The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-10
THERE IS A DUEL ON
rs. q p" Of Butte Takes Up the
Challnge That Linton Ignored.
). E. PAGE TALKS ABOUT 1T
The Recent FURRY Over the Mar
quette Statue in Washington
Blazes Trail for Little
ebate by Letter.
5. E. PAGE TALKS ABOUT 1T

speech in congress in opposition to an
appropriation for the support of sec
tartan schools and against placing in
statuary hall a statue of Pierre Mar
quette. Jesuit priest. which had been
donated by the state of Wisconsin. Lin
ton. who is an A. p. A. took occasion
to bitterly assail the Catholics of the
country. The result was that he re-
ceived from Captain Thomas Phelan of
Kansas City, the noted Irish agitator,
challenge to fight a duel, which was
duly chronicled in the press dispatches
Linton declined the challenge and
Butte man took it up as is shown by
the following received by Captain Phe-
Ian at Kansas City:
Butte, Mont, March Is, 1896.
To Capt. Thomas Phelan, Kansas City,
Mo-:
Dear Sir:-I see you have challenged
one of our representatives in congress
by the name of Linton of Michigan.
will say this, / will accept your chal-
lenge in his name, and say l will fight
you your duel in Butte City, and guar
antee no police Interference, with
rifles at 05) seventy-five yards. any
time within six months from date.
"(SigneO S. e. p, 212 South Gaylord
street, Butte City, Mont
"P. S.-Butte is a strong A. p. A.
camp and also strong Catholic strong
hold"
To the above Captain Phelan sent the
following reply and acceptance:
kansas City, Mo-, March 20, 1896.
IS. E. p, 212 Gaylord street, Butte
City, Mont:
Dear Sir:-Your note of the 18th inst.
at hand. / have received a number of
letters similar to yours and have not
answered them. Your letter. however.
being couched in a gentlemanly way.
is worthy of notice. You will pardon
me when 1 say that your knowledge of
the code duello' leads you into a pc
culiar faux pas. You seem to forget
that l am the challenged party. You
cannot select distance, nor weapons.
That is the duello privilege which be-
longs to me. You forget, also. to sug-
gest the name of your friend, who,
alone, is authorized, by the code, TO
make arrangements with such friend as
I may appoint. These matters show
that you need both instruction and
judgment.
Now. will not fight you at rs
yards. AS the challenged party / will
meet you at ten PAGES, with rifles, to
wheel and fire. Submit my acceptance
to your friend and arrangements will
be readily made to meet you.
II am sorry that you should fall in
the place of Hon. w. S. Linton. Your
enthusiasm makes you an unnecessary
sacrifice. But you select to perish and
having a suicidal intent, and believing
in the cause l champion, I am willing
to crafty you. Let your reply be i'm
mediate. With me there is no six
months from date / am astonished
that you should conceal your identity
under initials. A gentleman who means
battle does nothing of that kind. In
haste. yours truly, Thos. Phelan."
The affair was evidently getting too
serious for IS. E. p" and he took wa
ter. After waiting a reasonable time
for an answer from the Butte patriot"
or his friend, and receiving none, Cap
tain Phelan sent the above correspon-
dence to the Standard, accompanied by
the following note:
kansas City, Mo-, April 6. 1896.
ITO the Editor of the Anaconda Stand
ard:
IT took occasion recently to reply to
a letter from some fellow signing him
self. IS. e. p. PIP South Gaylord
street, Butte City. thought at the
time of my response that the person
might prove to be a gentleman. My
mistake is now apparent. Failing TO
answer / am satisfied that he is not
only a fraud but an arrant coward,
who only wished a temporary notoriety
which this letter. hope. will give him.
Respectfully, Thos. Phelan."
IS. z. p" means Cyrus Z. Page, who
lives at 212 South Gaylord street, In
Butte, at which address a Standard re-
porter called last evening and made
inquiries for the man who wanted 20
fight a duel with Captain Phelan. The
house is owned by Mr.. Page, but is also
occupied by Charles b. Huffman and
family, Mr.. Page simply rooming
there The duelist was not at home
~xvkn. he A..t
investigation in the neighborhood de-
veloped the fact that there was no
question about the identity of the man
who had challenged the noted Irish
man. for Mr.. Page had made the re-
mark to some of his neighbors that
some one ought TO challenge the man,
and that he had a good notion to take
it upon himself. The reporter awaited
the return of Mr.. Page and after intro
ducing himself stated that be was In
search of the man who had taken up
the cause of Congressman Linton.
Page is an old man. probably So years
of age. and is quite deaf. II was neces-
sary to talk very loud TO him. Are
you the man that challenged Captain
Phelan to fight duel?" was yelled into
Mr.. Pages off ear.
"Shi-s-h," said Mr.. Page and then
he tip-toed to the room door and closed
IL so that Mr.. Huffman's family might
not hear. He was very much agitated.
mo; l am not the man, / am not the
man. Another man wrote the letter
and / saw il. The answer was sent to
me. but 1 returned IL. / am not the
man"
Mr.. Page was assured that IL was all
right IL he did send the challenge, but
he persisted that he did not and rela-
ted an incident about being dunned at
one time for a bill Of 81 500 contracted
by some other Page. TO show how easy
il was to be mistaken in the man He
knew a great deal about the Phelan
correspondence. however. and as the
interview progressed he grew more
communicative. He said the man who
took up Linton's ease. was not the
challenger. but that Phelan was
The man who pretended 20 take up
the matter" said Page. Offered 70
fight with rides at 80 yards. but Phe-
Ian replied that he would not