were almost crazy wit
laughter, but Bill Bowman looked g
: sober as If he had just flushed prea ;hinI
q funeral sermon. The Desperate wa
taken home and put to bed, aud there Ia
stayed for more than 4 week telore
recovered from the effects of his Iris
potato duel.
1.-The old men in Millersburg still tai
about that celebrated due, but it was tn
g means of breaking up dueling in tina
sec ton"