The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
DUEL MADE THEM FRIENDS.
The Famous Fight Between FIonr-
nov and Gnrth.

Dr. David Flounoy az the Virginia Home
for mcurables On this city on Wednesday
night last recalls one Of the most remark
able street dueis in the history of Virgi-
MA The participants belonged TO old
and well-known Virginia families. and
they fought with bowie knives and re-
volvers
Dr. Flournoy had been at the Home for
lncuables about a month. He was for
merry OF Brunswick county. where his re-
mains were yesterday inferred in the old
family burying ground. He was born i'm
Charlotte county, and was reared under
the strict influence ana discipline of the
Presbyterian church. He came of proud
family of Virginians who scrupuiously
preserved their self-respect az all times,
and We're guided by Jhe laws Of honor as
they were taught in Virginia under what
is known as the old regeme.
At the time of the duel DR.. Flournoy
was medical student at the University
of Virginia. At the same institution was
his friend and kinsman. Thomas Caring,
son of Arkansas. The latters father was
a member of the well-known Virginia
family of that name. Flournoy and Edgar
Garth were the principals. Garth belong
ed to the daring family of that name who
have been known in Alhemarle for years
through their fearlessness, GOODNESS and
love OF adventure. Both Of the duelhsts
were cool, skillful and determined, and
the night ended only after Garth had
fallen 10 the ground from loss of blood
and was thought TO be dying.
A few months before Or. FlOurnoy' s
death he told the story of the duel to an
intimate friend. one morning early in
April, lso4 Flournoy and Darlington We're
crossing the street from the "old book
store TO the university grounds. Just
as Edgar Garth, with q friend named
Frye, We're driving heard of cattle over
the walk. Darlington kicked one of the
cows from his path, whereupon Garth
swore at the young student. He dismOunt-
ed and dared the two students to leave
the campus. Without much further ado
the fight began with an attack upon Car
rlngton by Garth, while Fry faced Flour
nOy. The latter soon broke Frye's nose
with a brick, and then turned his atten-
tion to Garth, who had downed Darlington
and was beating him uerCely. With his
last brick Flournoy struck Garth, who
beat retreat. Garth left vOwng ven
geanCe upon FlournOy for interfering.
Those who knew Garths reputation as
fighter felt certain OF more trouble. so
that when three weeks later, he sent the
two students word to meet him and his
friend on Sunday morning to fight II
out, they We're not at all surprised. Flour
noy and Darlington armed themselves,
went TO the place appointed for the com
bat and waited several hours, but to no
purpose Early on Monday morning Garth
sent word that If Flournoy came to town
that day he intended whipping him. Bor-
rowing bowie knife from fellow stu
dent. Flournoy, accompanied by Caring
ton, who was armed with revolver, went
to the old Monticello house. opposite the
court house. While standing at the desk.
with his back to the door, Garth with
two of his brothers and two other friends,
walked up, and. touching him on the
shoulder, said:
You have got to take cursing or
fight"
The reply of the wiry little Virglnian
was: 81 believe I'll fight"
Both drew their long. sharp knives, and
tho fight was under way At almost the
first lunge Flourney's knife found it's way
TO his opponents collar bone and glanced.
Gradually he forced Garth out into the
street. A moment later he made a desper-
ate lunge at Garth and drove his knife
through the mans right lung, the point
coming out under the shoulder. Garth then
broke away and drew a revolver. All
through the fight up to this point CARING
ton, with drawn revolver, had kept Garth s
friends from coming to his assistance. DIR.
Flournoy afterward said this saved his
life.
In the early part OF the fight Flournoy's
knife had cut open Garth's front pocket,
from which revolver had fallen out. This
weapon was picked up by Darlington, and
when Garth began firing Darlington hand
ed the weapon to FlouTnoy, who imme-
diately opened fire upon Garth, and put n
bullet in his breast. After emptying this
quarters. Garths revolver was empty, and
his opponent unhurt. With the blood
streaming from his breast and side, and
with Darlington standing by with drawn
revolver to prevent Garths friends and
brothers from interfering, the two COM
batants resumed the fight with their
knives. Garth was wounded I'm three
places. The blood began to gush from his
mouth. With intense hatred he began
slashing desperately at his opponent, who,
with GOODNESS and remarkable skill, de-
lan a4If Of Of IA ON
ponents weapon Several more passes
were made. and Flournoy then made a
sweep that disemboweled his adversary
AT that moment policeman rushed up
and arrested Flournoy. The officer also
tried TO take the knife from Flournoy, but
failed, for at that moment Eugene Garth
ran up and cried.
',Yoh have killed my brother, and will
kill you"
Waving his weapon over his head, young
Flournoy replied:
u wlli XIII you, too. if you come near
Then it was that Woods Garth the other
brother of the wounded man, snapped his
revolver at FlOurnOy, but the weapon
failed to fire Flournoy was put i'm iail.
and was bleeding profuscly from slight
wounds from Garth $ knife. The news Of
the fight spread like wildhre and soon
hundreds of students surrounded the jail
Many were admitted to see Flournoy.
Fourteen of his wounds were in his left
or guard arm, and one in his back. His
wounds were not very serious. In two
days he was released, as il was proved
that he was not the aggressor He recoV-
cred from his wounds in a short time.
Garth meantime, was lying at the point
Of death, as he and others thought, and
had declared his wish that Flournoy be
not prosecuted, as the fight was a fair
one. and he was the aggressor He lived
many years afterward, but never wholly
recovered from the effects of his wounds.
Many students accused Darlington of
having shown the white feather, but DR..
Flournoy declared that Darlington had
saved his life.
When informed of the difficulty between
his son and DR.. Flournoy, and the facts
connected with IT, Garth's father. al
though his sons life was despaired of, at
once offered himself as surety to prevent
Flournoy from being sent to prison. With
in two days after the difficulty occurred
DR.. Flournoy was sent for by the wound
ed mans father, and was introduced to
young Garth's mother and other members
of her family, and a bond of friendship
was established between the two antagon-
lists, with the family Of one assembled
around what was thought to be his death
bed. Garth recovered, but has been dead
for some years.
More than twenty years ago the disease
from which DR. Flournoy died developed
as a result of the wounds which he re-
ceived in the bloody duel. For years he
was an invalid, and appeared much older
than he was. 1t was with some difficulty
that he related the facts in this duel. He
came of a family who were strangers
. IL FvnN 1. H..s