The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
SOME CALIFORNIA DUELS
MoRTAL FIGHTS ON THB FIULD OF
HONOR IN THE EARLY DAYS,

with Rines. HhotEunas ana Isreadnwernn.
POMONA, Cal. Sept. 22-The recent death Of
DR.. Samuel Handy, who. first and last a. prin.
cipal, second, surgeon, and umpire, appeared
on tho feld OF honor oftener than any one else
In California, has revived memories Of the long
list Of mortal duols in the Golden State. From
1850 to 1859 there wcro annually a score or two
Of ducls between Americans in this State. and
from 1850 to 1855 they were even more fro
ounnt. Tho Muxicans and Spaniards had he
uidos dozens OF duelA John w. Landon, who
camo from Maryland and edited q SansationAl
political Newspaper In Sacramento In tho early
nftics, fought four duels In thrco yoara Ho
killei ono man, HalsOy Barman. and was him
po!f shot once through the chest and at another
time through tho shoulder.
Tho code WAS tho commonly accepted mode
OF settling serious personal grievances in Cali
foruia during tho 1ftieS Most OF tho duelists
wcro young lawyers, politicians, and editors
Dozens of dunls were fought by lawyers because
OF incorporate speeches in court, and political
speakers were known to attack u candidate
publicly. with the knowledge that Q challenge
to the field Of honor would DO sont tn o next day.
There WAS no fooling about most of the Call.
fornia dusls, either. Pistols or rinss were
the usual weapons. Sometimes ~shotguns loaded
with an ounce ball or with buckshot woro used.
On a few occasions tho hatred Of the principals
for each other was SO Intense that they decided
to empty their seven-shooter pistols ut each
other. Two dnels were fought as late as 1874
In the vicinity Of Los Angeles, and one In what
Is now Ventura county, that bet vean Judge
David Hasslcr and Wollton Tucker, In 1878.
Ri, .he sentiment against The dual grow fast and
rtronr in the clrly sixties- md in the ndn,ipi..
trltion OF Gov. Leland Stanford. 1881 as tho
law against sending or receiving challenges
was rigidly enforced, and several men served
sentences in State prison for participation on
the field of honor.
One of tho bittcrest due,s ever fought in Cali.
foru.A was between State Senator Charlie, Iir.
r;ncot. and Robert Tsyis. mar Dovn,ev,u,
for;y years ago last July. reyis wns a hand.
some. brilliant man O. ~. n younrer brotber nj
LLOYD Tcyis, who has since booome n np,ti.
millionaire OF San Francisco and was for years
The Pc siIent of Wells. Fargo Expreas Con,nany
Robert Tevis WAS a native of Kentucky. a
graduate Of Yale CoIlcgp. and n chum in col.
lcrc Of Wayne Macveagh. He came to Califor.
MIA in 1858, and a few ye,rs later aspired to &c
10 Congress. In order to cot b.fo-s tho public
as a sneaker. he arranceo To make the Fonr,b
G. JUL Grafton at Doun,eviuo when ho b,t
sooksn an horr some n, bis politiosl cnom;ce
TIE Democrats, had the anyils fired. and thus
drowned his voice. Teyis omit tho spe,kcr,,
.,5nd in ansc. and modification. A few day.
later the Sierra Citizen published an acooun,
nj the ro,ohr,tIon md aid tint Tevis ,nd hi
foe. ACCOMMODATING marty had been lauQEcA on
o, Downiey;lle. Tho youny orator suartjn.
with race. puhi,hed n card a,noupciny sona.
tor Itnnincott the caitor NJ thu or, ,n 70
linr and n eneak. The dual fo,lovea saver.
hundred mon witnessed il. Tho sberit and h;
nossc raus unor m, To d;s,,ns IN,
crowd and arrest the duollists Whe, he founG
that tn, snot was NOT in his rYuhs, conntv H.,
made no further Efforts. While the marley viii.
The sheriff was in nrorrcss Tevis and Iinni,,
apart, practicing with shotSuns. which. loado
with an ounce hall they hid chosen as tbstr
weanons
At noon tho seconds called the prin.inals and
placed them on their po,ts Teyis was tail.
,yirv. and slender. He had a bovtsb cxnr,ssio,
On. If h;u fr;.,ds sa;a rac.,t,r n tho urj,a-.
Ii was distracted and his speech was IA
terins. but his resolution never waverod, IA,
n' uesre pIi u ehen4s > ouood was ~
keenest As he stood thore. gun In ham,
be a khostly man. standing on the edge Of H..
20" 80 =. 800 Nv 20 80 IS ~
wofia. 1 nave never neeh abe 10 enaee th"'
picture from my memory in a.! these years.
Lippincott was a short. broad,shoulderea
brawny man with decp-scs eyes. de was a"
expert shot and had used a shotgun hundred
"s' |uS' pf'''o"' i@''"s las ao'
s"ts. n c SN".
,ounx revis in NV life, and l never Jaw biz,
-, -. ~ ~ ~ 49,
:, WIZ c'' ,o Das u uI'o. - 10y a." -
here in mortal combat. I hone no Is a goo.
80 -. ha,h o.n1 ann,o ur. ,t,or 1T b..
tho'' ZOE ooth Vi US cohn' h'e HUG WHAT 7"
passed in public
,reyls and Lipp;pcott faced each other thur. =
....., NJ -. rs,oc.on, = H.,
pa'cs apart. iae crown oi spcc'a'"rs' 40 SION
a Geatn, stood a few yards to one side. A ST.
yey Di.ce vas to,eci and Teyis's second had
a., a. ,no1~o ot,u,s VIZ, IT.. ,rtnc;n. /
" ~ .'o,'' eu"' "H'" - 'tn.tp",
had received their weapons already cockcd.
le.ry Halliday stepped forth and called:
Are Won rndvf'
'EeaGy,' rcl lied lewis and Lippincott al
tie saue moment.
- - st. -,. ,oo 10 ,ha s,c,,so-
!heS rSiSco the'r guns aiihost 70 Az snouioci'
'pre. WV three hre!' said Halliday III
pcgEureI tones.
lie hnl no .ooner said ..Fir,," than botll
guns were discharged. A heavy smoke rose