Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-31
pUsL WITH HAMMERS.
Two Lovers Fight for a PICKLE Girls
Favor-Both Dead

Two Lovers Fight for Ffckle Siri
Favor-Both Dead
BEvIER, Mo-, July 30.-The details
of strange story have just come to
light from the Welsh settlement OF
what is know as the ''Black Road" dis
trict. The settlement is composed OF
miners who work in the coal mines here
nearly all of them being Welshmen.
The story is as follows:
One of the handsomest girls In the
"Black Road" is Martha Lightfoot. She
IS not only handsome but tickle, and
had all the young men of the district at
her feet. Two of the brawniest young
miners in the district, Ab Jones and
James Carmichael, were devoted suit
ors, and rumor gave first one and tnen
the other the place Of honor.
Matters ran along in this way for
some time, Martha being impartial in
her smiles and apparently giving en-
couragement to both. At the same
time she had numerous other suitors on
her string. A crisis finally came one
night when the miners were congre-
gated in barroom in the village. Jones
proclaimed to his assembled friends that
he was the accepted sutton OF Martha
Lightfoot, and would soon lead her to
the church: Carmichael was present,
and at once denounced the statement as
a lie. He said that he himself had re-
ceived the troth of the girl, and she
would marry him or no one.
OHot words followed and fight was
prevented by friends, and it was decided
that the girl should be called upon TO
explain the situation. The men and
their friends went to the Lightfoot
house and called for the girl to come
forth. The girl was disposed to post
pone the matter, but was told that she
must decide at once which of the two
men she intended to marry. She looked
first at one and then at the other and
burst into tears, saying it was imDos-
sible to make her choice. Her father
tried to influence her, but he was rudely
hushed by the suitors. AS the girl
would make no choice, the young men
decided to fight a duel for their bride.
The details were simple and what is
probably the Strangest duel ever fought
was contested that night.
The moon was shining brightly as
the combatants stood in the centre OF
large ring formed by all the inhabit-
ants OF the district who had assembled
to see the contest. The men were
armed with breaking hammers such as
are used in coal mines. Science and
great physical strength was combined
and blows were delivered and parried
with lightning-like rapidity. For half
an hour the battle ragged, when by some
chance each received a crushing blow
on the head, at the same instant and
both sank to the ground. Jones was
dead within fifteen minutes, and Car
michael fingered until late next day,
when he, too, died.
The sequel to this strange duel is as
remarkable as the prologue. When
Jones was pronounced dead his old
mother, who looked to him alone for
support, called upon the girl TO stand
forth. The girl stood on one side OF the
ring aud those who were near her drew
away from her as one who bore con-
tamination. The old gray-haired woman
then proceeded with awful soemnity,
to put "'the curse upon her." As ana
thema after anathema came from
the old crone's lips the poor girl
seemed to blight ana wither. Disaster
dire and trouble deep were called down
by the lonely mother upon the cause of
her sorrow, until at last the overweight
nerves of the girl gave way and she fell
TO the ground. When con-
sciousneSS again returned to her she
was a raving maniac, and grew so VIC
lent that it became necessary to place
her in an asylum. TWAS while she was
here on her way TO that institution that
her strange story was learned.