The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-21
THE SURVIVOR ELECTED.
Irish Dueling Customs, Especially at
Election Times.
From The Leeds Mercury.


From the Leeds Mercury
In no country has dueling enjoyed 80
healthy vitality as in Ireland For con-
siderable period of its history the Green
Isle was the happy hunting ground of ''sat-
isfaction" The men and women of the last
century and the earlier part of the present
flung themselves into the exciting pastime
with a generous enthusiasm. 1t was part
Of the curriculum of education and no
young gentleman's education was oonsid-
cred complete until he had fought 10 duel :,
Indeed, at one time club existed in Gal
way to which no person was admitted who
had not shot his man.
In those days every respectable family
had among their heirlooms the hereditary
pistols the preservatOrs and indicators OF
the family honor. These were tenderly re-
garded and kept scrupulous clean and oiled,
for no man knew the moment when they
would be required. The handles were
mysteriously notched, and on each notch
hung tale-perhaps a catastrophe. At
Castelar, S. G. Hall was shown pistol
marked with seven notches, each notch in
dicating that it had sent bullet into an adj
versary.
The father of Toler, Lord Norbury, on
his death bed and almost with his dying lips
took pair of pistols from under his pillow
anu l4hACA as csSl4L6l bublIl " Ills
son: Nov, Jack be always ready to keep
up the credit OF the family and the honor
OF the Irish gentleman" which dying adj
vice Jack seems to have remembered, for as
Lord Norbury in after days he fought
Fighting Fitzgerald and two others.
Hot-headed, sensitive and rash, Irish gen.
tlemen fought on every provocation. II
was present at a duel, i" writes s. C. Hall in
his Retrospect OF a Long Life "a fatal
dual which Wa fought ~
Two first cousins had quarreled over some
thing-the merest tride-aud meeting was
the result. A few minutes before they fired
heard one of the principals say to his
seconds:
81 declare have not even anger against
my cousin He had merely said what he
thought, that the other principal had be-
haved like a goose, adding i know that l
am less than goose for going out with
him. The first shot laid him on the sward
mortallv wounded.
"At this long distance of time l can see
the gradual film, the glazed look of death
come over his eyes, and hear the sob with
which he yielded up life full of hope and
promise. A young fellow lay dead, whils
there was in dispute the barest point OF
honor that a judicious arbiter might have
settled in half minute by half a dozen
words | did not on that mournful day see
the body conveyed to the house the dead
man had left, but l passed there subse-
quently, and could well imagine the intense
agony OF household where he was deeply
and fondly loved.
"Ot course 4 duel generally followed an
election, or rather occurred while it was
pending. We get remarkable illustration
of what life in Ireland was in 1870 when
Messrs. Colclough and Sheridan opposed
Mr.. Alcock for the representation Of the
county of Wexford. Several tenants of a
person supporting Alcock declared that
they should vote for the two other candi-
dates. This was resented and Mr.. COL
clough was called upon to refuse their votes
He declared that he had III no manner cau~
vassed them and that he would not direct
them how they should vote. He was an
swered: Receive their votes at your perilP
before the opening of the next days
poll the rival candidates were on the field to
determine the tenants right by the pistol
Many hundreds were present. Among them
were several magistrates. The ground was
marked; the crowd separated on either side,
as their party feelings dictated; the word
was given aud Mr.. Colclough fell, shot
through the heart. Within two hours after
ward his opponent was returned duly
elected.
AT the next assizes he was tried for muir
der before Baron Smith, who openly de-
clared against a capital conviction and the
jury, without moments hesitation, pro-
nouuoed verdict of Not guilty. The
parties to the duel had been intimate friends,
and Alcock, though acquitted. never re-
covered his self>composure; his intellect
faded, and his sister, doubly wounded, went
mad and died.
A singular duel arising out Of an election
squabble has been recorded by Sir Barring
ton, in which the seconds as well as the
principals fought. They stood at right
angles, ten PAGES distant, and all began
firing together on o signal from an umpire.
At the first the two principals were touched
at the next both seconds aud one principal
staggered out of their places. They were
well hit" but no lives lost.
Still there was much truth in the story
which has been told of Dick Martin Of Gal
way, who, being IN conversation with the
prince regent, was addressed by the primes
With: "SJ you are going to have d con-
tested election III your county" Eyes, your