Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-12
IiNCoLX-SHIELDS DISPUTE.
Witness Tells How the Duel Was
Ayprfeu.


The kar-.e City journal prints the fol-
lowing from its Topeka, Kansas, cor
respondent: William g. Souther, who claims
to have been witness of the duel between
Abraham Lincoln and Gen. James Shields,
has related to journal correspondent
what purports to be the missing data OF
that event Heretofore but meager details
of what actually took place when the duel
ing party crossed the Mississippi river
have been published. and Souther now fills
in that most important part of the days
proceedings.
has for the past eighteen years been
clerk in the office of the auditor of the
Santa Fe railroad system in Topeka, though
he greater part of his life has been spent
as a printer and newspaper man. Up to the
time of the arrival of the duelinS party at
the Alton ferry, the story he tells is very
similar to the ones heretofore printed, but
from there it differs widely.
ARRIVING on the opposite shore, says
Souther (which was a wilderness of tim
ber spot partly cleared was selected as
the battlefield. Shields took seat on
fallen log on side of the clearing and
Lincoln seated himself on another at the
opposite side. The seconds then proceeded
to cut pole about twelve feet long and
two stakes We're crotched in the end The
stakes were driven In the ground, and the
uole laid across the crotches, SO that it
rested about three feet above the ground.
The men were to stand on either side OF
this pole and fight across it. A line was
drawn on the ground on both sides of three
feet from the pole, with the understanding
that if either combatant stepped back
across his own line it was to be considered
a giving up of the fight.
After all these arrangements had been
completed the seconds rejoined their prn-
cipals at the different sides of the clearing
and commenced to talk in low tones. Along
with the Shields party was DR.. i. NJ Hope
of Alton. He was very much opposed 10
the duel, and reasoned with Shields for
long time. AS result of his talk, several
notes We're passed between the seconds.
Lincoln remained firm and said Shields
must withdraw his first note and ask him
whether not he was author of the poem
in the Journal When that was done, he
said he was ready to treat with the other
side Shields was infieXible, and finally DR..
Hope got mad at him. He said Shields was
bringing the democratic party of Illinois
and himself into ridicuie and contempt by
his folly. Finally, he sprang to his feet
and blurted out: Jimmie, you id little
whipper snapper. If you don't settle this, I'll
take you across my knee and spank you
This was too much for Shields. and he
yielded. A note was Solemniy prepared and
sent across to Lincoln, which inquired If
he was the author of the poem in question.
Lincoln wrote formal reply, in which he
said that he was not and then mutual
plantations and apologies followed watch
ed Lincoln closely while he sat on his log
awaiting the signal to fight. His face was
grave and serious. l could discern nothing
suggestive OF 'OiQ ABE as we knew him.
l never knew him to go so long before
without making joke, and began to be-
lieve ne was getting frightened. But pres
emily he reached over and picked UP one of
the swords, which he drew from it's scab-
bard. 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, Strengthened out his long
arms ard clipped off 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-rcaching fellow
fighting with cavalry sabers 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 the Scabbard with sigh, and
sat down, but 1 detected the CLEAN in his
eye. which always the forerunner of
one of his inimitable yarns, and fully ex-
pected him to tell side splitter there in
the shadow of the grave-Shelds' grave.
After things had been adjusted at the
Guelng ground We returned to the ferry
boat, everybody chatting in the most
friendly manner possible"