The record-union., 1897-10-18
PERRY-BYNUM DUEL.
Its Story Told After Sixty-Five
Years of Dead Silence.

| For sixty-five years the newspapers
of South Carolina kept silent about the
| Perry Bynum duel. Not only the news
pepars kept silent, but the people, too
| for, though the fact of the duel haC
national fame, the circumstances were
not widely known. Now that all the
| persons concerned in the duel are dead
Professor w. A. Dickson of Townville
Anderson County, has given the full
story of the meeting, says the New
| York "Sun.''
The duel between Benjamin F. Per
! ry, late Governor of South Carolina
and Turner Bynum was a consequence
of the bitterness that characterized
all discussion, public and private, of the
question of notification. 1t was at the
beginning of the year 1882. Perry was
! only y years old, but he had won a
reputation as a lawyer, had made him
self felt as factor in politics, and
was editor of a newspaper in Green
Vile. He was handsome and more than
six feet tall. His physique together
with bis dignity and courtesy, held the
attention of all who saw him. In 1882
he became a strong Union man, and
espoused the unpopular side of the null
hfication controversy, pouring hot shot
into the ranks of the nullifiers through
the columns of his newspaper. He
knew that this placed him in danger
of personal violence, but he was a
stubborn and a fearless man when he
knew he was right
Turner Bynum of Columbia was the
man selected for the task He had
been graduated recently from the South
Carolina College. He had unquestion-
able courage and was one of the best
shoIs in the State. He was brought to
Greenville and put in editorial control
of the notification organ to engage
Perry in personal quarrel. The
scheme worked up to the point of By
NUNS death at Hatton's ford, on the
Tugaloo River.
Perry was all through life strongly
opposed to dueling. He was forced into
this meeting; according to the code and
public sentiment he could do nothing
but meet his antagonist on the field of
honor.
The meeting took place in February
or March, 1892 on the large island at
Hatton's ford. on the Tugaloo Pro-
fesSor Dickson does not know who
| Perry's second was, but his surgeon
was DR.. Cook of Greenville. Captain
Marley, a low countryman, living at
Pendieton, was Bynum's second. Who
his surgeon was is not known. Cap
tain Andrew Hunter, a friend of Profess
sor Dickson's, was a schoolboy of IL
Pendleton at the same time. and he
says he frequently saw Bynum at the
home of his second, Captain Warley,
where he had retired for consultation
and target practice just before the
final encounter He describes him as
fine specimen of physical manhood,
handsome and of determined mien, and
says he was much coddled by the low
country gentlemen, nearly all OF them
rampant nullifiers.
The principals with their parties,
went to the neighborhood of the dueling
ground several days before the time set
for the meeting, and established them
selves in their quarters-Perry at
house now owned by Mrs w. P. Norris,
and Bynum at the place now in the
possession of Harrison Price. Pistol
practice and attempts at adjustment or
the difficulty were the order of the
day. Each of the principals became SO
expert that he could cut a cord at
fifteen PAGES.
The distance was measured about 1OU
yards from the upper end of the island