The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-11

Lincoln's duel is different from any that
have ever been published and as his
authority is Colonel John j. Hardin, who
was one of the seconds, it is perhaps the
most authentic account of the affair Said
Judge Solomon:
''The duel was between General James
Shields, prominent Illinois politician, and
Abe Lincoln. A number Of articles had
appeared IN the newspapers, signed Ere
becca," which had been written at Shields
and had made him the laughing stock of the
town. Shields had suspected that these
letters had Teen written by Lincoln, but
he had no proof of the fact. AT last one
night he was at dance, and in Waiting
with one OF the sweet girls of the town. he
squeezed her hand, as she thought, little
too ardently, and she rewarded him by
sticking pin into him and leaving him on
the floor, Others of The party saw the act
and Shields became the laughing stock of
the assemnlage. The next issue Of the
paper contained very laughable poem de-
scrIblng the incident and ridiculing Shields
Shields was sure the writer CT the poem
was Lincoln, and ne swore to be revenged.
be called upon Lincoln, at his office, the
next rlorning with the paper in his hand
and asked in domineering tone, as he
| pointed to the lines, ibid you write that"
Lincoln Was very brave man and he
looked Shields IN the eye with smile and
firmly said, II shan't tell you whether
wrote it or not'
Thereupon Shields angrily left, saying
~ OF shall hear from me;n and that after
noon man appeared as Shields second
bearing a challenge from Shields to Lin
coin. Lincoln accepted the challenge and
chose broadswords as weapons, a point
near Alton as the place and Thursday even
ing at O'Clock as the time. On the day
set for the duel Abraham Lincoln started
out alone for the field, but called on the
way at the house OF John j. Hardin, aud
asked ii the colonel was in. He was told
he was not, whereupon he said 'Well,
tell him am going over here to fight duel
with Shields and that l want him to come
along and be my second'
Il few minutes later Colonel Hardin, ar
rived and his wife told him what Lincoln
had said. He took fast horse and fol-
lowed at the top of his speed, but did not
arrive at the field until after all the other
parties were there. He has described to
his friends how he found Lincoln at this
time. He was sitting on a log at one end
of the field with his shoe off and his big
broadsword lying on the ground before
him. He had his stocking pulled down
over his ankle and was evidently searching
for something. AS Colonel Harding came
up he said to him:
what are you doing Lincoln!'
Old Abe replied: II am going to kill this
flea in the first place, and in the second
place | am going to fight this duel with
Shields"
What do you want to fight duel with
Shields forln said he.
well, the fact is, he has acted so mean
about this letter that can't help it.''
But did you write the letter!''
Mo-
''Do you know who did write it?'
MOP
''Well, as 1 am your second, 1 suppose I
have the right to arrange the preliminaries
of the duel"
YES was Lincoln's reply, ':but want
you to understand that came here to fight.
and that do not care to make any kind of
an apology"
Upon this Colonel Hardin went over and
talked to Shields party and in short
time showed them the Stiffness of fighting
with man who had done them no injury.
The result was that the duel was patch I'd
up and that all parties rode back home to-
gether. Lincoln with his long arms
would have had the advantage of Shields
in this fight" continued Judge Solomon: :
''but according to Colonel Hardin it was
Shields intention to have made a Quick
thrust at Lincoln's heart the moment the
signal was given, and while Lincoln's eve
was still on the signal In this way he
would probably have killed him before