The morning call., 1891-01-03
HE KILLED HIS MAN.
Oakley Hall Tells How His Uncle
Fought a Duel in Old Times.

My maternal uncle was colonel of volun-
teer regiment and not only personal friend
of jeff Davis, but in business his cotton
factor, so he gave the future Secretary OF
War dinner, whereat | was a modest
guest and mere listener. says A. Oakley
Hall in the New York Press. Usually 8ler-
curry is the god of dinner so far as conversa-
ton goes, but on this occasion Mars
naturally took his place. / recall in detail
little what was said, but was impressed
with the ''Sir Oracle" style of what Colonel
Davis talked about. The value of the ac-
QUESTION OF Texas as a new balance OF
slavery was mentioned. Practically the
recent Mexican campaign was Jeff's first
fight in behalf Of the great domestic in
stitution.'
My uncle had recently been the hero of a
duel. His name was Samuel Wright Oakley.
Oddly enough, a Samuel Wright, who was a
NlcKSburg editor, had attacked the cotton
IA ctors of the Crescent City as dishonesty
MI ling in cotton bales at the presses for
Shipment tare and tret OF bricks and
weights. My uncle was President of the
Chamber of Commerce, and took up the
quarrel by sending challenge 1t was one
Samuel Wright challenging another. The
Nicksburg Journalist was crack shot with
the rifle, which weapon lie, of course, Sc
lected. Major Ranney. now civil engin-
eer, but West Point graduate, was my
uncle'S second.
My relative chartered a Lake Ponchar-
train steam boat, and the hostile parties duly
embarked upon 1t one summer evening
bound Tor Pass Christian, watering place
on the Mississippi coast and to meet upon
convenient plateau. All duels have their
oddities, but how queer that the rich antago-
MIST should pay for a steamboat and invite
his poor antagonist to accept a hospitality
fhnt tIsVlt liar To
Gle, who accompanied the party, always
gave graphic descriptions of the little trip.
Given moonlight night, calm waters OF the
lake that played so important locale in the
JaekSon-P ackenham battle of New Orleans,
that was fought not long before Waterloo, the
two duelists on the same deck, but separated
by the etiquette of the occasion, aud the dull
thud, thud, thud of the side wheels finding
Ominuus echoes in the hearts of those bent
upon this errand of death. The morning
came as bright in its turn as the night had
been. Flocks of half tanned song birds
seemed attracted to the selected fatal spot
The little steamer lay at a woodward pier
below sobbng out clouds of black smoke,
Its deck-hands clustering around the wheel
house to see the sport" Here were in
suited and insulter about to be "plac ed "
for the purpose of allowing the insuter-a
dead shot-who had wounded the ment al
and emotional frame of the nsulted ma II,
unaccuSt0med to firearms, to now have
chance oil Wounulng the physical frame of
the latter. Alas, for the absurdity of the
duel that purports to put two conlbatan IS
on equal footingl
The dew was heavy on the grass Mayor
Ranney quietly said TO my uncle: 81 shall
walk over to you in n straight line from the
right side Of your antagonist, and my line of
walk will he well defined by the dewy grass
fire along the line" The combatants were
placed looking away from each other, back
toward back. Each held a rifle, held hori-
zontal against the right hip. At the word one
the implied question would be: Are you
ready?" At the word three /" fire from the
hip.
The editor wore a self-confident look.
Was lie not a dead shot? The merchant
was cool and nerved One" They pre-
pare. Two" They wheel into facings.
Three" There runs the dew brushed line
and simultaneously the rifles crack, when
tie editor gives spasmodic lean and falls
upon the grass dead. Colonel Oakley has
had a narrow eScape-a rifle ball has gazed
the outhsr edge of the left coat sleeve. This
time duelling logic has prevailed and the
defamer is dead. But has the defamation
that led to the duel been wiped awayP
Apparently tie cotton-brokers and popu-
lace generally think affirmatively; for when
the little steamboat returns, bearing the life
less body, the victor is hailed with exuting
shouts.