Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-09-21

dIIOWHeduS, anu OCCASIONALLY nu
man bones, this must have been
the dulnpinggrounds so to speak
of the village
The Christmas of 1874 was one
of unusual gaiety and Happiness
at Bandon. 1t was the occasion
of family reunion, which, as
was little thought then amid
those festive scenes, proved to be
the last gathering of the clan
within those ancestral halls. The
family, which was large, had
again gathered around the
hearthstone as in childhood DAYS,
among those present were DR..
Daniel johnson, Lucius j. John
son, DR.. James Johnson, their
sisters, Misses Mamie and Come
liza, and the three Misses Hender-
son, the daughters of deceased
sister, the wife of DR.. Alexander
Henderson. There were hunt
ing parties of every description,
rambles among the tanglewood
along the beautiful river bank,
boating parties, and every species
of indoor amusement, the great
fires frcm the Yule logs roared up
the tall Chinlnies, the table was
heaped with viands, and call that
mote to luxury invite" At night
the mansion was ablaze with
light, and alive with merrinent
and music. But there was one
who never smiled i'll all those
joyous days; there was a gloom
over him which nothing could
dispel. DR.. Daniel Johnson must
have had a presentnent of his
fate, his sadness was attributed
to temporary indisposition; they
little dreamed he would so soon
leave his fathers halls forever,
for SO the Fates had decreed.
Probably the most romantic aud
tragic affair, ever associated with
this section, was that Inflated
duel fought by DR., Daniel john
son and Hon. Thomas F. Jones,
of Hartford, Oh the old dueling
ground near Bladensburg, Md,
the first week in February, 1916.
1t was doubly sad on account Of
the high character and social po-
sition of the combatants, and the
unfortunate circumstance which
led to the affair. The cause was
a point of honor, which grew out
of the alleged infdelity of Jones
wife. AS Johnson was the cllal=
lenged party, he had under the
Code the choice of weapons, time
and place. He selected pistols.
and as Jones was near sighted,
and had never shot one, his
second requested that he might
be allowed to practice until the
duel came off, which was readily
assented to. He practiced by
holding his pistol toward the
ground, then raising it on a level
and firing; this he did until he
could cut tape at ten PAGES. DR..
johnson selected as his second his
brother-in-law DR.. Alexander
Henderson, and as his surgeon
DR.. William B. Gibson, of Phila-
delphia, while Jones second was
Nixon White, young lawyer i'll
Hartford, and his surgeon DR..
Francis N. Mullen, of South
Mills, now the only survivor.
Thd party met in Washington by
agreement, and Jones second in
formed Johnson second that
they were there according to APP
polntment, and requested a post
ponement for several days, but
upon consultation it was decided
that the duel should come off at
Bladensburg, Nd, the next morn
ing at sunrise, but it was delayed
bp some trouble in loading the
pistols. When they arrived on
the field, they immediately took
their respective positions. ZONES
stood holding his pistol down,
and facing in full his antagonist,
while DR.. Johnson stood with his
right side towards his antagonist, |
and his pistol pointing perpen-
1lcularly upward, in order to pre-
sent as little exposure as possible.
1t is said that DR., johnson then
to his second that he
to give his opponent
one fire, by discharging his wea-
0on i'll the air, which he did.
When the question was asked if
hey were ali ready they respond
ID eyes" then came the awful
tenouement, the numerals were
allied at the interval of second
ne-two-t hree-fre 1t was
greed that they should not shoot
before the word one, nor after
he word fire was pronounced.
1t the first fire Dr.. Johnson made
spasmodie movement, and fell
O the ground mortally wounded,
The surgeons had agreed, that,
II event of emergency, to render
mutual assistance; when Jones
vas asked if he was hurt he an
wered NO." but the ball from
lis pistol had entered DR.. John
on's right temple, penetrating