The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-27
AN ALBANY DUEL OF YEARS AGO,
Nobody Was Hurt, but One of the
Young Men Was Badly Frightened
From the New York ?

From the New York Times.
Albany, N. Y, Dec. 1.-THE blank car
on the old Forbes manor grounds two
weeks ago has recalled the story of a
similar affair which took place over fortr
years ago Necessarily it is only the old
est inhabitant" who can recall the cir
cumStanceS of the incident, and who tells
it about as follows:
The principals We're both well known in
Albany society. About 1850 there lived in
Albany beautiful young girl named Mar
garet She was one of the bellies of the
town, as well as a most brilliant and ac-
complished young woman. All the youths
of the upper ten were more or less inter
ested in winning Miss, Margaret's affec-
lions, but the race was gradually aban-
doned by all save the two.
The rivalry between them was the
source of amusement to their friends, and
il was believed at the time, to the recipi-
ent of their affections. Finally somebody
suggested that duel was the only thing
which could settle the matter for the
loVe-crazed SWANS, so long as IL was true
that Miss Margaret could not determine
upon which sutton to beStow her hand, and
the plans were laid for an affair" which
should finally decide which would return
from the field of battle. and claim the fair
damsel who had worked such mischief
with their hearts and minds.
1t is not known which one issued the
challenge, but preparations were made,
and most approved programme arranged
as follows: Weapons, pistols; distance,
twenty paces time, dawn, and place. the
Forbes manor grounds. Fortunately for
all concerned the practical joker got in
a little of his most successful work.
Friends of one of the duelists persuaded
him to make the whole thing a joke,
drawing vivid pictures of what would fol-
low If either of them should happen to
wound and perhaps kill his opponent. So
it was finally decided that the pistols were
to be loaded without balls, but when they
were exploded the joker was to fall to the
ground with a great cry of anguish, clasp
ing his left side as If in the agony of
death. One of the seconds was to run
up and empty vial of red fluid of some
sort on the place Of the supposed wound,
in order to make the fatal character of
the wound more apparent
The day and hour came. The principals
and their seconds were on hand at the APP
pointed place just as the gray of dawn be-
gan to appear in the east. AT the drop
ping of a handkerchief there were two
reports The joker fell to the earth, writh-
ing in mortal pains. His second got the
red fluid. on the supposed wound without
being detected by the other side. The
other duelist had acted In good faith,
never doubling as he faced his antagonist
with only twenty short PAGES between
them that both pistols contained a lead
en- messenger OF possible death. So, when
he walked over 10 his adversary and saw
the life-bloOd streaming from the locality
OF the heart, he took % his heels. got
back 20 town, ana made his escape for
other parts with what clothing and money
he could scrape together In such time IS
4 man who thinks he IS a murderer can
allow for trivial matters.
The witnesses for both sides returned
10 town IN time for breakfast, and Ia
very short time the sfory was az over Al
lie duellng party when u was known that
one ~ fhe principals bad disappeared. lie
DID not return and nothing could be- learned
back b. had established himself in bust
ness which has mRde him famous.
1Ae ether married ne glu