The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-02-05
tiful brunette was free, and she and
jackson were wed.

did finally get a,divorce but not until
several awful months after Jackson
and Mrs. Richards were married. Sc
the young couple had to be married
all over again. This time it was
success and they were very happy
The first mistake arose from the fault
of the mails rather than their morals.
and their consciences were clear.
It does not appear that the public
generally discovered aught that waf
]tortuous or wrong in Jackson's mar
riage or the trail which led to it. II
does not appear that any one arose to
detract or culumniate. It does not
appear that for thirty years jackson
kept a brace of beautiful duelling pis'
tolls, hair triggers, and accurate as 8
ray of light, to kill any one who spoke
disrespectfully Of his wife. So the
plotters, looking over the field, saw
that the best way to force Jackson tc
q place where ne could be killed with
safety to themselves was to Willy hiE
wife, provoke a duel, and see to il
that the hated hero of the people stood
opposite to the coolest nerve, the
quickest hand, and the most deadly
shot in the world. The outcome would
then be Jackson's obsequies, which
were the m%ouruful output they were
after. If the plot had succeeded VIC
might have had not one to hold the
volatile John G. Calhoun level, anc
then where would we have been?
But, to return. The plotters looked
about for the coolest nerve, the quick
esr hand, the most deadly shot in the
world. They found him. Charles
Dickinson was Is years old, thirteen
years younger than Jackson, and 4
practicing lawyer in Nashville. He
was a marvelously handsome man, Z
person Of exceptional mental as vel
as physical powers, and reputed "the
best pistol shot in the world" Yet
he was willing to join in a conspiracy
to murder Jackson, go forward to dc
the bloody work, and begin operations
by stabbing an innocent character of
woman. He ought to have been kill
ed, this Dickinson. Dickinson Sian
dered Mrs. Jackson. He did it more
than once. Jackson had a running
horse which ran a hot race on the
Nashville course. Mrs. Jackson wan
aglow with joy over the horses vic
tory. As the horses came down the
stretch she exclaimed: "Oh, he's
running away from them" Dickin'
son stood near. He turned in%solently
to some friends and said: eyes, and
a good deal like his owner ran away
with another mans wife"
Jackson did not challenge Dickin-
son even then for almost ninemonths.
He put all his worldly affairs in order
first, for he expected to die. His
hope was to take the villain who had
maligned his angel into eternity with
him. Jackson challenged Dickinson
Dickinson put the meeting off a week
to send for a special and celebrated
pistol to kill jackson with. They
were appointed to fight May 80, 1906,
at Harrison's Mills, Logan County
Kentucky, a long days ride from
| Nashville. Dickinson was as certain
of success as he was of sunrise. He
gave the grim occasion a gala air, and
invited some friends. He saw to it,
too, that he started before Jackson to
go TO Harrison's Mills. On the way
he took occasional and accurate cracks
with his pistol at first this and then
that object. He displayed the skill Of
a fend. And these exhibitions had a
purpose and a malevolent point, part
and parcel Of the plot to murder Jack.
son. It was each time arranged that
Jackson should be informed of these
marvellous shots. The hope was tc
break his nerve. It would be rather
a strain on ones nerves to travel all
day to be shot at by an antagonist
who every mile left one proof that he
could snuff a candle or drive a tack at
ten PAGES.
Jackson's second was General Over.
ton. He was of a serious indomitable
nature, something like Jackson, with
a slower pulse. Overton, too, was
equally convinced with his principal
that the whole affair was a blossomine
conspiracy to murder Jackson, and
not a simple duel between gentlemen
over the point of honor. To Overton
it was as if Dickinson and his fellows
had set a trap for the life of jackson,
and to lure him had baitcd it with the
bleeding, stabbed innocence Of his
wife.
Overton and Jackson considered
and discussed this meeting for months
before it occurred. They resolved tc
take every advantage Of the would-be
murderer that honor and the law Of
duels permitted. 1t was planned to
garb Jackson in a long black coat, a
world too wide and big for his meagre
form. 1t was so arranged that once il
was donned Jackson ramrod proper
tions well over in one side of the coat.
The garment buttoned to the chin, sc
as to leave no white cravat or collar
displayed to attract fire. The buttons,
only one row, mind you, were purpose
ly placed far oyer on the breast where
Jackson was not. And it was a par
ticular point, too, to make these but
tons shine and glitter most alluringly.
Any one who ever fred a pistol will
readily. understand what a trap to
catch a bullet those buttons would be.
The men were to fight at ten PAGES.
Dickinson had alreaey told his friends
which button-''the one over Jack.
SON heart'-he would hit. Foolish
Dickinson! The call was to be-: "Fire
One, two, three; stop!' and they were
to blaze away anywhere between fire
and "stop." Pegs were driven to
mark their positions.
Each man stood to his peg and the
crisis was at hand. Dickinson was
known to be so quick to bring up his
pistol and fire that no one could equa!
him. 1t was his expectation to kill
Jackson before the latter could even
rise his pistol after the word 'sfre!'
Overton and his principal had argued
/ this also. The had finally concluded
chat inasmuch as the lightning-like
Dickinson was bound to fire first, il
was wiser for Jackson to stand and
receive it, trusting to the buttons tc
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