Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-07-18

that have been built up around the
facts Of the tragedy. Michael fancy
was the father Of Chief Justice fancy.
Mrs. Browns communication, which is
| addressed to McHenry Howard, is as
! follows:
{ So much has been said and written
lately about the fancy Magruder trag-
! edy, which occurred in Calvert county,
! Nd, in 1925 or 1926, I think it time
some one Of Judge Taney's friends
should write the exact truth. My
mother, Miss Brooke, born in 1916, re-
membered Mr. fancy and all about the
affair perfectly I have heard her tell
of it many times. Not long before her
death, July, 1898, she repeated it ID
the presence of a number OF friends,
the conversation having turned upon
Judge fancy. will give her words as
nearyl as possible
A number of gentlemen were dining
with Mr.. Michael fancy after fox
hunt. One Benjamin Magruder lifted
his glass and offered an insulting
toast to a young lady. Mr.. fancy, not
being the violent-tempered man repre-
scented, but quick to resent wrong,
said: "Mr. Magruder, gentlemen DO
not mention lady's name when no
ladies are present" Magruder replied
"Ah is she a lady, or your light
lover" Mr.. fancy sprang to his feet,
and they grappled, but friends
: separated them. The duel was ar
ranged in good faith by both parties,
; but their seconds did not put balls in
!: the pistols. All walked out on the
lawn, where the firing resulted without
harm to either. Both Mr.. fancy and
Magruder were surprised. The latter
took in the situation first, and with a
,, very significant laugh accused Mr..
. fancy of being a party to the decep-
. ton. Throwing his handkerchief down,
he dared Mr.. fancy to fight him across
it. They faced each other but their
friends again interfered. Then Mr..
Magruder called Mr.. fancy a name not
for me to speak. Mr. fancy then sprang
on and stabbed him.
r When the party realized the truth
no one was more distressed than Mr.
fancy. For days he neither slept nor
: ate, but remained in his own house
f with open doors, refusing to fly. The
e jury of inquest gave verdict of man
b slaughter. The sheriff made severa.
attempts to arrest him. Mr.. fancy
. told him from the hall of his home
e to kill him, but he would never be
S taken alive. Finally, urged on by Ma
n low FTsio oh mn
|. help. Mr. Taney's friends then induced
It him to leave My mother, then chile
of nine or ten years, was out in hel
fathers barn, hunting eggs, when she
came upon Mr.. fancy asleep on bee
r Of straw. She ran to the house, met
her father coming out, told him O.
: seeing Mr.. T. He explained the stu
J alton, impressing upon her the con-
d sequences if she told anyone what sht
knew. That night he, with othel
!, friends, took Mr.. fancy across thu
e Patuxet river to his brothers, Mr.
: Thomas fancy, who lived near what il
now Trent Hall. He reached Loudoul
I, county, Va, in safety, where he spen
o the remainder Of his life.
The young lady who was the limo
e cent cause of. this trouble was about
a sixteen. Her mother, a near relative
of Mrs. fancy, unfortunately, married
below her social position. Her hus-
p band died, leaving her in destitute
:! circumstances, with this one child
:, Her family connection, large AM
y prominent, wished to provide for her
q but her pride rebelled. She supported
herself and child by going among hel
) relatives, assisting with the house
e keeping and in many other things
| sonal attention of the ladies in thei
K homes. She was always looked upol
n and treated as social equal and will
d the greatest respect. After Mrs. Ia
q ney's death she spent one or twt
q months each year experimenting anG
a arranging Mr.. Taney's household, anG
d was there, with her daughter, at thu
t, time of the tragedy. Not one word o
II disrespect concerning mother o.
y daughter was ever heard, except those
S uttered by Benjamin Magruder, who
lt was in the habit of making disrespect
e full remarks about women, and had MI
n fancy not killed him it is more thai
Is likely some other would
There is not one word of truth il
e the statement that Mr.. fancy had ,paiG
marked attention to this child. This
. fiction, which so many tell for fact
9 is found only in a novel by james
y Hugerford. From it also the impress
sion Of Mr. Taney's violent temper
|. comes. This book the family laughed
over, never thinking anyone would
> consider it truth. Mr.. fancy was the
. reversal genial, high-toned, honor
y able man-but, when aroused by
wrong, quick to act. The whole coun.
ty was in sympathy with Mr.. fancy
l except the Magruder connection.
This statement is perfectly correct,
| and q So rr;xro ~.