Thomas County cat., 1890-07-31
TRADITIONS OF KENTUCKY.

A few months ago, when the blood.
and tragic encounter in Lexington, KY.
between Colonel William Cassius Good
loe and Colonel Armstead NJ. Swope
Chriiled and shocked the country from
Sne end to the ether, Mr.. Murat Hal
lead, writing editorially in the Cincin
flaf Commercial Gazette, stated that
there appeared to be something in the
WY climate and atmosphere, as well as
IN the traditions of Kentucky, which
called for the adjustment of difficulties
and misunderstanding between the
men of that state by the wager OF battle
Unfortunately, this is true, and the
fact extends far back beyond the time
when the first white man visited Ken
lucky. For many years it had been
common hunting ground for various
tribes of Indians, and, as their common
hunting ground, it had also become
their common battle ground. The soil
of old "Kentuckee' (as they called it,
had been so plentifully laved with the
hanod of their braves for untold years
that even the rude Indians, with a cor
rect though untutored poetic imagery,
had christened this land, baptized with
ixIrers s,f their blood, 'the dark and
ahaady ground long before white
man had ever seen it.
10 the student of such lore the early
HISTORY of Kentucky, much of which is
.zlnwritten, is especially interesting. 1t
Is generally tragic, but is far from.being
without its humorous and cOmical side
Humphrey Marshall, whose duel with
Henry Clay has been described once
broke up hostile meeting in quite an
unexpected manner. In 1893 his cousin
Major James Markham Marshall "a
hCother of Chief Justice Marshall) had
a discussion in the public prints with
Nr. James Brown which grew out OF
some charges made by Mr.. Marshall
that Mr.. James Browns brother, Hon.
John Brown, was or had been deeply
dmp6cated with Wilkinson, Sebastian
and others in the Spanish conspiracy.
A duel grew out of this, one OF the
terms of which was that no person ex.
~eEs the principals and their seconds
Sas0uM be present at the meeting. Hum
ptmey Marshall, however, desiring to
witness the affair, allowed his curiosity
10 get the better of his discretion and he
posted off to the dueling ground, neal
which he secreted himself behind a large
log, from which "coign of vantage" III
might have good view of the proceed
Snx&
He always carried long staff or stick
snd this he placed across the top of tn,
log. The duelists reached the ground
znd the preliminariesh had been arranged
Wien HumI hrey Marshall was discov
ered in his retreat. Mr.. Brown then re
fIsel to fight, on the plea that "Olt
Humphrey Marshall" was in ambush OF
the field with gun trained from a deat
xxxt to assassinate him in case he shoult
kMhis opponent. The affair endet
thus without an exchange of shots.
About this time, generally speaking
there grew out of this same fruitful
soMre of contention, the spanish con
spdEacy," an affair which was probabl.
the most peculiar thing in the way of
duel that ever occurred anywhere. 1
w1s between DR.. Lewis Marshall, tn
youngest brother of Chief Justice Mar
shall, and a gentleman whom we shall
call Bradley, because that was not hi
name. DIR. Marshall, ike all his name
WIS q man of great courage, and, in I'D
xiition, was dead shot, and was equal,
as expert with the sword as with tn
PISTOL
He was an old practitioner upon tn
GeAd of honor, having had many duels
bsth in this country and in Europe, ant
always leaving his opponent dead or dis
ahted upon the field. Mr.. Bradley wa
also a man of courage, but Of an excit
ABIDE and nervous temperament, and hi
affair with DR.. Marshall was his frs
experience under the code. The weap
s,as chosen for this affair were pistols
AID after the word either man could fir,
II discretion. On the ground Mr.. Brad
1y showed himself nervous and excited
Sani when the word was given-prob
ably with the idea that the best way TO
n green hand to fight an experienced
liuslist, and dead shot at that, was t.
get the drop" on him-he blazed ava!
mt 0d,ce, and of course missed his antag
ss1sst- DR.. Marshall had fixed his eye OF
Radley in the beginning, and as soon a
%hy had taken their positions marked
his extreme agitation. After receivin,
Bsaslleyis fire Dr. Marshall cody raiset
his pistol and deliberately shut one ey
and squinted along the barrel with tn
other. He took slow and full aim an,
aead Bradley covered for half minute
ufen he lowered his pistol to his side ant
asked his second for a plug of tobacco
saying that he wanted a chew befor
killing the d. fool"
A. fbic Rra6loy hacano frapcporfo.