Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-11-27
FIGHTING EDITORS.
some of tho Combats Which Have
0ccurFeh I'm Nashvius

Some of tho Combats Which Have
Occurred In Nashville.
zone of the first newspaper dificultiel
which recollect," said Judge James 7. Bell
to reporter for The Nashville American, "wai
that in 1888 or 1889 between Gen. r. c. Foster
and Jeremiah Harris. Harris was editor Of
The Nashville Union, and brilliant writer.
He was very bold man. and may properly be
called the Nestor Of the Tennessee press.
"There were very few democrats in Tennes.
see at that time, and the wings were decided.
~ in the ascendency. Foster took exception
to the course pursued by Harris In his paper,
and the bitter feelings engendered finally led
to an assault with a pistol on him at tn,
Union Office, then on Printers alley. Foster
wounded him, but not seriously, and bystsnd.
srs quickly interfered. The excitement was
very great at the time, and many feared thai
It would lead to other difficulties.
shooting, however, was Of common occur.
renee in those days. Almost everyone came
to town on Saturdays, and men Of different
opinions would get into discussions, and the
FIRST thing one knew pistols were popping"
Another newspaper fight recalled BY Judge
Bell was that between william High Smith
and Billings, one OF the editors OF The Patriot.
This was about lS47 Smith assaulted Billings
and stabbed him with knife, but the wound
was not very dangerous. Judson ("Ned
Buntlne"O became Involved In the difficulty
by writing up the manner Of the assault In .
very bold, outspoSen style. As q result, shots
were exchanged between him and Smith,
without any bloodshed, however, and the
trouble gradually quieted down,
A newspaper controversy leading to fatal
results took place between Allen A. Hail and
George PondeIter. Hall WAS an old editor
and was once minister to Venezuela. He was
the editor of The Meas while Poindexter was
editor of The Union and american. Hail
published an article to which Polndexter gave
the lie, and though friends interceded he re-
fused TO retract Hall was very near-slghted,
and finding that he was unable TO hit anys
thing with o pistol resorted to q shotgun.
PoIndexter was also advanced In years aud an
excellent pistol shot Hall stationed himself
In The Nens Office, then situated on Cherry
street BY the alley which runs past the Cole
When Poindexter was coming down the
street, and while he was some distance Of,
Hall stepped out on the street and called TO
him. Poindexter drew his pistol, leveled 10
over his left arm, aud continued to advance.
Hall then took aim and fred, killing Poinds1-
ter, who had not yet shot.
II was supposed that Poindexter intended
to walk sufficiently near to make sure Of Q
fatal aim, knowing that his adversary was
defective In sight aud not likely 10 hit him at
that distance.
The difficulty between Gen. Zollicoffer and
Narling will be remembered by many citizens.
This, too, occurred in the days OF hot contests
between wings and democrats.
Zollicoffer at that time was the editor OF q
Whig paper, and Marling strong democratic
sditor. His Office was on Cherry street, nesr
Cedar. While politics lay at the bottom Of
the animosity between them, the immediate
cause Of the difficulty was 3 publication by
Marllng which ipsinuated that Zollicoffer was
actuated by improper motives in advocating .
certain site for bridge over the Cumberland,
The day the article appeared Gen. Zollicoffei
went to the old hotel on the public square and
loaded his pistol. He then passed back
through Deaderlck street, where his paper
was published, and down Cherry. Marling
was standing at the foot Of the stairway lead
ing from tho street 70 the office upstairs,
Hostillties promptly opened. zollicotfsr' {
pistol snapped, and he deliberately took q
fresh cap from vest pocket and put IL on the
nipper. While be was doing this MarlinR
would not fire, but In Q second after their
pistols cracked. Msrling received a bullet In
the head, but Zolicoffer was not touched,
though ball struck his pistol. For q long
time Marlng lay at deaths door, but he
finally partially recovered and went as con.
sui TO South America, where he died, his end
being fastened BY the wound received year.
before