The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-07-11
Taber and Dawson.

Ihe tragic tate OF Capt. Dawson recalls
the end of William Taber, of Charleston,
once che brilliant and handsome young.
editor of the Charleston Mercury, then
and for some years after one of tho
most aggressive ofsouthern newspapers,
Sometime in the late summer of 1851,
I think, Charleston was shocked by tho
death of Taber, as she was shocked
recently, at the sudden and sad killing Of
Dawson.
In the years just preceding the war,
political excitement ran high in the
South, and especially in South Carolina,
and the Mercury was a political journal
that daily added to its warmth. 1t was
owned and controlled by the Rhett fami.
ly, noted in South Carolina, and young;
Taber, % relative Of the family, was oil
its editorial staff. He was young, bril-.
liant and popular, magnificent speci'
men of handsome manhood and had
troops of friends. He was quite as amis.
BILE and gentle In manner as was Dawson
when the writer first saw him, aud though
man Of courage, was not aggressive in
manners or disposition. But in those days
the duello was a recognized institution
among the young men of the South, and
nowhere more strongly than in South
Carolina.
At the date referred to there appeared
some caustic communications in tho
Aercary, aimed at Judge Magrath, who
still enjoys robust and honorable old
age, and who was then candidate for
Congress from the Charleston district.
These were supposed to have been writ.
ten by Edmund Rhett. They provoked
replies, and finally Edward Magrath, a
9 brother Of the Judge, became involved
in. hostile correspondence with .Taber
who, through punctilio of the code.
became the ayowed sponsor ofthearticl's
complained of. A meeting was held at
the usual place, near the old Washington
race course. Despite the efforts ofmu.
tual friends and the active and indignant
protests of Dr.. Bellipger, distinguished
physician, the combat was forced to the
third exchange of fire, at which the hand.
some and gifted young Taber fell witha
bulletin his brain, and Edward Msgratb,
went from what was called the field Of
honorable combat to wrecked and
wretched life. Charleston and the South
were shocked by the tragedy, but those
were days in which they we're not uncom.
mon. Subsequent to the terrible war
which followed young Dawson found his
frat employment on coming to South
Carolina on the Charleston Mercury
over which Taber had presided.
Stranger still, when at the head Of
the News and Cburier he became re.
nowned and received guerdon from the
pope for his refusal to en- gage in duel
with Col. Alfred Rhett and his earnest
and successful attack upon the practice.
Taber, young, handsome and brave, fell
upon what was called the field of honor
in quarrel not of his own seeking and
making. Years after Dawson, who had
so powerfully aided in destroying tha
so. called field of honor, met his fate in
Charleston, in attempting to defend ths
sanctity of his home. Jude Magratb, the
innocent author of the Taber tragedy,
lives, full of honors, and is the adyocats
to defend the slayer of Dawson. What q
strange thing is life. How many start
lingeventa are embraced withinits bounds
that make the solid truth cast into shade
all the efforts of 6ctionl Which was
the sadder fste, that of Taber or 'Daw;-
son ?-Erchange.