The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-02-12

gave the STATESMAN the following re-
miniscence of ante-bellum journalism
when he edited the Union Intelli
Sencer at the state capital: "You re-
member Marshall, who used to run
paper here along about the fiftiesY
Well, was running an opposition
sheet, and we were always fighting
each other through our papers. ]
don't remember what it was now, bur
L said something about Marshall thai
got next to his skin, and the followin.
day | received a challenge to fight
him duel. 1t will not be necess ,ry
to add that l accepted it. 1t got ou
some way, and we were pre-.
vented from having meeting
in the state by being
compelled to give bond to keep the
peace. We were both anxious to kill
,ch other, so we finally agreed to 90
to the Territory just across the Req
river and there get satisfaction. The
day was set and the seconds chosen.
WIS arrested several times on my
way, but when I proved to The officers
my intention of crossing the Red river
they let me go. My second and my
self reached the spot selected, and haC
been there but few minutes wheu
seven men rode up and asked foI
Marshall, informing us that they wer,
to act as seconds and were to meet
him there. Well, we expected HI
would show up soon, so we all sa'
down on the prairie and talked of tb,
war, snapped lies and became real
good friends ere long. An hour had
passed, and still Marshall failed to put
in an appearance. Well, we waited
several hours, and as he did not come
we left the would-be field of battle
OF course l had no kick coming, as il
WAS not my feelings that were to be-
compensated by a bucket OF blood
Marshall and never met after that"
The above is an extract from The
Galveston News. 1t would seem tina,
the only claim John Marshall had to
notoriety was the fact that he chal-
lenged the venerable A. b. Norton to
fight him duel and then failed to
find the field of battle. This is Il great
mistake, and Col. William NJ. Walton,
Hon. A. w. Terrell Gov. Frank Lub-
book and that gallant soldier and
antibellum editor, Col. Grip" Ford will
tell you that John Marshall was q
man who feared to meet no foe.
was quite young at the time of the
Norton Marshall trouble, but few
years ago, Col. A. Il. Oh Anchain of
Dallas informed me that the place OF
meeting was in the Indian Territory.
That ne and Colonel Marshall arrived
on the ground and remained there
until the second of Judge Nor
ton George Paschal, Jr.D arrived
and informed them Of the fact that
his principal, Judge Norton, had been
arrested, and hence would be unable
to carry out the programme, but that
he, Go PAscl !, W III entertain them
il agreeable. Col. Obenchaim said
they admired the pluck of the boy
| Che was only nineteen or twenty years
old, but they came there TO be enter
tanned by Judge Norton, and declined
the services of his beardless second
The papers at that time wanted t
know how Marshall avoided arrest
and Norton did not.
Col. Marshall was one of the most
influential politicians in the state be-
fore the war. He was then what Geo
Clark is now termed, a Warwick. He
went into the army as major, of the
Fourth Texas infantry, became colonel
of that regiment and died like gal
liant Confederate gentleman and SOL
dier, leading his command in the ter
rible charge of Malvern Hill in the
seven days fight at Richmond, Va.
Wy NYDTTlNs