The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-31
LIGHT BREAKING
In the soutl-AIemOrabl Scene in an
Atlanta Police Court.

In the sOutll-8IemOrAble Scene In an
Atlanta Police Court.
washington Post: OF course. every
body has heard Of and been interested
in the controversy. in Atlanta, between
Mr.. Atkinson and Colonel Thomson.
Mr.. Atkinson is a near relatives son
or nephew--of the Boston Atkinson,
who is now engaged. together with a
lot OF contributory copperheads and
traitors, in filnging mud at the Amer
lean flag; but he Is evidently quite an
other kind Of Yankee, reminding US
Of the heroes Of 1776. Colonel Thomson
is an ex-confederate, was a soldier Of
brilliant distinction in the civil war
and has ever since been regarded
Justly. 1t appears-as an honorable and
courageous gentleman. And It has hap
pened that these two. representing diff
ferent types, ideas and traditions,
equals In social position and in culture,
but utterly antagonists by Instinct and
by custom, have been brought into ser
Ious and, 1t was at one time feared,
deadly conflict.
The quarrel. however, has been adj
1usted to the honor OF both parties.
after an exhibition OF fearless frmness
on one side and a display OF chiVRlrous
generosity on the other, which may
well appeal to the admiration Of the
entire country. Some sort OF clash OF
conflicting interests had occurred at
Atlanta-it need not be described at
length-in the course Of which Colonel
Thomson permitted himself to use as
against Mr.. Atkinson language that no
gentleman in that part Of the country
would endure. Next day Mr.. Atkinson
encountered Colonel Thomson on the
street and attacked and severely In
tured him in a personal collision. No
weapons were used, but the victory OF
Mr.. Atkinson was consplcuously COM
plete. Then the parties were brought
into court, and to the surprise but sub
seQuent qualification Of the whole COM
munlty, Colonel Thomson admitted his
responsibility for the original proVoca-
lion, and frankly sustained Mr.. Atkln-
son in the action he had chosen to take.
We quote from the Atlanta Consutu-
TONS account OF the tPlal:
Last Monday said Colonel Thorn
son, 4 used language that resulted in
the assault being made upon me by Mr..
Atkinson, which, ! believe, was no
doubt justiARble, too
"a wave of sensation swept through
the court room and everybody leaned
forward to see Colonel Thomson.
Tuesday evening late, just before
/ went home, left my office and was
on my way to the Constitution building:
crossed Alabama street In diagonal
line and was near the curbstone, just In
front OF Stewart s. Rays stable, when
Mr.. Atkinson came on me with all
force.
"'The force completely knocked me
over and fell to the sidewalk. striking
on the left side Of my head The blow
from the sidewalk stunned me some
what, Ny head hit the curbstone.
think. When I fell Mr. Atkinson fell
upon me and began to pound me prop
erly. l think, us he should have done
under the circumstances.
To say that this declaration amazed
the audience were but feeble form OF
speech. Colonel Thomson, however,
continued:
land II your honor please, do not
think Mr.. Atkinson guilty OF any dis
order that was not 1ustlhable.'
81 think more OF Mr.. Atkinson to-
day than I did yesterday
''I have higher opinion Of HIM.
"'You are brave man., said some
one in the rear OF the colonel, but 1t
Is doubtful II he heard the plaudlt."
Thus the southern and the northern
ideas came Into conflict For our part
we do not believe in street encounters.
we regard them as brutaliZing. be-
cause they make mere physical
strength the standard and put the
highest type OF manhood at the mercy
OF the lowest. 1t appears in this In
stance, however, that there were no
important Inequalities, and that Mr..
Atklnsons action was not character
lied by any form of brutality. He re-
scented, as became gentleman, an I'M
putntIon cast upon his honor. and the
offender, after having been roughly
handled, had the generosity to ac--
knowledge that he was in error and
that he deserved his punishment
we hear n great deal OF feeble gush
over "herolsm" In the war with Spain,
but It seems to US that Mr.. Atkinson,
resenting an Injurious lmputation, In a
strange community. and against all the
local prejudices and convictions as to
method, presents quite as admirable
spectacle as Colonel Thomson, bound
by custom and tradition OF another
course. manfully acknowledging his
fault, and pleading for the safety md
favorable recognition OF his assailant.
Let the good work go on!