The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-14


purpose Of "practicing with their pistols .
Gideon was tnen college boy, having just
turned sophomore in the state University.
A few minutes after he left the house. with
Peiat he Was found with a pistol bullet
through his brain. Pelat said he had shot
himself accidentally and this was all that
was ever known or the matter.
And now comes one of the most remark
able tragedies in this section, 50 full Of
tragedies. There was living in Florida,
then q primitive region, young Leigh Reed.
a young man OF great ability, gentleness
and courage. He was almost idolized by the
people OF his State for his gallant service
skin and fesr,essness % severai ever re times 8 saved
the colony from destruction by the Semin-
oles and their allies.
A story Is told of him wfccn viii illustrate
his character and at the same time show
how delicate was the sense of personal
honor at the time. General Reed was po-
iitlcal opponent o. Governor Calls son and
at the same time his personal friend. Po-
litical feeling ran very high and on election
day Mr.. White made some reflection upon
Reed at once challenged him for duel.
Tne men went, were both desperately
wounded, fighting with bowie knives. their
ieIt hands being strapped together.
some time afterward Reed became in
volved in a difficulty with the Alstons.
aectina n art,oie no p appearea IN newspaper re-
tus Aston, who was the leader of the Call
faction, demanded the name of the author.
He was furnished with the name of Gen.
site faction. He at once challenged Gen.
Reed and a duel meeting was arranged.
The weapons selected were "yagers" a
favorite with the Alstons. Colonel Aston
was attended by Mr.. Kenon, his brother
in-law. At the word 'One" Colonel Alston's
gun exploded. being hair-triggered, and the
contents were discharged into the air. Gen
Reed aiming with deliberation, fired, and
Colonel Aston dropped dead in his tracks
almost crazed with the news of his DEATH
She secured the lead that had killed him
and with her own hands nodded it into bull
Aston, and impIored him TO come and
avenge the death of his brother. She wrote
that he had been murdered and the Alstons
adhered to this belief, although the general
statement Is that the meeting was a fair
one, General Reed using only his just right
in firing after the explosion Of Alston's
yager.
AT any rate, 1t was very well understood
that Willie Aston would seek revenge for
his brothers death, the family had for
generations made one OF all their quarre,s
The first meeting between Aston and Reed
was dramatic. The Legislature had met
ana Reed was elected Speaker. He was a
young man of exceptional power and popu-
larity, and his life promised to be brilliant
and illustrious. He had invited his friends
to the usual legislative supper, and the ban
Quet was in progress, everything going mer-
rily and well. Suddenly a tall figure, muf-
fled in a swinging cloak and with a slouch
hat drawn over his face, staiked through
the open door. Without word, the strang-
er made for the head OF the table, where
General Reed was sitting. Instantly cries of
'Alston," "Alston," ran down the table. At
these cries the cloak was thrown back and
Alston was recognized. Reed rose from his
seat and whipping a pistol out Of his pocket
leveled it at his assailant and fired. The
ball struck Aston in his up,lifted hand, car
MIN, but, brandishing bowie knife, he
closed in on Reed. Before the men had
been parted Reed was pretty severely cut
and Aston wounded again. Aston was TAX
en- from the room and for several months
nothing more was heard of the matter One
day General Reed was walking down the
upon by Aston. The coptents of one barrel
OF shotgun was poured into his left shoul-
the other load went into his heart. He fell
and died instantly.
Willie Aston went to Texas. where he
lived for some time. He settled near Bra
zoria. There was DR.. Stewart, who, for
some reason or other, pursued the matter
OF the Reed killing, and used remarks de-
wrote the remarks down.. and, meeting
Stewart on the prairie one day, asked him
whether or not ne was responsible for those
remarks. Dr. Stewart took the paper, and
while pretending to read it put his hand in
his holsters and drew his pistol. He jumped
on his horse on the side opposite Aston
and fired into him. A desperate night ensued
in which Aston was shot twice. and his
stomach was cut that his bowels pro-
truded. He killed Stewart, however, pouring
load of buckshot into him after he was
prone upon the EARTH, He was taken to Jail
almost dead. He was famous fiddler and
procuring fiddle sat there with mis- entraiIs
protruding. as he wrote to a friend, playing
the old tunes OF his boyhood. His body SER
want gained admittance to his cell and had
a coil of rope around his body. Suddenly a
mob assaulted the jail, overpowered the sier-
III, broke In the doors and seized Colonel
Aston. He was game to the last and fid-
died up To the very instant he was seized.
his dauntless face looking full on his assail,
ants. He was tumbled into a blanket, the
ends twisted and he was then hustled out
OF jail. Once out In the street he was thrown
to the ground, still enveloped in the blanket
and one hundred bullets poured into his bodv
Thus died the last OF the Halifax Al
and handsome race Of men. Gideon who
was killed by Pelat, always cited az
the handsomest youngster of his day. 1t
may be said here that the young Castilian
midshipman, and was drowned in the Med
iterranean. Willie Aston was man Of
wonderful strength. He once shouldered a
load of eight hundred pounds dead weight
: and carried 1t through the streets of Sparta
on bet His life was a stormy one His
feud with the Ingrams, strong and power
ful family, was the sensation of Georgia for
the time Ii lasted. He always carried his
yager with him, and escaped the whole dff-
ficulty with only one finger shot away The
feud was dramatiZed, under the name of
The Watch" and was sold largely. The
authors were never discovered or they would
have been killed. as the heroes of that day
did not tolerate the publication of their
troubles. The manuscript was discovered
one one morning IN the yard Of fearless
making great deal of money by it