Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-03-20
ANDREW JACKsoN's FIRST DUEL

None of Gen. Jackson's biographers
he himself never cared to speak of the
matter in later years, but some years
ago a granddaughter of Col. WaitStill
Avery told me the full story. Waitstill
Avery was a Massachusetts, man who
who went to North Carolina, carrying
with him a letter of recommendation
from no less a parsonage than Jona
than Edwards. He soon acquired rep
utation and influence, and in time be-
came attorney-general of the state. 1t
was his custom to take students of
law into his family, who became tutors
of his children.
In 1874, when Andrew Jackson was
but II years old, and ambitious to be-
come a lawyer, ne applied for this sit
uation The tradition is that he was
refused because daughter of Avery's
took dislike to his appearance
Young Jackson next applied to Spruce
McCay, a lawyer in Salisbury, N. c.,
in whose office he was fitted for the
bar, and shortly made his appearance
years of age he and Avery met in the
trial of a case at JonesborO, Tenn. It
was Jackson's habit to carry in his
saddle-bags a copy of Bacon IS
Abridgement,' and to make frequent
appeals to it in his cases. This pre-
cious book was always carefully done
up in coarse brown paper, such as
no oo+
bags of the present day were invented.
Inc unwrapping of this much-prized
volume before a court was very
solemn junction as performed by Jack
son.
Now, Avery had by this time
dropped whatever of Puritan sedate-
ness had commended him to Jonathan
Edwards, and was uncOmmonly fond
of a Joke. He procured piece of ba-
con lust the size of the book, and
while Jackson was addressing the
court he slipped out the volume from
it's wrappings and substituted the ba-
con. At length Jackson had occasion
to appeal to Lord Bacon. 1t was an
important case and he would not truss
to his memory. He would confound
his opponent by reading from the book
itself. While still talking he raised
the bearskin flap of his saddle-bags,
drew out the brown paper package,
carefully united the string, unfolded
the paper with the decorous gravity
of a priest handling the holy things OF
the altar and then, without looking at
what he held in his hand, exclaimed
triumphantly, 1--WE will now see what
Bacon says!"
The court, bar, jury and spectators
were convulsed with laughter before
Jackson saw the trick that had been
PLAYED on him. Of course he was fu
rious. He snatched pen and on the
blank leaf of a law book wrote a per-
emptory challenge, which he delivered
then and there. He asked for no apol-
ogy-nothing but blood would do. He
commanded Avery to select a friend
and arrange for the meeting at once.
Avery made no answer to this per-
emptory demand, thinking his peppery
antagonist would laugh rather than
fight, as he grew cooler. Jackson
grew hotter instead of cooler. Next
morning he sent this note, which was
full of bad spelling. My North Caro-
lima friend had seen the original and
in copying it had corrected the orthog-
raphy; but these are the exact words:
August -, 1888. Sir:-When a
mans feelings and character are in
iured he ought to seek a speedy re
dress. You received a few lines from
me yesterday, and undoubtedly you
understand me. My character you
have injured, and further, you have
insulted me in the presence of the
court and large audience. I there
fore call upon you, as a gentleman, to