The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-06-27
The Four Most Noted Duels.

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the United States is mentioned
there are four duels which have 9
place in national history on account
of the eminence of the parties en-.
gagged and the fact that the chal.
lenged parties in each case were
killed or mortally wounded. The
most noted duel of all was un-
doubtedly that between Alexander
Hamilton and Aaron Burr at Wee
hawken, N. j., July II, 1904. Ham
ilton had been Secretary of the
Treasury under Washington and
Burr was Vice President of the
United States. They were rivals at
the bar, each contesting the others
claims to its leadership. Hamilton
was killed.
The duel between Commodore
Stephen Decatur and Post Captain
Barron at Bladensburg, Nd, March
20, 1920, resulted in the killing of
Decatur and the dangerous wound
ing of Barron.
Jonathan Cilley and William j..
Graves, members of Congress from
Maine and Kentucky respectively,
fought near the boundary line of
Maryland and the District of Co.
lumbia February "a, 1888, and Gil
ley was killed.
United States Senator David c..
Broderick of California and David
S. Terry, ex-Justice of the Supreme
Court of California, fought near
San Francisco September 13, 1859.
Broderick was killed. Terry was
shot dead few years ago at La
throp, CAL, by Deputy United States
Marshal Nagle, acting as body
guard for Justice Field of the United
States Supreme Court.
In 1S49 Abraham Lincoln was a
candidate before the Illinois Legis-
lature for United States Senator,
but his democratic competitor, Gen
eral Shields, was elected. A mis-
understanding led to challenge
by Shields and it's acceptance. Mr..
Lincoln's second happened to be a
man of wit, and in the choice of
weapons he hit upon dragoon
swords. AS Shields was a man of
short stature this arrangement made
the whole matter ridiculous. Lin
coin on looking at the scene selected
for the field of honor" which was
just across the line in Missouri,
added to the levity of the occasion
by remarking that the site was par
ticularly appropriate, being within
convenient distance of tho peniten-
tiary. After the fight was declared
off Lincoln proposed to Shields to
play a game Of "old sledge" to de-
eide upon which party the expenses
of the trip should fall. They played
and Shields "pungled."
Illinois has made the proud claim
that only one duel was ever fought
on her soil. In this affair the.prin-
cipals were Alphonso Stewart, the
challenged party, who was killed,
and William Bennett, the survivor,
who was hanged.
Dueling has been more prevalent
in Virginia, South Carolina, Flori-
da, Mississippi, Louisiana and Ar
kansas, than in any of the other
Southern States. Of the Northern
States California has had, it is
claimed, more single combats than
all the other Northern States, and
from 1850 to 1860 that State was
the scene of more duels than all
the rest. of the Union.
Although the Southern States
recognized the code to a greater ex-
tent than the Northern, the first
well-authenticated duel in America
was fought at Plymouth, Mass,
June Is, 1621-within six months
of the landing of the Mayfower.
The participants were not Of suffi-
cient social standing to make their
example likely to be initiated, both
being servants. Their names were
Edward Doty and Edward Leices-
ter. The fight was with daggers
and both were seriously but not
dangerously wounded. They were
to be tied together, hand
and foot, for twenty-four hours with
out food or drink, but as they were |
suffering from their wounds their
masters interceded after they had
endured the punishment for an
hour and secured their pardon.
During the Civil War there were
no duels to speak of among the
Federal officers, but among the
Confederates there were a number
Of fatal meetings. The most noted
was that in which General Walker,
Of Georgia, was killed by General
Marmaduke of Missouri.-Chicago |
Tribune.
JOHN ELLIOTT has relic of An
drew Jacksons days in the shape
Of a metal badge. It is about the
size of the copper cent in vogue be-
fore the war. On the first side, near
The rim, are the words, "My sub
,titute for the U. S. Bank )" and a
bust of Jackson, below which are
The words: "My Experiment, My
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