Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-01-10

A Rentucky Farmers Reply to ths
GAMBLER Who Challenged Him.
Il. g. Chatterton was q prOsper0uo
farmer In Hancock County. Kentucky,
who made annual visits To New Or
leans to sell the products Of his-farm.
This was In the days when the code
duello was part OF the education of
every gentleman. The headquarters Of
all Kentuckians In New Orleans on
business was the old st. Charles Hotel,
says the Courier-Journal. One OF the
loungers at this hotel was gambler.
who was known as the most desperate
man In the city and the most expert
dnellist with either sword or pistol in
the South. No one had ever dared to
question his courage and even the othef
gamblers feared him. The man was
well known Mt all the resorts In New
Orleans. Chatterton's friends took
pains to point out the gambler to him
and warn him against giving the black
leg any pretense for challenge. Chat
tertOn assured his friends that IL a chal-
lenge were issued 1t would be through
no fault of his, and dismissed the sub
ject without showing excitement. The
two men were not thrown together all
Of that day until near supper time.
Then, as they both entered the big din
ing-room, Chatterton brushed lightly
against the gambler. The latter glanc-
ed sharply at Chatterton. but said moth
ing.
Supper passed over serenely, and the
guests scattered out over the house.
Chatterton went to the cardroom with
half a dozen friends and watched q
game of cards with interest, when one
OF the porters of the hotel approached
him, bearing n small silver tray, on
which was neatly folded note adj
dressed to Il. G. Chatterton. Chatter
ton tore open the note, and, mOtiOning
the porter, who started to leave, to
wait, read 1t out loud. When he I'm
ished his friends stood looking Mt him
with scared eyes. They had heard q
challenge from the gambler addressed
TO Chatterton and demanding duel as
the only satisfaction gentleman could
demand for being pushed aside In the
dining-roOm.
The note ended with these words:
'No one but a coward will refuse to
meet gentleman on the fair terms .ex-
acted by a duel" The friends Of Chat
tertOn knew that the imputation of
cowardice was more than a sword
thrust to arouse him, nevertheless
they besought him to ignore the chal-
lenge. They said the gambler was in
vincible, both with the sword and pis-
tol, and to attempt to meet him was
simply to throw his life away.
"See here, Chatterton," they said,
''you are man of family, wife and
children depending upon you. This
gambler Is sure shot and q desperate
man, and will stoop to anything. Stick
that challenge In the fire, and get out
of town as soon as you can. No one
will be the wiser" Chatterton listened
quietly to every word that was said.
and then asked for a pen and ink. His
friends saw that further words would
be waste, so they were brought to
him.
He wrote for few moments and
then handed this note to the friend
nearest to him: "Sir, will meet you to-
night on the plaza with my second.
who is an honorable gentleman. He
will bear two revolvers, one of which
you may select. We will stand toe to
toe. While the revolvers are still un-
cooked, each shall place his between
the others teeth. At the word fire
the hammers shall be pulled back and
the shells exploded. The pistols may
be discharged until one or. the other Of
us Is dead"
The man who read the note looked
startled, and again tried to persuade
his friend to think better Of his condi-
tons, which would certainly compass
the death of both. No words could dis
suade Chatterton, however, and the
note was sent down.
In half an hour this answer came
back: ~ never fight duels with FOOLS
wONnEpEIu FEAT