The state chronicle., 1892-12-11
fhe State Chronicle
UNDAY. - Dec. IL, 1892.
OLD NORTH CAROLINA.
The story Of Poor Young Man-A
Country Bully, and Romantic
Marriage.

LEIGH, ~. =. Dec. 10, 1892
During the year 1897, there came TO
Hil'sboro, n. c., from Mecklenburo
county, Virginia, young man of fine
phisique and noble bearing. He was
the son ola highly respected but DOOR
Episcopal clergyman of the old do
minion. The father had struggled
hard TO educate his boy, and had lust
had the proud satisfaction OF seeing
hlm pass creditable examination as
an attorney at law
With his law license in his pocket
and mounted On horse. (the eifC of
bis tather) the young man set out
over the hills and through the valleys
OF Mecklenburg and Granville to The
historic old town of Hillsboro. The
horse abo re mentioned together with
saddle and bride constituted his entire
earthly possessions. When We look
back through the vista of years and
remember that this young man-witb-
out money, without friends and with
out experience in his profes
sion, decided to leave his hom-
and his state to try his fortune
at bar composed Of such men as
Judge Archibald JeBrow Murphy.
Judge William Norwood, Judge Fred
erick Nash, Hon. Willie p Mangum,
and others who will for all time rank
as the foremost lawyers of the state,
We feel like writing him down as
striking example of youthful reckless
ness or else Of intrepid daring.
He knew but few oeop and had
but few clients. His means were
scant, and it is related of him that on
one occasion during court week at
Hillsboro and when court had ad-
journed and the judge and bar had re-
paired to the village for dinner. that
our young lawyer was forced to have
recourse to table set on the court
green where picked oysters were serv-
ed at 20 cents per plate. He seated
himself on a rude bench, and had Just
been served by the oyster vender whe
a huge, rough countryman, with quite
large quantity Of mean whisky con-
cealed about his person, approached the
table and W thout saying word
thrus: his fingers into the young mans
plate, took out one or two of the largest
oysters and transferred them to bis
mouth. The young lawyer looked up
with great surprise ard it may be in
dignation, but suppressing his feelings
be quietly said: My friend, if you
wish a plate of oysters will order one
for you"
"You order a plate of oysters for
mel" stormed the half drunken brute
| MAY be you don't know who am. I'm
-, the bully Of Orange county
J and when | want oysters | just TAKE
'em wherever | ind 'em. Do you un
! derstand that Z"
! you must not again put youl
I fingers into my plate quietly bu
4 firmly replied our young lawyer friend
4 but he had hardly spoken the word
when the bully again thrust in hi
= fingers, took out an oyster and places
| 1t in his mouth.
The crowd on the court-green ha
III by this time heen attracted by the lou
III voice Of the bully, and eager to see
! trial of pugilstic skill between he an
the strange lawyer, f1ocked around tn
81 table TO witness the result.
4 Without moments hesitation h
81 young lawyer arose from his sea
4 threw off his coat, and struck the bull
u singing blow in the face. Tt
latter staggered back, under the fore
. Of the blow, and then rallied an
made for mis- legal adversary confder
that he would finish him at the fir
round To his utter astonishme1
and chagrin he soon found that he ha
J made a most egregous mistake for tt
i young lawyer (well I'D in the art
n boxing evaded each blow, and dea
his adversary such powerful and skill
= ful strokes that he was forced 10 tt
earth bloody ard badly whip oed.
u The hlrly brute who bad bee
thus punished as he justly d.
:. served, had tong been terror at tt
'A' uolic gatherings III Orange count
. and when he went down the crow
Al hurrahed and shouted themselv
III hoarse over the result of the fight. +
- young lawyer quietly resumed his Sc
at the table, called tor another plate
oysters and finished his zeal as II not
f ing had happened.
Those were days when phy>ic
strength and personal powers W
much more highly esteemed than no
&C and the story being told and related a
~ scussed around nearly every fire 81
in the county, the young lawyer
came famous in day. Clients beg
to flock to his office, and they read
the 1pretentious sign the name of
- DUNCAN CAMERON,
Attorney at Law.
This incident gave Mr.. Cameron
= of the criminal p act ce he desired,
w. he was not content with that. Th
was pending in the county most
oortant land suit against
- Richard Bennehan. the rich
u man in the county. Judge Norwo
/ Judge Murphy and probably 9th
H. had been retained as counsel for
" Bennehan. Young Mr.. Gamer
called on Mr.. Bennehan, told him
was young attorney seeking to
tablish himself and asked #
could be permitsed to appear as a
ciate counsel in his behalf in the c.
Mr.. Bennehan referred him to Mes
Norwood and Murphy, but told
r. distinctly that he would not pay hi
UUu cent for the service. Judges Norw
and Murphy with that generous S