New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-16
AN OLD KENTUCKY MYTH.
GEoH;E u. PRENTICE not 4 DrELIi>'


TO tho Editor OF The Tribune.
sir Among the "reminiscences IN The charming auto
biography u, Joseph Jefferson he speaks In tho
August Century" II George d. Prentice rs one wh'>e
treatment appearance the field of honor had made
HIM man ot mark IN more than one sense lie III"
brought many brlli.crnt editor down AT IA long
Not though !ihc SIR Lucius NIrlsgcr he c"nsldc:N1
hrc.. four feet hotw"'n IN" mouths Of the pistols
- good a. u mile. and had proved on several occasions
that tho tcrringer was 'Mlrhtlcr than the pen'
I can only remember Mr.. Prentice IA All old and
mnch broken man, but like every oao reared III Ken
tucky, | always seemed IL know him very well. Ger
tain II i, that | always heard II said OF him that ho
showed most unusual courage In refusing IL 20 out
under the cod" and fight u duel II required courage
Of the very highest order o do this In Kentucky fits
Yeas ago ari always hcan ihI' particular Kind of
courage accorded to Mr.. Prentice by my own people
who wclu never, TANK. on Tic same political sdo
with HIN.
To verify M recollection turned to q volume
Of biographical Sketches by james Freeman Clarke.
who lived III Louisville several y"srs about lS31 but
found III Mr.. Clarkco ,kclch OF Prentice that hi. too.
adopted the bocf that Pr,nticc Guelli>t. Ito
says:
He was perfectly willing TO fight. and after one or
two ducs and few street light. In which his cp.
poncnrs generally got the worst. they dccid,i TO let
him ak,nc once | "a" great crowd Rushing to-
scthcr on Jciicson ST.. aui running up. found that !,
fired pistol al his back. Eut with his usual co'd
luck Prentice happened to turn round at the moment
the pistol was discharged ana escaped the ball.
lie ran upon the assassin. knorhtd him down;
luniI"-i on him, took out his knife Az"
seemed inclined to stab him. but when tho
crowd shouted. "kill him, Prcnce!' he CHANGED hl'
mind and let The man So Tho angry crowd who were
all fond Of Prentice pursued the terrified wretch Win
yels aud he only csraped by Jumping h-Wi:orcincst.
llhc 4 harlequin, through a glass window.
The only instance MIR. Clarke gives Of Prentice
being challenged il this:
A man named Moore. living In iiarrhsbnrg wa,
running tor touercs, the Dcmurri'ic ticket. Prem
trc vhcd him every da: In The Journal" until It
made his .1 birlcn. 50 he came down to Louis.
Vile aud r.allcns,d Prentice IL light duel Prem
tce readily acccp!et the challenge, aud proposed ~
tight win rifles 1T thirty yards. MOOro replied that
his arm lame lac could not support thn weight
Of rifle unless he was allowed to io't Prentice re-
>loned tlia II he let him rest his gun on trio. he
would DO sure Ia hide behind the trunk. which was pot
to bc allowed: but he would propose the following
| terms: 1w" posts should b. driven into tho ground
q few feet apart In front Of each cOmbatUnt. aud =
strung cord fastened from pol" to pole at tho proper
height, 10 for rcs Each man should DO plaA vi
hind this cord. with his rifle vt his left side With It's
butt on tho ground. when the word "drr" was
given. hc should raise nj, re and rc cither from IN.
r.t Or otherwise a. he should prefer Aftcr a,rinE
souM DO WING ts ground by his side. the barrels