New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-22
THE PROMINENT GEORGIANS.'

Industrious publicity. has been given. that two
Georgia gentlemen. sojourning transicntly among
lis. are seeking each other in public places
chiefly the newspapers with strong desire 10
imbrrle their harris in each others blood. 1t Is
hardly necessary to say that they are both
..nromincnt in Georgia. No citizen Of that
State who did not enjoy prominence. or move IN
the first circles. or belong to the first families
has ever been seen outside the State. These two
have differences Of opinion of long standing
What they are about the Lord only Knows Inc
gentlemen themselves have probably forgotten
the original cause; but they began. from all ac-
counts. several years ago, anu may nave rcia'c"
to the second PcloponcSlan War or the pedigree
Of coon dog At any rate. these gentlemen
grew sorer and sorcr toward each other until the
authorities Of Georgia. fearing that they might
slay each other with suddcnness In violation OF
law and TO the disturbance Of the public peace
took the precauiion Of putting them under bonds
whereby they could not do IL except upon the
pavmcnt Of A considerable sum OF money To the
State for the privilege. This Is the usual deter
rcnt For il has been observed that even in
climcs where "the rage Of the vulure. the love
"of the turtle now melt into sorrow. now mai
"dcn TO crime" the disposition to slay on sight
~
the Indulgence has TO be paid for in cash. II ap
pears 10 have been effective in The ease OF these
two prominent Georgia gentlemen. SO long rs
they were within the limits Of Georgia they held
off from each other and kept the peace THIS
shows the wisdom Of the law In Imposing a pc
cuniary penalty upon hghspiritcd persons VINO
feel called upon 10 kill somebody whenever
there's an inaccurate statement or msd"al
with magnificent readiness 10 XII or be Killed
they have n sincere and overwhelming aversion
to being mulclcd This would be queer II J. were
not So common.
The TWO gentlemen referred to who have been
deferred from killing each other IN Georgia 10y
The circumstance that II involved expense nap
pcncd. by one ~ those mysterious ]'rovlh"nc"s
which so often contribute 10 the cnllv'nmcnt 81
this great metropolis In an oihcrwls" dnll period
10 be- I'm this town simultaneously last week
And they happened also on Friday evening 10 d"
seeking amusement consolation ana rrlct from
care IN the same temple IL ThcspS. io VII. Mt
Abhcv's theatre: one being alone the other ne
companlcd hy ladies. They met 10y chance In the
smolNnc.room II that ample and s'onmodiou~
resort II was sudden. and. ~ II seemed {" In"
rromlncni Georgian who was alone ana unham
pcrcd by escort obligations. opporiunr. II oc-
curred to him ai once that. however he might be
related io the peace If Georgia 10y the bonds
under which he WAS to maintain It. The peace ~
the State Of New York was no concern ~ bis ANA
ne might do with it rs he pleased without lis
costing him n cent. Thercupon. laying on" hama
with commcndablc presence Of mind upon h.S
hip-pockc,. where among highspritci people the
court II last resort Is In continuous session. with
the other he smotc the gentleman who differed
with him as to the second PcloponcSihn war or
the pedigree 81 the coon dog. or whatever II was
quite abrupt, hui forcibly In The face remark
Ing M the same time. You are coward ana
Won do not dar, answer this MI hghSpiri'd
persons will recognize this AT once ~ an hct 81
hcrolsin entitled 10 admiration ana applause
But for the fact that the smiiirn Georgian felt
under obligations 10 the ladies under his escort
he might have resented II then am ih'rr ana
afforded the audience The double entertainment
of "A comedy on the stage and tragedy IN IN"
smok room. But. as ne subsequently "N
plaincd his assaant rs always armed with
dirk and revolver. and retaliation then would
"hly. meant the deliberate sacrifice Of life
He was wise After "hurrying the ladies home.
as he informed reporter he secured the city
in search ~ his adversary. but failed To find him
What would have happened If he had can only
be- guessed with shuddcr.
But really. why DO The Georgia gentlemen come
IN here 10 do this sort ~ thing when they can
stay Mt home and do II. and much more Of II, upon
the paymcnt Of fixed sum Of money ~ the
Statcf We are no, ungratcful for the mild sen
sation they have brought lis. especially since
there was no great harm done, but. after ALL it
T., that ther, pppplr hero inst
rs nervous as the lady in the orchestra seat. who
when there was n row in the gallery and some
rutlian shouted Throw him over" exclaimed.
plaintively. "No. no: don't throw him over; Kill
him up there" Why couldn't the prominent
Georcians Kill each other at home and pay the
fine for 1t without intcrrupting theatrical per
formanccs here in Ncw-lork? The two prom
incnt Georgian. at last accounts were looking
for each othcr-chicny In the newspapers. One
Of them Is reported to have gone to Hackcnsack.
and both are doubtless hoping 10 send one an
other speedily 10 some other place that begins
with H. One OF them, explaining the situation
TO a reporter, declined 10 discuss the possible
rcsults-and that makes one shuddcr-but said,
impressivey. "Your Northern code Is not like
ours in the South" In which we take leave to
say he Is dead right" Under the Northern code
a prominent gentleman who slapped another
prominent gcntcman's face in a theatre would
be promptly turned over 10 an ordinary. every
day policeman and shut up for the night. even
II he had a hppockct full Of guns and was a
perfect arsenal Of dirk knives. And the next
day he would learn that under the Northern code
men do not kill each other for differences Of opln-
Ion or make bowling. famboyant asses of them
eoIvoc trying IN make common folks think they
are bloodthlrsty and dangerous
TIE CROTON CYCLE PATH