The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-11-14
DUEL To THE DEATH.
Two Prominent kentucky Politicians
KIN Eaah Other.


XIII Each Other.
Col William Cassius Goodloe, collector on
internal revenue of the 18th Kentucky dis,
triot, and Col. Armstead NJ, Swope met IN
the postottice, at Lexington, KY ON the slh,
Both men were after the mail that was IN
their letter boxes, which are rather close To-
gether. They approached these boxes almost
at the same instant, and when each saw
who the. other was, they glared at
each other fiercely, and one OF the two,
it cannot be discovered which, exclaimed,
"You spoke to me; you insulted me,
This was followed by some angry woruS
from the other man, exactly what they were
cannot be found out, At this instant tue
men Strengthened up, aad each drew q
weapon, swope pistol aud Goodloe clasp.
knife Swope fired and Goodloe knocked
the pistol down as il went oil, the ball enter
ing his abdomen ON the ght side. doodloe
then began stabbing his opponent IN the
breast with his knife, After several blows
again, missing uoodloe. In momen,
after firing the second shot Col, Swope fell
on his face and welterlng in his blood, died
almost instantly, On his person were three
wounds, they beingon his back, arms ana
in his breast. Immediately after the kill
ing Col. Goodloe walked to physicians
office where his wounds were examined
He was perfectly cool, and made q DISPOSE
ton of property in case of death. The cause
of the difficulty was statement made in the
republican convention of May l, 1888, by
Col. Goodloe that fully two-thirds of the
Fayette county delegation in the convention
did not speak TO Swope.
Col. A, NJ. Swope was native Of Ken
lucky lie practiced law at Paris, Ky,
until the beginning of the war when he
Joined the Union army and rose to the rank
n a ntAln ct M
After the war he went to Lexington and re-
sumed the practice of his profession. He
was an applicant for Commissioners OF in
ternal revenue under President Harrison,
but was defeated. ills claimed, through en-
nifty of Col. Goodloe.
Hon, William Cassius Goodloe was born
in Madison county in 1871, In 1861 he ac-
eompanied his uncle, Cassius NJ, Clay, TO
Russia, where he was sent as minister by
President Lincoln. Mr., Goodloe acted as
secretary ofthe legation until 1862, when he
returned and Joined the Union Amy as as
sistant adiutant. general of volunteers, serv-
ing until lS6i when he resigned and COM
menced the practice of law in Lexington.
Col. w. w, Dudley, in response to tele-
gram asking for particulars in regard to the
tragedy, received q message stating that Col.
Goodloes wounds were very serious, but not
necessarily fatal. The dispatch stated that
Col Swopu drew pistol and shot at Col.
Cioodloe, who thereupon drew knife and
stabbed Swore.
The president knew Col. CoodOe well and
esteemed him highly. The news of his
probable fatal shooting was communicated
to him, and affected him to most marked
extent The intelligence seemed to stun the
president almost as though it had been a
near relative A book which he was holding
in his hand at the time fell to the floor, and
for few minutes he paced nervously and abb
stractedly up and down. He asked that any
particulars Of the tragedy which might be
received should be communicated to him.
| The subject is the one topic of conversation
among public men and in public places.
The excitement at Lexington is of the most
intense character. The body of Col. Swope
has been shipped to Stanford, KY, and bur
led beside that of his mother. Col. swope
said few days ago that some day he and
| Goodloe would fight it out to the death, y
and he added II hope he may kill me, as
would rather die than make orphans OF his
| children"
AT the inquest on the body of Swope the
| testimony was substantially the same as the
story of the killing above, save that it was
| clearly proved that no one heard the exact
| language used by the two men immediately
before the difficulty began; Three witnesses;
were found who saw the fight One OF
them saw all, the other two only part. II
was strongly brought out that Swope lost his
pistol in the early part of the ARRAY; that
his first shot, and not the second, struck
Goodloe; that the latter's battle was the
most desperate as well as the most bloody
ever known in Kentucky. After his antag
onist had fallen on his face in the embrace
of death, Goodloe remarked as he walked
out of the postotfice lobby, "He beloved
like calf" Witnesses corroborated this
Had it not been that these two deadly enc
mics had postoffice boxes one right above
the other the tragedy would not have oc
Cured, as they had often passed each Other
OH the street without any trouble
An operation was performed on Col. Good
loe, and the physicians then ascertained thai
death was certain. Col. Goodloe expired a
noon on the 10th.
When informed that death was approach
ing he asked to be made communicate o.
the Episcopal church and the holy com
munion was administered to him.
His death, following SO soon after tn
demise of his opponent, had a profound
effect in Lexington. The pail which hang
like heavy cloud everywhere seems simply
oppressive, and the terrible tragedy will !,
remembered as one of the most unfortunat
that has ever occurred in Kentucky, which
has been styled the dark and blood!
ground