The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-26
CASSIUS N. CLhY'S DUELS.
ACCOUNTS THAT ARE SAID TO HAVE
BEEN GIVEN IN HIMSELF.


Gen. Casstus Marceiius Ciay--sta.es-
man. writer. thinker. duesis,. minister 10
Russia curing the arst administration OF
Abraham Lincoln, "a relic Of days thaf are
pasl-whoSe recent troubles with the wsfe
that eft MIN alone In his fortified castle.
Waite Hall In Madison county. KY. has
again attracted pueiie attention 10 his in
Se-esting personality, has a cold hlooded
way Of 1ll3ling 20 the numerous aGraS 5
IN whicA he has been "a principal. Az old
TREND or his told me that he met the bat
Ile-scarred warrior not tong ago. after
long separation He congratulated Gen
Clay on hts health
Yes the sage OF White Hall replied.
i have not bean confined 10 bed for over
thirty years except once. which was from
slight indispositicn occasioned by a Iea-
counter with man named. Turner. OF Fox
town"
Gen. Clay killes; Turner with a bowie
knife IN the ''rtncounter," sad the slight
lhalspaS'tlon was caused by sISiecn knife
wounds, his antagonist having repeated
~ driven his bowie 10 the. hllt in Ciay's
breast and side. Turner died IL an hoar.
confidently believing that his fee had pre-
cedea him 10 The unknown beyond.
Gen Clay is not communicative, and
the privilege OF listening 10 him relate his
experiences on The field Of honor IS one &c
corded Very few persons. and IL is some
thing long 10 be remembered
My hTSi duel, said Gen. Gay not long
ago, occurred when | was % years old
nearly TO years ago-and terminated with
out either party firing n shot. l was en-
gagged 10 be married and a rival suitor.
VINO had been disappointed. wrote let
Ter 10 my sweetheart's mother The man
Was Il doctor and his name was Declarey.
i went to Louisville 10 find him. and tuck
nay friend James s. Rollins, who became
Ten. Rollins during the war, with me. AS
soon as | went there | went 10 a cooper
shop ana got cool tough hickory cane
about as thick your finger.
Well, sir, | saw Or. Declarey on the
street | went up 10 him anu asked ham
III MS name was De2I2rey. lie replied that
i was. ard then | told him that | would
IKE 10 have a talk with him. This was
on one or she main streets of Louisville
ana although l intended To cane him, |
ala not intend TO do Ii where a crowd
would rush in and prevent my giving him
the punishment he deserved. So | quietly
turned our promenade of into side
street, In the meantime my friend walked
aiohg the other side of the street ami
watched me. When We reached a side
street said: DIR. Decla ~ey, | am Cassius
NJ. Clay. about whom you have taken the
tFouele TO write in this letter and I
would like TO know il you can give me any
explanation or your action He saiti moth
ns. SO | raised my cane and began 10
strike him. He cried out and crowd soon
collected. but Rollins, by spreading ou.
MS arms and running in again and again,
pretending to separate us actually kent
the crowd back until / was able 10 give
ann a good Gaming. A few hours later
got a chaiierge from him. We fixed a
pace In Indiana, just over the river, aud
me next day was there on time. A great
mob OF Declarey's friends were on the
sround, ana Gen. Rollins refused TO al
low the fight to go on. We thereunon
chose another place, but Declaney's mob
toiiowed us there. The text Cay WIS 10
he my welding day. and / had to he on
hahd peciarey wanted me In come after
vas married. but had decided objections
70 breaking up my honeymoon in that way.
lie afterward said he intended to cowhids
me the next time he saw me and I went
10 Louisville to give him chance. went
INTO the dining-room Of his hotel and
leaned against pillar TO wait for him.
As | stood there I heard some one behind
me rise. | turned and saw Declarey. He
was as pale as death, and ] saw tho ,o.y-
ara in his eye. He walked out of the
room an did not return. 4 man who act
ed Ike that could not, I'm those DAYS be
respected in Kentucky. and Deciarey com
united suicide the next morning hy cut
ting arteries
Curious. isn't it," unused the general
that man VIII have the bravery 10
commit suicide and still not have enough
phSslcal courage 10 fight? / have had a
number of such instances in nv life II
was 50 with Tom Marshall. who was so
famous as an orator IN Kentucky There
hau peen for years n fcud between the
Clays and the Marshalls Henry Clay
you know. had a duel with Humphrey
Marsh al, and Tom Marshall and rnysel,
Were enemies for years. My first trouble
with him was ct the time I was editor or
the true American. and Marshall headed
the mob which was raised 10 xiii mo ana
demollsh the paper. Wen. the mob At
tackled me, but was not killed
soon after this | went 10 the Mexican
war as captain OF another company Of The
Same regiment, and decided To settle my
trouble before We got through the war
ne was drunk about half the time. ard
beiieve he often cultivated drunkenness
IN order TO say mean things and no, he
called to account for them. / expecte1 +,
nave duel with him. ard got a store
ana sharpened my sword until IL shopo
Ike SILVER and had an edge like n razor
gave him one or two chances to chal
lenge me, but he did not do so. and a. last
ore day. when we We're pitching cam,
Marshall rode into my quarters. He NAV
- ss1Ss
taken my company for his
AT any rate ne came nm TO me and r,ed.,
some Insulting remark. I rose and saia.
rom Marshall. NE may as well settle ot,r
ieud. and now is good time az any.
Cet down from yodr horse and we will
fight it out
He replied. Not new. Some otho~
time ''''7%
= here drew nv swor,: and sa,a. The
zsA
You chose YOUR own time to mob me ~
Lexington. and YOU are a coward n Won
refrain on account of your surrouniIpr,s
Marshall hereupon RODE over 70 No
tent. in a few moments ne cana NJ,
With a's pistol saw him and wen, it,,
WF tent anc got mine, / came out wien
one In each hand. They were cooked and
said. ! am really for you
He VAS - coward ana no was afr.t4 A..
fife. lie turned his horse and rods h,rt
10 MS tent. That same evening ne f,;ag1
70 drown himself IN the Rio Grand view
nnt the men saw him and prevented MIN
hc vas afraid 10 fighf. but ne was NJ,
afraid 70 commit suicide. HAD We eas,..,,t
with swords would have carved hin, nm
Ike "A pancake"
The story Il Gen. Ciay'S carvaua g..
congress against WIci hFEe gives a.. -.
Insight Dot only into the ngbtfnn ch,s--
@cffF ~ this tiFe-eater. bat a!ss affor.at a
peep into that phase Of seuta-rr life tsa,
Is nos happily. extinct. lie once toIs ths
story In these words.
During the campaign Wickiine into
daoed my wtfss name into one - a.,
speeches l challenged him. ard ~ 81
az ten gsaces. Both Of us missed ard T
RAISED ny pistol IN into the air asd a..
manded a second FIRE. TIE sc~0ncz ~,
not permit this, and We left the gro,,.,5s
without reconciliation - an arotaxy a.,
either si1e- A. I look over the ,,+s..o.