The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02
BOHAN & COWAN.
DUELIsTs IN A GRAVE.
One Was Determined Neither should
survive
From the Brooklyn Eagle.


From the Brooklyn Eagle.
In every country and in every age there
have been men who dared to be called cow
ards rather than risk killing fellow
creature. Many duels are historical and
America contributes to the list. Perhaps
the most desperate and picturesque duels
have Been fought on this continent GER
tainly there has been more variety In the
method of killing. Where else could a
duel have been fought by two men who
agreed to have chain thirty inches long
locked about their necks, to be lowered
into canon 90 feet deep and to fight there
with their daggers until one was killed.
The survivor weak from his wounds, lay
! helplessly attached to the dead body until
he managed 10 drag II up with him TO the
top OF the canon and finally detach It.
on the island of Jamaica there was once
a meeting between Scotch captain and
noted Creole duelist. named Henri deg
Vile. The captain had gone ashore and
| was dining at a hotel In Kingston, where
as not infrequently happened the company
| INDUCED rather more freely In drinks than
was wise in those quarrelsome days All
| went well until Capt. Stewart was re-
quested by dEgville to sing a song in
Gaelic. Now. although Scotchman,
Stewart claimed he knew no Gaelic, but the
Creole being persistent rather than give
offense the captain sang Aud Lang Syne"
and supposed that the compromise was
! satisfactory. The company broke up and
| Capt. Stewart returned 10 his ship, ac-
! companied by friend. on their way back
the friend mentioned d'Egville's reputation
| as a bully and expressed his opinion that
| he had deliberately sought a quarrel for
/ ., Of no Mt N n a
duel. Capt Stewart then said:
There is no more horrible practice of
/ our time Once and once only have /
fought a duel. That was when | was
young man. and for the sake OF lady for
whose hand my dearest friend and ! were
suitors. / killed him. Since l saw him
| lying dead at my feet | have never known
! a happy day I thought tonight that
fate had overtaken me and / should be
| challenged to give up my life for an Of
| Tense more trivial than that for which
took the life of my friend
Arrived at the ship. the captain stood
| leaning against the bulwarks watching the
| lights fade out as dawn came over the
town when he saw a small boat coming
toward his vessel which was lying at
anchor. As II drew near, he recognized an
! officer i'm the Columbian service, friend
| Of d Egville. He boarded the vessel and
| going up to Capt Stewart, said he had
come from d'Egville with challenge for
the insult Of substituting an English song
| for Gaelic and thus attempting to make
him a laughing stock for those of the COM
pany who knew better. Stewart turned 10
! his friend and said: my forebodings were
| right after all" He tried, however, to ex-
| plain to d'Egville's messenger that no Of
| Tense had been intended and to point out
| the absurdlty Of duel for such a cause,
and at last fatty refused to accept the
/ A 70 GnN aff ri
| Stewart met d'Egville and as might have
| been foreseen, was instantly assailed as
| coward" and what was worse, was
struck across the face with a horsewhip.
| This was more than the Scotchman could
| stand so he sent the message d'Egville so
much desired, and at the time appointed
took two Of his sailors with him 10 the rem
devious The men carried pickax and
a spade.
Stewart ordered them to dig grave suf-
! fciently deep to receive TWO bodies and to
d'Egville's establishment. insisted that
they should both stand in this grave, hold
ing a pistol in one hand and in the other
the diagonal corners Of a handkerchief
which stretched taut, would regulate the
distance. The Creole. thus cornered, had
no choice but to accept the conditions. The
two men stepped down into the grave and
Can't Stewart firmly grasped the hand
kerchief, saying: THE world viii be well
rid of a scoundrel and also of a miserable
man" The seconds drew lots for the word
of command. MEANWHILE d'Egville FUN
l5led with his corner Of the handkerchief
dropped 1t and picked it up again His
face was as white as the piece Of linen and
before the word "Fire" had passed the lips
of the man whose duty II was to give it,
he fell forward in dead faint.
Capt Stewart looked down on him for
moment then with a look of disgust kicked
him, scrambled out Of the grave and made
his way back to his ship.