The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-11-19

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3O.-Wheu
Senator Blackburn was last in Wash
ington he created 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 was with group
OF gentlemen at Chamberlain's and
was berAting 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
BIackburn's remarks and retOrted in
defense OF Secretary Carlisle. Senator
Blackburn then made a remark about
som sbOdy getting his face slapped I'M
less he was careful.
Lieutenant Young does not know
what fear il. He has a gOld-hilted
sword and an eng-Ossed vote Of thanks
from the Kentucky Legislature for
bravery as a 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.
"I will kill any man who attempts
to clap my face" replied Blackburn
angrily.
Then Lieutenant Young, without
further words, let out his right and
hit the senior Senator a blow on the
nose, which brought blood. Before
Blackburn could recover the dis
putants were seized by the Onlookers
and rushed off in different directions.
The question of a challenge has been
thoroughly discussed in the resident
Kentucky colony. Colonel Dick Win
tersmith of Kentucky, Colonel Sam
Donaldson of Tennessee and COlOuel
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 a blow not intended |
to do physical injury, while the latter |
blow was calculated merely to I'M ure |
physical feelings, but not the sensi- |
biIities.
On the question of a 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-martial
for fighting a duel, and inasmuch as
Senator Blackburn is called upon oc-
casionally to legislate concerning the
navy, the jury decided by a majority |
of one that it would be indelicate and
for Senator Blackburn
to send "A challenge.
On this point the minority of the
bench, sustained by Colonel Carter, Of
Virginia, most eminent authority,
FLED a dissenting opinion. Ii was
urged that there was nothing which
would stand in the way of a duel;
that Senator Blackburn was bound to-
and Lieutenant Young to
accept. Lieutenant Young, it was
should have considered the
of his blow before he
delivered it, and it would be a subter-
fuge unworthy of a Kentucky gentle
man To allow his position IN the navy
to stand in the way of the honorable
possible.
Moreover, in case it should be the
Senator who was killed, he could not
I'm case the Lieutenant should be
killed he could not DE legislated
a gainst.