Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-19
MEN WHO FOUGHT.
Notable affairs Of Honor" Of
Anti-Bellum Days.
THE GRAvES-LlLLEY MEETING.
Henry Clay and John Randolph Exchange
Shots Senator Mason's Death Some
Ludicrous incidents Roollsd A
Challenge by Jeff Davis.

Efforts had been made for years in con-
gross 10 prevent the practice of dueliug.
but it was not until 1851 that the last duel
between congressman WIS fought. This
was u blOodleas affair between Samuel w.
lnge of Albany and Edward Stanley Of
North carolina. isear Washington. IL is
also interesting 10 note that the last duel
fought on the bloody field of Bladenshurg
was between members of .hu hOuse-
Jesse a. Bynum Ot North Carolina and
Daniel Ienifer Of Maryland being the
principals. This was in June. 1876. A
peculiar fact In connection with the eff
forts to prohibit the practice is that men
who urged ia the halls of congress the
passage of measures to punish duelists
had previous TO this time engaged in
affairs Of honor or did go afterward.
Notable among these Is Henry Clay who
fought duels with Humphrey Mnrshl II
aud John Randolph. and ntterNurd de-
clarcd In the senate that "whrn public
opinion Is renovated and chostep"d by
reason. religion aud humanity, the lrac-
tico of dueling will be discnuutenruced.
Cluys remarks were delivered IN 1876,
aprOpOs of q hill 10 prohibit HE sending
and acceptance of challenges IN the Dis
trist of Columbia. aud the bin was passed
by vote of thirty-four yeas and one
nay. Mr. SEWER OF Arkansas. who fGtm-
cd the minority. said he did not believe
was partially sustained 10y Senator
Thomas Clayton of Delaware who APP
pears to have been wanting when the
vote on the passage of the bill was
taken. Clayton was opposed To the
measure OH the ground that lucling was
not Of that class Of crimes which SHOULD
subject offenders 60 use his own Words
To the cells of ponitcntiary aud nuke
them the associates of felOus.'
The best known of the du2ls that have
occurred between congressman. arising
out of remarks delivered on The floor.
was that In which the venerable John
Cilley of maine, was killed by William
j. Graces of Kentucky. a letter rejecting
on certain unmarried congressman had
been published IN the New York Courier
aud Enquirer aud the charges were in
dOrsed In the editorial columns ut that
paper. Cilley spoke scathingly of the
article on the floor of the house and
james Watson Webb. editor Of the Jorl-
nal. started post lnStp for Washington.
and dispatched n lte 90 Cilley. pre-
sumnbly a chullcu .. hy Graves Cilley
declined 20 receive the missive, aud
Graves. struininE one of tlla .luc points
In the unwritten CODE declared, after
some correspondence between himself and
Cilley. that his honor was ut stake, and
challenged Cilloy who accepted. The
duel was fought on the Marlboro read,
II AiUINl uhu' hplue thlt' ull'N li'ln tue
district line. Rifles were the weapons.
Three shots were exchanged, AMI at the
last fire Cilley dropped to the ground and
died IN II few minutes.
The meeting between Henry - ~ ind
John Randolph resulted in hole being
torn In Rnndolphs outer garntnAt 10y
Clay's bullet It's details are too well
known to need more than brief M IRA
ton. The duel took place uboit three
miles from Georgetown nov within The
corporation limits of Washington ON
Virginia soil, just above the Littln Falls
of the Potomac. Randolph Ind for
years dislikcd Clay on general priucipl Is,
aud In 1896, when Cny was secretary
senate, alluded 10 the intimacy bstw son
Clay and Adams as Il union of the
black-leg and the puritaa-Blhl arl
Black George" This was too mnoh Tor
Clay, and he challenged Randolph. The
duel took place at 4 O'Clock IN the after
noon of April S,1S2G. Randolph, although
u crack shot, was unused TO Il hair trig.
ger and his pistol went off prematuraly.
with the muzzle down. just as the prin-
Cipals took their positions. General
Icsup, ClUy's second, announced thnt hC
would leave the field with his prnciDal
II such q thing occurred again, but CLAY
protested that the discharge was acCi.
dental, and asked that an exchange of |
shots be had. At the word Clay sent A |
bullet through II flannel dressing gown
which ttaudOlph's CccpntriCity moved him
Ia wear Randolph threw his fire away |
and honor was declared satisfied without |
bloodshpd
Randolph, when member Of the |
house. declined in 1907 10 fight duel |
with General james Wilkinson, of the |
army, ON the ground that he could not |
descend to Wilkinsons level. Wilkinson. |
In reply called Randolph n vain eumvo- |
cal thing but this school girl Language |
passed unnoticcd 10y the naughty Nir- |
Tlnion. As a result of Rnndolph's de- |
cllnotion the practice of posting" WAS
orlginnted. Wilkinson, unable 10 obtnin |
satisfaction for his honor In any dther |
way, posted notices In hotel Hobbies md
other public places in Washington, read
ing like this;
I'm justice to my character. ! denounce
10 the world John Randolph. n member
u congress- ms a prcvaricNting. base.
illuminating scoundrel, poltroon and
coward.
But fire eater as Wilkinson undouht-
'dN was he could not approach in this
'cgurd Colonel Jack McCarty of Virgil
ma, who killed his cousin. General Armi-
,tead +, Mason, n senator from the old
dominion, i'm Il duel az Bladensburg.
The men had a political row, and Mo !
.Nrty challenged Mason. who declined.
dcCarty followed Wilknson's eynmIle
mi posted his kinsmRn as Il coward.
iut strange 10 say. declined the t.hnl-
cngc. which Mason sent him. The affair
emaincd In statu quo for some time, bnt
vas rcopened In 1910 Mason apnm
'hallenged mccarthy who agreed 10 ne
tpt on condition that the meeting shoulJ
'e held under one of three conditions
namely: They should fight hand Ia hand
YIN ulrks, or leap from the dome of
ne capitol together, or have il out ON n
"rf'l Hi powder with a lighted fuse nj
achcu' These conditions were 6nnll,
lophed into the agreement that tLe
Weapons should be shotgun loaded Win
Nhsle bail to be- fired az distance of
our PAGES The duel took place ON Feb
; ISM As the weapons Were lcvoieJ
her barrels nearly touched. Rotb
iihcipals fired simultaneously. NInsnn
'l dead. McCaTty was se,intslv
rounded. Like Dnnicl O'Conpel &c..
vs. duel with DETere. in which IA
ltier was killed, McCurty suffered tar-
lnle remorsc, and never forrro,se hi,,
ell Tor his part in the affair.
A. the beginning of the cpnturv ho
lslll't IN congress now represented 61~l
'u"' Norton CoX of New York M
presented by Baron Gnnlepirr 90
thler mad q quarrel with George WSsb
iRl"h NNihpbell, member frop, Tenn,.
$500 md ,AAFhA I VIII |