Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1896-05-16
LINCOLN AND SHIELDS.
historical DueI which was Fought
An HsA8.

William c. Souther, who claims to =
have been an eye witness to the histori- a
cal duel between Abraham Lincoln and |,
General James Shields, relates to the e
correspondent what he Purports to be
the "nnissing historical data" of the his
torical event. He tells an interesting
stery, which differs materially from the
published accounts. Peculiar interest
has of late been aroused in this affair
through history of Lincoln, running
in one of the periodicals, in which the
author frankly admits that but meagre
details can be procured of what actually
took place when the dueling party
crossed the Missouri river, and staked
fighting grounds. Now comes the To-
peka man with detailed story of the
whole transaction, in which he supplies
the missing historical data.
Souther is 76 years old, has for the
past eighteen years been clerk in the
efice of the auditor of the Santa Fe |
railway, though the greater portion of
his life has been spent as printer and
a newspaper man. Up to the arrival of
the duelling party at the Alton ferry, the
story he tells is very similar to the 9th
er heretofore printed, but from there 1t
differs widely.
at was on the morning of September
Il, IS43," says Mr.. Souther, "that Shields
and Lincoln arrived at Alton. / was
then printer and reporter on the Alton
Telegraph, and had received an intima-
Isan- of th-ss .esnsiHg duel, which made
me anxious to see II Il possible. The
aueling party took breakfast at the
Franklin house, and about 1890 in the
forenoon proceeded to the ferryboat
which was owned ard run by man by
the name of Chapman. The boat was
propelled by two horses, which worked
around windlass at one end of the
boat deck, and l made arrangements
Arriving at the opposite shore, which
was a wilderness of timber, spot part
ly cleaned was selected as the battle
ground. Shields took a seat on a fallen
log on one side of the clearing, and Lin
coin seated himself on another at the
opposite side. The seconds then pro-
ceeded to cut pole about twelve feet
lSng, and two stakes were crotched In
the end. The stakes were driven into
the ground and the pole laid across the
crOtches so that 1t rested about three
feet above ground. The men were to
stand on either side OF the pole and fight
across 1t. A line was drawn on the
ground on both sides three feet from
the pole with the understanding that if
either combathnt stepped back across
his own liae. It was to be considered a
giving up OF the fight
After all these arrangements had
been completed the seconds rejoined
their principals at the different sides of
the clearing and commenced to talk In
low tones. Along with the Shields
party was DIR. T. M. Hope, of Alton. He
was very much opposed to the duel and
reasoned with Shields for long time.
AS result of this talk several notes
were passed between the seconds
Lincoln remained firm and said
Shields must withdraw his first note and
ask whether or 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 inflexibIe
and finally DIR. Hope got mad at him.
He said that Shields was bringing the
democratic party of Illinois and him
self to ridicule and contempt by his fol-
ly. Finally he sprang to his feet, faced
the stubborn little Irishman and blurted
out; "Jimmie, you g. d. little whip.
persnapper, If you don't settle this will
take you across my knee and spank
YOU" This was too much for Shields
and he yelled. "A note was solemnly
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 he was
HOA1 0Aid thSii mutual pldudltOnb ana
apologies followed.
- watched Lincoln closely while he
sat on the log awaiting the signal to fight
His face was grave and serious. could
discearn nothing suggestive of old Abe
as We knew him. | never knew him ia
go SO long without making some sort OF
a joke, and I began to believe he was
greatly frightened. 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 barbeJ
feels of the edge of a razor, stretched
himself to:his full height, stretched ou
his long bony arm and clipped off twiq
from tree above his head with hi,
sword. There was not another man of u,
who could have reached anywhere neal
that twig, and the absurdity of that long
reaching fellow hgting with cavalry
sabers with Shields, who could walk un
der his arm, came near making me how
with laughter. After Lincoln had Gu
off the twig he returned the sword tt
its scabbard with sigh and sat down
which was always the forerunner Of on,
OF his inimitable yarns and expected
him tn tell q side snIif1ar -;,k. IT..