The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-04
GENUINE ARKANSAS EDITOR.
The Venerable Col. smithee of the Little
Rock Gazette.

(From the Chicago Times Herald
State Senator McMullin, of Yell county,
Ark, who fired leaden bullet at the
unarIned body of Col. j. N. Smithee, ed
itor of the Little Rock Gazette, in the
latter's office Friday, VIII no doubt hear
further from the episode. He was brave
man indeed, or else a reckless one, to
have gone into the colonel's office. There
isn't more dangerous character in that
State than Col Smithee. He is quite
aged, but he is still fighter. He is
quick and impetuous, daring and intre-
pid. He does not know the meaning of
the word fear" and would as soon go
out on the field of honor with Winchesters
at 40 PAGES as to sit on the bank of a
stream and catch catfish, and he is pas
sionately fond of the latter sport Or he
would walk barefoot from one end of his
wrong. He writes like he talks, and he
fights like he writes. There is vigor and
fire in both.
Little Rock paper that advocated the
demonstration of silver. The proprietor
of the sheet was Capt. John D. Adams,
who, in those days, was one of the best
known river men in the country He
was president of the Anchor line steamers
and was individual proprietor of the
Kate Adams, a steamboat named after
his wife. A more elegant water craft
never turned a bend. Capt. Adams and
his editor disagreed as to the utterances
of the paper. The quarrel grew. Eventu-
ally Smithee left the office. That, how
ever, didn't smooth matters or make the
one forget that the other was scamp or
the other believe that his opponent WASH t
coward. Well such sentiments as
ance, are not conducive to good health
down in that country, which has given to
US Powell Clayton. Senator Jones, Opie
Reed and tBillee'' Rider. Not much
Both began sending each other daring
messages. Friends attempted to inter
fere, but they were swept aside. There
could be but one settlement, and pistols
were to be the instruments used in MAX
ing it.
One Sunday morning Col. Smithee and
Capt. Adams were seen walking toward
each other on the same side of the street.
John Fletcher, who was then mayor, saw
them. The sidewalks were thronged
with people. Four policemen were stand
ing within few yards. The mayor ran
w uiO VI UllC S0ICcU dl1u Cf1Cu OuU
in a dramatic sort of way that there was
going to be trouble and for the crowd to
disperse. But the crowd wasn't in dis
persing mood. If there was going to be
any fun they wanted to see it. The two
men kept advancing. Mr.. Fletcher be-
came more excited. He pulled off his hat,
waved it about his head and shouted:-
''See here, men, if any of you fellows
get hurt you mustn't blame it to me-
Git, | tell you-there's going to be
trouble
Two pistol shots rang out simultane-
ously. Col Smithee fell to the ground,
having been shot through the hip. AS he
fell his pistol went out Of his hand He
tried to pick it up, but it lay too far
away Capt. Adams advanced.
II ought to empty every one of these
cartridges into your polluted body, sah
but won't. l remember your elegant
family, sah!'' said the captain, as he
viewed his PROSTATE foe, who, in a half
recumbent position, was quietly smoking
a cigar. The crowd yelled its applause
at this f-''@'''o
''Shoot you white-livered cur. you,n
shouted the colonel. Don't you let INV
family stand in the way Shoot now. or
III make you when I get on my feet
again!"
About that time it occurred to the
mayor that the law ought to say some
Uhlng more. 80 with hat in hand he adj
yanced to the captain, and in voice trem-
bling with emotion said
both brave and honorable men. But
L cannot let this thing go further 1 COM
mand you, captain, in the name of the
law to put up your pistol and go to your
home. And here, officer, addressing a
policeman, "call carriage and see that
the colonel is conveyed to his residence. :"
This is a d-n nice thing addressing
the crowd, ''to take place fere on the
Streets"