The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-11
THAT FAMOUS DUEL
The Story of the Meeting Of Abraham
Lincoln and Shields.
THIS IS A TRUE ACCOUNT
They Met In the Wilderness. Ex-
changed Notes, Cut Twig and
Returned to Their Homes
In High spirits.
THIS is A TRUE ACCOUNT

Kansas City, May 1o.-A special to
the Journal from Topeka says, Will
! liam l.. Souther who claims to have
been an eye witness of the historical
duel between Abraham Lincoln and
Gen. James Shields, has related to the
Journal correspondent what he pur-
ports to be the missing Historical da-
ia" of the historical event. He tells
an interesting story which differs ma
terially from published accounts. Pc
culiar interest has of late been aroused
in this affair through a history of Lin
coin running in one of the periodicals,
in which the author frankly admits
that but meager details can be procur-
ed of what actually took place when
the duelling party crossed the Missouri
river and started for the fighting
grounds. Now comes the Topeka man
with a detailed story of the whole
transaction in which he supplies the
missing historical data. artte tt
Souther, who is 70 years old, has for
the past is years been a clerk in the
office of the auditor of the Santa .Fe
railroad, though the greater portion of
his life has been spent as a printer and
newspaper man. Up to the time of the
arrival of the dueiling party at the AL
ton ferry, the story he tells is very
similar to the others heretofore printed,
but from there ii differs widely.
1T was on the morning of Sept. %,
1S43," says Mr.. Souther, that Shields
and Lincoln arrived at Alton. l was
then printer and reporter on the AL
ton Telegraph, and had received an in
timation of the coming duel, which
made me anxious to see VI If possible.
The dueling party took breakfast at
the Franklin house. and about half
past 10 in the morning proceeded to
the ferry boat, which was owned and
run by a man by the name of Chap
man. The boat was propelled by two
horses which worked around a wind
lass at OF e end of the boat deck, and 1
made arrangements with Chapman to
drive these horses. .-.-..- 81
"On the opposite shore, which was
wilderness of timber, a spot partly
cleared was selected as the battle
ground. Shields took a seat on a fallen
log on one side of the clearing and
Lincoln seated himself on the other at
the opposite side. The seconds then
proceeded to cut a pole about IL feat
long, and two stakes were crotched in
the end. The stakes were driven into
the ground and the pole laid across
the crotches so that II rested about
three feet above the ground.
THE men were to stand one on
either side of the pole and fight across
ut. A line was drawn on the ground
on both sides, three feet from the pole,
! with the understanding that If either
one stepped back across his own line
it was to be considered giving up of
the fight. After all these arrange
ments had been completed the seconds
rejoined their principals at the differ
ent sides of the clearing and COM
menced to talk in low tones. Along
with the Shields party was DR.. t. NJ.
Hope of Alton. He was very much OPP
posed to the duel and reasoned with
Shields for a long time. AS result of
his talk words were passed between
the seconds. -
Lincoln remained firm and insisted
that Shields must withdraw his first
note and ask him whether, or not he
was the author of the poem in the
Journal When that was done he was
ready to treat with the other side.
shields was infiexible and finally DR.
Hope got mad at him. He said that
Shields was bringing the democratic
party of Illinois and himself into ridi-
Guile. Finally he sprang to his feet,
faced the stubborn little 1rishman and
burst out: Jimmie, you d. little whip
persnapper, If you don't settle this, 1
will take you across my knee and
spank you
This was too much for Shields and
he yielded A note was solemniy pre-
pared and sent across to Lincoln, which
poem in question. Lincoln wrote for
NAL reply in which he said that he was
not and then mutual explanations and
apologies followed
"I watched Lincoln closely while he
sat on his log waiting the signal to
fight. His face was grave and serious
/ could discern nothing suggestive of
old Abe as we knew him. i never
knew him to go so long before without
making some sort of joke, and / be-
gan to believe he was greatly frighten-
ed, but presently he reached over and
picked up one of the swords, which he
drew from it's scabbard Then he felt
along the edge of the weapon with his
thumb, like a barber feels of the edge
of his razor, stretched himself to his
full height, stretched out his long arm
and Clipped off a twig from a tree
above his head with the sword.
There was not another man of us
who could have reached anywhere
near that twig and the absurdity of
that long reaching fellow fighting with
cavalry swords with Shields. who could
walk under his arm, came pretty near
making me howl with laughter.
After Lincoln had cut off the twig,
he returned the sword TO its scabbard
with a sigh and sat down, which was
always the forerunner of one of his in
imitable yarns, and ] fully expected
him to tell a side-spiitter right there in
the shadow of the grave-Shields'
grave. After things had been adjusted
at the dueling ground we returned to
the ferryboat, everybody chatting in
the most friendly manner possible" :