Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-12
A DUEL WITH KNIVES,
Fierce Fight to a Finish Between a
Plumber and a Paper Hanger,
THAT LOOKS NOW LIKE A MURDER.
An Old Grudge Settled by One Man Awfully
Slashing the other.
A SADDLER'S SHOP PAINTED CRIMSON

A fierce duel with knives took place at
$3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, in little
saddlery shop on Southern avenue, Mount
Oliver. Two men, Peterson s. Brown and
James L. Keller, who had an old grudge to
settle, happened to meet in the saddlery
shop and soon settled it. The me n engaged
In fight, and both used knives on each
other in such a way that it will probably
end In the murder of Brown.
From the story CLEANED by Constable John
Altmyer from the parties who were wit
nesses to the stabbing, it appears that
Brown. in company with several others, en-
tered Hennig's harness shop, where Keller
was seated, to solicit from Mr.. Hennig the
requisite to purchase jug of beer for the
party. Hennig refused to give them the
money, and referred them 10 Keller, who
mad sat an attentive listener to what had been
said. To this Keller is said to have replied:
Get that - - there to buy it for you"
pointing to Brown, who is paper hanger,
and who lives at 1872 South Twenty-frst
street.
EDO you mean that?" asked Brown.
YES" Keller answered.
WAR TO THE KNIFE.
Then Brown. the story goes, picked up a
saddler's knife, sharp as a razor, but
fortunately with small blade, and rushed
at Keller. The latter was sharpening his
penknife on milestone at the time, and
when Brown advanced he picked up q
board to defend himself with. Brown
STR OF xrif ho I'M
threw up the board. The force oe the blow was
parried by the board, but the knife almost
Sc vered Keller's little finger at the first
joint Again Brown made a lunge at his
opponent. This time he struck higher than
before, and before Keller could guard him
self with the board, Brown had cut a long,
ugly cash in his cheek, extending around
under his chin.
Seeing that his life was in danger, Keller
became desperate and sprang at Brown,
knocking the knife from Browns hand, and
then stabbed his antagonist four times with
his penknife. He first slashed him across
the right temple, then stabbed him under
the right arm, and sank the blade of the
knife deep into the fex or muscles of his
right arm, and slashed him across the abdo-
men. Then the two clinched.
About this time Squire Conrad, whose
Office is next door to the saddlery, ran in.
He says the sight was sickening. There
stood the two big men, each weighing over
200 pounds. They had each other grasped
tightly by the throat, and their bulging eyes
glared murderously into each others faces,
while each was straining every nerve and
muscle to kill the other, needless of the
blood that was streaming from their wounds.
TAKING CARE OF THEM.
Squire Conrad took the knife from
Keller's hand, and separated the combatants,
both of whom he placed under arrest. DIR.
W. L. Phillips was summoned Immediately.
He stopped the flow of blood which gushed
copiously from the four gashes Keller had
made on Brown. A carriage was summoned
and the wounded man was conveyed to his
home. ...
Constable Altmyer said, in speaking of
the affair: There is no question but the
cutting was deliberate, and the affair sp-
parently is renewal of old differences be-
tween the men. The people of Allentown
knew of tine trouble existing between the
men, but everybody thought the matter was
settled. Keller was badly cut about the
face. He said he did not intend to cut