Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-13

mefely
wickian sense. There is no recognized code of
honor that renders it obligatory upon the in
suited person, though trembling in his boots
TO send challenge. and the offending party
would feel no hesitation on the score Of pro-
prsety in refusing such an invitation. The
legislator for the nation Ia no longer afraid Of
any one, save his constituents and the news
papers.
THE BuRR-HAMrLroS ArrArn.
AZ Illustrations OF the deadliness Of the old
time duels one may consider the never-to- be-
forgotten combat between Aaron Burr and Al
exander Hamilton, in which the latter fell, al
most on the very ground where his son had
died under similar circumstances only two
years previously. The victim, in . letter writ
ten the night before the fatal conflict, said that
he bore no personal Ill will against Col Burr;
circumstances OF q political nature had caused
him to animadvert unfavorably respecting his
! antagonist and the code recognized at that
time among gentlemen as law obliged him to
go ont and kill or be killed. Cilley's case was
precisely similar. Both Of these admirable men
died because the fashion Of the day obliged
them to. One may talk OF defying fashion, but
it cannot be said that one should not respect
what all his fellow men regard as representing
honorable Us opposed to dishonorable, con-
duct. Matters of that sort are always deter
mined by the opinion Of ones peers. II muir
der is the honorable thing across handker-
chief, why do it. That is the creed. In Au-
gust, 1881, Major Biddle, U. 5. A., met the Hon.
Spencer Pettes, member of Congress from Mis-
souri,, at Bloody Island, opposite st. LOUIS, with
pistols. Only five feet separated them, and
both were killed, naturally.
One OF the most interesting OF historical
dueis took place in the summer of 1888. A
young gentleman Of Natchez, newly we'd, was
on his bridal trip. He had been to New York
collecting bills for Natchez merchants and was
spotted by gang of sharpers. With his wife
he took the steamer Orleans of the Diamond 10
line at Pittsburg, and between that city and
Louisville he was invited into game OF %
card poker-an interesting variation upon the
usual sport, which involves only the ten spots
and cards above that denomination. It SO
happened that he lost not only what cash Of
his own he had with him but also many thou
sands Of dollars with which he was entrusted.
In his despair he tried to jump overheard, but
was restrained by preacher-fike man who had
come on board at the last landing.
PREACHER-LIKE MAN.
Now ii CHANGED that this preacher-Lke man
asked for drink at the bar. and, in paying for
it, he gave 300 bill from what seemed to be
a well-stuffed wallet. The gamblers who had
won the young mans money thought that
another pigeon was at hand to pluck. They
asked him if he would Join them in a little
game. and he said yes. At first it struck the
stranger that the ante. S5. was a little high,
considering the fact that there was no limit:
but he kept on and did not murmur when he
found himself $500 out Of pocket. He put up
blind and the man at his left--only three of
them were playing-straddled it with $40. To
make it good he had to add SIS, but that was
only the beginning. First one of his opponents
raised and then the other until there was an
enormous sum in the pot. He himself had four
kings and ten-spot. Presently they both
called. and he saw the dealer slip card to
the player who had made the straddle. Like
flash the preacher-like man drew a murderoIs-
looking knife and said quietly but firmly to the
gentleman at his left:
'If you lay down your hand and six cards
are found in it will kill your
THE GAMBLER SHOT.
The third man, who had dealt. showed full
hand and the preacher-like stranger swept all
the money ON the table into his hat OF course
there was row Immediately, and the gambler
who had been threatened at once challenged
the winner to fight him. The latter assented,
asking merely five minutes for preparation. He
used the time in conveying the cash, which
amounted to nearly S100, 900, to the wife OF the
youth whom the sharPers had defrauded, say
Ing as he delivered to her the amount: If 1
don't come back two-thirds of this belongs to
you and the other third to me-" Then he went
out on deck and friends quickly arranged the
duel which was to take place. The two men
were placed opposite one another on the two
wheel houses of the steamboat and were told to
fire at the word. They did so and the gambler,
shot through the body. fell into the river. His
adversary sought the young woman into whose
hands he had delivered the money and re-
claimed the third part which represented his
stake in the game. The remaining two-thirds
he gave her, saying merely that it represented
the sum Of which her husband had been robbed.
In fact, it was within 300 of what he had lost.
Her gratitude and his may well be imagined.
but it was only with some difficulty that they
persuaded him to admit that his name was
James Bowie. The preacher-like man was none
other than the famous inventor of the bowie
knife-recognized at that time as the most for
midable fighter with any weapon known in that
age of desperate heroism. This would seem
like fancy sketch save for the fact that it is
an historic incident.