The Hawaiian gazette., 1895-11-19
The Senator and the Lieutenant
Fight.
HOT DISCUSSION OVER CARLISLE.
Blackburn Talks Loud and Young Re-
sents-The Naval Officer from the
whisl>ey District Champions Car

WASHINGTON, Oct. S0.-When
Senator Blackburn was last in Wash
ington he crested considerable COM
ment by declaring Secretary Carlisle
would not again take the stump in
Kentucky, for good aud sufficient
reasons. Although this seemed to
need explanation, none was forthcom
ing. Now, however, the story is out.
Senator Blackburn wss with a group
OF gentlemen at Chamberlain's and
was bersting Secretary Carlisle in his
usual impetuous way. One of the
gentlemen present was Lieutenant
Lucien Young, junior naval officer,
himself of Kentucky birth. Lieuten-
ant Young took offense at Senator
Blackburn's remarks and retorted in
defense of Secretary Carlisle. Senator
Blackburn then made a remark about
somebody getting his face slapped I'M
less he was careful.
Lieutenant Young does not know
what fear is. He has a gold-hilted
sword and an eng-ossed vote OF thanks
from the Kentucky Legislature for
bravery as midshipman in rescuing
several persons from the Huron when
she was wrecked off Cape Hatteras.
He promptly told Senator Blackburn
| that he was very close TO having his
own face slapped right there and then.
al will kill any man who attempts
TO slap my face" replied Blackburn
angrily.
Then Lieutenant Young, without
! further words, let out his right ami
hit the senior Senator a blow on the
nose, which brought blood. Before
Blackburn could recover the dis
putants were seized by the oulookers
and rushed off in different directions.
The question of challenge has been
thoroughly discussed in the resident
Kentucky colony. Colonel Dick Win
tersmith of Kentucky, Colonel Sam
Donaldson of Tennessee and Colonel
Philip Thomp-on of Kentucky have
finally decided that Senator Black
burn will not be justified in shooting
Lieut.. Young on sight, as the latter did
not slap Senator Blackburn's face
with his open hand, but did punch
him in the nose with his clinched fist,
the former being blow not intended
to do physical injury, while the latter
blow was calculated merely TO injure
physical feelings, but not the sensi-
bilities.
On the question of q challenge it
was agreed that, were Lieutenant
Young in private life or holding public
office by election, or were the code
duello recognized in the naval service,
as it should be, Senator Blackburn
would be justified IN sending his
friend TO see Lieutenant Young's
friend. But as Lieutenant Young
might be in danger of court-msrtial
for fighting 8 duel, and inasmuch as
Senator Blackburn is called upon oc-
casionally to legislate concerning the
navy, the jury decided by a msjOrity
of one that it would be indelicare and
upgentlemanIy for Senator Blackburn
TO send q challenge.
On this point the minority of the
beDch, sustained by Colonel Carter, of
Virginia, a most eminent authority,
filed dissenting opinion. 1t was
urged that there was nothing which
would stand in the way of duel
that Senator Blackburn was hound to
challenge and Lieutenant Young to
accept. Lieutenant Young, it was
contended, should have considered the
consequences of his blow before he
delivered il, and it would be subter-
fuge unworthy of Kentucky gentle
man TO allow his position IN the navy
to stand in the way OF the honorable
settlement possible.
Moreover, in case it should be the
Senator who was killed, he could not
legisate against the Lieutenant, aud
in case the Lieutenant should 0e
killed he could not be legislated
against.