Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-08-08

h,,. ;r, ~ WISH 10 nght with Lewis,
Dut IL they forced him to it he would
ullve uve that button" through his
ne"rt. CThe reference was TO q
metal button which Lewis wore on
MS coat, about in the position of his
neart. But again and again he re-
asserted that he did not want to fight
rom Lewis. No satisfactory ar.
rangement could be made. and the
result So was that the duel was set for
t'"o O'Clock on beautiful Nav
morning, very near the place where
''ie non. "A. a. Phlegar's residence
no" stands. McHenry's second
was Colonel Charlton, and Lewis,a
was Thomas Bowyer. An eve wit.
ness related the particulars from
tnls point on. He had betaken
himself to the duelling ground early
In the morning and hidden in some
uense underground, so that he could
"atch the proceedings undisturbed
When he arrived, Lewis and Nc.
Henry were standing in an open
space, one leaning against a tree
and the other near a small busb
The seconds were loading the rifles
Tor the challenge was with rifles at
twenty PAGES. Suddenly Colonel
charlton stopped, wheeled around
ana sald he was unwilling for the
uuei TO proceed, since there was nc
suiiicient cause for it, and he would
not see twosuch men as these murder
one another like dogs for nothing
Bowyer replied, on the other hand.
that the fight must go on; that he
had not come out there for child,s
play, and it was due to him it pro.
ceed. Indeed, he has all along. il
was said, melted them to the the
nght, and it was believed prevented
peaceful settlement Of the trouble
so the duel went on-one, two, three,
hre! The shots were discharged
Lewis fell at once, shot through the
heart, and stone dead. He seems to
nave been perhaps little slow in
firing, and his piece was lowered
by, as is thought, the ball of his ad.
versary striking him. At any rate,
instead of shooting McHenry
through the heart, the ball passed
through McHenry's groin, and he
fell desperately wounded. The ply.
slcian, who was, by the way, old
Governor William Floyd, ran al
once to McHenry, who said, "Never
mind about me, you see about. Tom
Lewis" DIR. Floyd assured him that
Lewis was dead beyond question
lIcl1enry was taken to Christians.
burg, and lived about two days in
intense suffering. Neither his pain
nor his approaching death seemed
to trouble him. His constant thought
was that he had killed Lewis, whom
he had loved as brother.
There are one or two interesting
facts connected with this history
The first is that it occasioned the
passage of the first anti-duelling law
in the State. So high was the posi-.
tion of the parties, SO great were the
esteem and love in which they were
held, and so horrible was the due
between them, the next session OF
the Legislature succeeding thi:
mourntul tragedy passed law max
ing both the principals and second.
participating in duel guilty ot
murder, and debarring them from
the right OF suffrage or the privilege
of holding office. l have this or
the authority of one of the mos
able lawyers and best-known Judges
in the State.
Secondly. 1t is of interest to fol
low up the alleged evil genius in thi
whole matter, Bowyer, and to note
how the avenging hand of justic,
followed him and those with whom
he associated. A few years late
BOWyer had difficulty with mar
named Creed Taylor in saloon
drew a pistol and shot him. Taylor
died from the wound, and BOwyer
after long trial, was finally &C
quilted. But Nemesis, it seems
still followed him. A few years la
ter still he had trouble with a neigh
Dor, Thomas Hall, about land
Hall determined to kill him, ant
stationed his son David in ambusl
to wait for Bowyer. AS Bowye
passed young Hall fred and killet
him instantly. Hall fled. Afte
twelve years he was arrested, tried
and found guilty of murder in tn
first degree. His council took al
appeal, and the matter hung fire TO
some time, and was finally remandet
to the lower court for new trial
1t was then found that the principa
witnesses had either died or beer
spirited off, so the case was compro
missed by giving him twelve year
in the penitentiary. Meanwhile
cousin of Bowyer's named Pierc,
Crockett met Tom Hall, who ha,
ordered Dave to kill Bowyer, j
Radford in 1886, and without wor
shot him dead.