New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-24
LILLE "GENTLEMANp QUESTION.

/
They settled H. 1t was question that could
not be postponed; had 70 be settled immcdi-
atcy. So within less than twcnty-four hours
after Il arose the two gentlemen who differed
upon II concluded The arguments and reached
n decision II was final Rendered In court
Of last resort. 80 appeal can be taken. No
where In This world can there be reh"nrng.
new trial revision or reversal of Judgment. For
one of the parties Is In his coffin, while the
other shot in two or three places and with one
pStol-ball I'm his head. * lying on his bed ut
home with n wife and two children watching
| over him in an agony 81 suspense. The press
dlspatch which tells the story adds that both
parties stood high and had wide circles Of
friends" They were Walter L. Bragg. son Of
the late Interstate Commerce Commissioner,
and Or Jesse Mattel both of Mobile. Ala. where
the question arose and the settlement was cf-
fcc,cd.
II must have been n question OF momcntous
inheritance To- have excited such fierce contro-
vcrsy and led to such speedy and bloody re-
suits What was It? Why, this Is the story in
brief: ON Saturday night ut a political meet
ing which was addressed by Senator Morgan.
Mr. Bragg and Or. Mattel. who were strangers
TO each other had adjoining seats. DR.. Mattel
complained that Bragg obstructcd his view Of
The stage and speaker. and finally said, "A
gentleman would not act that way" Upon
which Bragg gave his name and received Naf-
tells In return. The next morning about 9
o'clock Bragg went 10 the drugstore in which
DR. Mattel had his office and the two retired
TO an apartment in the rear from whence came
presently the sound Of rapid firing. A little
later Bragg was found with Il bullet wound in
b, 1f,I
while Mattel was wounded in two or three
places one pstol-ball having struck him be
tween the eyes and entered the skull; aud his
recovery Is doubtful.
The question, them between these two gentle
men, who stood high and had wide circles OF
friends" obviously was whether or not
gentleman" would have acted in the way Mr.
Bragg did on the previous evening; and, in
fercntially, whether or not Mr.. Bragg was
gentleman. question Of extreme Importance
TO be sure But that the only way TO settle
#? Both having "widc circles OF friends" was
Il not possible TO select from them a court OF
arbitration. to whom It could have been re-
fcrred? What necessity was there for haste?
Mr. Bragg's wide circle Of friends undoubted-
" believed him to be n gentleman. There Is no
reason to think that Or. Mattel expressed more
than an Individual opinion TO the contrary, and
that so hastily and in such circumstances that
he might easily have reversed 1t without loss Of
sclf-rcspect or inconsistency had time been nj
lowed him. But Mr.. Bragg could not wait
He proceeded upon the assumption that so long
as any person said he was not gentleman, or
had not acted like gentleman. that assertion
would stand as the general judgment Of all the
world until he had killed the man who said It,
Only so could he maintain his claim 90 be recog-
niZcd as Il gentleman. Like Colonel Brcckin-
ridges Kentucky lawyer. he knew the price
less value OF honor" and believed he must Kill
who ever brcalhcd upon II If he would keep 1t
spotlcss
SO the two gentlemen who stood high and
had wide circles of friends met each other
Sunday morning. both armed. and opened fire
Rc"ult: one OF them dead. the other with bnl-
let in his head and his recovery doubtful The
question whether Mr.. Bragg Is gentleman Is
settled He is not. For he is dead And the
question whether he was a gentleman Is no
longer important 10 him. But suppose instead
Of being killed himself, he had killed the man |
who nslnuated that he was not gentleman |
Would he then have been a gentleman? That |
question. utterly unimportant TO him now, Is of |