The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-23
SOME MEMORABLE DLIELS.

/ - BOUT year ago was requested
4 80 by letter 10 write for publication
4 MN an account OF the CxsIey and
| VA Graves due. The request came
j from q gentleman who had evil
/ IDENTIFY read somc Of ny rem!nLs-
/ eeness, as published in the Seattle Journals.
/ and therefore took 4 Tor granted that
/ was familiar with the circumstances at
tending this ncsahie traxicd event.
1 Though remembering the duel and the sfri-
sa.son it creates3--a sensation ~ intense
| as il was Widespread. reaching from the
1 center 20 the circumference OF our coun-
| try--the 6etaiss had escaped my memory.
| thus rendering 1, difficult az the time %
4 crafty my correspondent In addition 10
| this Eny time was then otherwise occupied.
| Being nGw a. leisure. and having n the
1 interim obtained from an authentic source
/! the particulars I shall proceed to relate
| them as couc1sely az possible.
| Jonathan cl,ey WAS born in nottingham.
| ~. H., July 2. lSa3 He graduated at Bow
| doin college In isss. and numbered among
| his classmates LongfsIlow and Hawthorne.
| Subsequently he studied Law In Thomas
| ton. Me- with United States Senator John
Rugg.es. Almost Immediately after h.s
| admission 10 the bar he entered political
| lie. and from $50 TO 1871 edited the
Thomaxson Register. In 1854 he was .
presidential elector. and was elected a.
elected till 1887, becoming speaker In 1855
and the acknowledged leader OF his party
| In that body. In 1887 he was elected -
Van Buren, Democrat TO congress, serving
J from September until his death. Febru-
AIRY ~ ISIS. at the hands Of William Jor-
dan Graves. Wing congressman from
Kentucky.
The duel originated IN a speech delivered
by Mr.. Cliley IN the house of representa-
tives, In which he criticised Q change OF
corruption mace against congressman II
a letter published In the New York Cour-
Ter and Inquirer over the signature OF "A
Spy In Washington and approved In tina
editorial columns OF that paper. The edi-
tor Gen. James Watson Webb. at once
went 10 Washington ami sent challenge
to Mr.. CIisey by Mr.. Graves. but the FOR
mer declined to receive any hostile COM
munication from the latter on the ground
that he had made no reflections on tho
personal character OF Gen. Webb Mr..
Graves himself then challenged Mr.. Cilley
and the challenge was accepted. The par
ties repaired with their seconds to Bladens-
burg Nd, where they met on the 2sth or
February, is3S. Rifles were the weapons
chosen. and at the third FIRE Mr.. Ctiley
fell shot through the body and died In
stantly. A committee of seven members
OF the house was appointed to Investigate
the causes that led to Mr. CD1ey's DEATH
The committee, In an elaborate and COM
prehens.ve report. declared that Mr.. Graves
deserved ''the decided censure OF the house.
and that he should be censured accord
hgly."
Graves was a native OF Kentucky. hav-
ing been born a. Newcastle, in that state.
In 1863. 1t is thus seen that both Graves
and ciliey were young. as compared with
other members OF congress; both were law
yers by profession. but differed In politics.
Graves served in congress from 1855 TO 1Sn.
He was again elected TO the house OF rep
resentatives In 1s43. In lS4S he was presi-
Dental elector, and dice in Louisville In
September OF the same year. 1t was said
that the last years OF his life were en-
Uttered with remorse at the unjustifiabie
killing OF Ciliey.
Gen. James Watson Webb, the instgator
Of the above duel was A keenly sensitive
man and quick 10 resent an insult. real
| or fancIed. In isi2 he assalIed In the coll
umns of his journal Hon. Thomas f. Mar
| shall of Kentucky. and received o chal-
| lenge from the popular orator. In the duel
| that ensued Webb was wounded, but sur
| viyeS. until June. 1854. when he died at the
| age OF 50 years For many years he was
an influential Whig journalist OF New York
| city.
| The death OF Cilley was deeply deplored
| because Of the early promise he gave Of
| distinguished public career. III his life
| had been spared, he would unQuestionably
| have taken high rank a. a leader OK men.
| He was the peer OF the most intellectual
men of his years. His rapid strides from
| comparative obscurity to national fame had
been phenomenal and would not have stop
pee. short OF the highest Office In the gift
OF the people. These things were recalled
after his untimely death, which Wings and
Democrats alike sincerely deplored
Our country has ben the scene OF some
of the most sensational duets recorded IN
the so-caled code OF honor" The high
public character OF the men engaged IN
has maze them memorable events. to be
recalled In after years, by those who lived
at the PERIOD OF their occurrence or py
later generations who desired more than
vague knowledge OF the causes which
led TO them. Several OF these, CLEANED
from IRE published lives of the actors, are
given below TO supplement the foregoing.
The Burr ana Hamilton duel was fought
IN New Jersey on the eth OF July. lS04
Hamilton was wounded at the first IRE.
Burr's shot. says his hiographer, was
more fatal 10 himself than to his foe for
he left the field OF honor q ruined man.
In his earlier days he was a devoted
Christian and for a season studied the
oiogy. In 1Sn he was elected vice presi-
dent on the ticket with Thomas jefferson,
and his life was full OF premise. After
the duel he becane an inf1del and an Ish-
mael.te. and led a life as wre.che6 as that
/ OF Benedict Arnold. The duel originated
In some strlcturss by Hamilton concerning
Burr during the gubernasor.al canvass In
New York.
Anirew Jackson fought two dneis, the
first one In 1875. with a lawyer named
Avery, with whom he guarded IN a court
room. A reconciliation followed an ex-
change ot shots, In which neither was hit.
His fight with Charles Dickinson in 1885,
* saSSa =<x4x F~H
determined In this affair 20 kill or be killed.
fer Dickinson had committed an unparion-
able offsnse tn some disparagsng remarks
relating to Janksoa's wife. who was ig-
norantiy guilty If bsgamy IA marrying
Jackson before obtaining divorce from
her first husband In this duel Dickinson
was killed instantly ani Jackson received
SO serious wound that he felt its effects
during the remainder OF his life
California has feen the scene 90 several
sensational daels. the most fSosab,e OF
which was that 81 David Co.bre,h Broder-