The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-12-18
Col. R. B. Creecy Writes OF
the Dramatic Event.
He NEVER SMILED AGAIN
The Father of the Man Killed Was
Clouded in Sorrow.
DISASTER AND TROUBLE TO sURV v0R
He Lived Alone, Was Blind and Everything
His About Home Had an Air of Desola-
tor. His Wife's False Step
Made Her Insane.

Made Her Insane.
he most dramatic, saddest ard most
tragic event that has occurred in this -
Gritty was the duel Iorrht at Bladens-
| burg in the fall Of The 20. BY 7. +.
Jones and d. Z. johnson Within livi'lG
mtmory All Of the circumstances were
Of such 4 delicate character and the con-
nections, family and other, of the dis
tinguished combatants were SO numerous
ana SO highly respectable that contem-
rCrary chronicles could not relate the
| Gil cumstances III detail for fear Of wound
ing loving hearts already broken with
! Ell .ef. But now, that the grave has clos
Cd the ears of their kindred. one who
knew and loved them both with the ten
| derness of intimate friendship can tell
The sad story with unreserved p~lainness.
Thomas r. Jones and DR.. Daniel e.
| Johnson were the two leading men in the
town of Hartford. Leaders in society, in
influence, in business, in public senti-
mont. Jones had a young and pretty wife
wlo was the mother of an interesting
F.! family. Johnson was a bachelor, young,
intelligent, handsome, attractive. Jones
F.! ives a leading lawyer. Both had a follow
I II, VI deNolSu I'll ALo HoN
| Jones family physician. To both Of them
cur family relation was a school boy
friendship, strengthened by an attach
! mont which had grown With mature
tmSnhood.
II an evil hour, a note, confidential,
| w1s found ty a laundry woman in John
| sons pocket. It was too valuable . tird
for her curiosity. She showed it to a
! friend, that friend told it to another, and
| the public soon got it in their keeping. A
rival physician, hostile to Johnson,
f; wrote an anonymous note to Jones,
warning him, and exaggerating the hid
eoCs reports. Jones, q proud, loving and
! ser sitive husband. was maddened. He
determined to investigate. He said moth
| ing. Went to Camden court as usual
f; Let there on Tuesday. not as usual. Got
| hone at once after leaving his horse at
| the hotel. Went in. found Johnson in the
| Ia.lor in conversation with Mrs. Jones
In a burst Of passion and with profane
words, he ordered Johnson out of the
house. Johnson bowed himself out, say
ing only, in dignitled manner, 1T is your
itoUsc. sir and left. He went to his Of
fec and ~immediately sent {, note inviting
Jolses to mortal combat. It was ilnmedi.
ately accepted. Afterward, at the sug-
1 - t1hS ~ Win
drawn, and Jones then challenged John
sor. Accepted by Johnson. They soor
cTi anged for a meeting at B~ladensburg
Eeur Washington, d. c.. They met a
sunrise on a cold morning in November
Johnson was killed at the first fire, SnOt
Though the head. Jones was arrested
&ni in the preliminary examination The
boGy Of Johnson was laid out on a table
n the court room. Jones was convicted
AMI admitted to bail for appearance a
the rcgular term OF the circuit court.
lie afterwards appeared at the tern
CT court. and the Governor of Maryland
upon a representation made to him b,
the bar Of the Edenton circuit, ordered
The proceedings quashed.
There were other incidents of this
tragedy, some of which were given US b,
Mr.. Jones in a nights conversation q
Camden court, where we both stage
over night. during a session Of the court
The conversation was exciting. interest
ing and confidential. Jones loved the wo
man, even after the occurrence. VINO hae
so grievously wronged and wounded him
He regretted having ordered Johnson on
Of his house when he met him Their
when he came back Unexpectedly from
Camden court. He said there was moth
MS up oPNA III appCdl duISS WIcI IL
came in Unexpectedly. He said they were
sitting apart, on opposite sides of tn,
room.
When the duel was over and johnson
Killed, Johnson's pistol was found no
discharged and some Of Johnson's friend.
said johnson told them he did not intent
to fire at Jones at the first fire. because
he had wronged him. but if Jones insisted
on a second fire he meant to kill hin
ii he could. That seemed to trouble
Jones. He tried to convince US. from
circumstances thai occurred on til,
ground that morning that his purpose hac
changed, if he ever Durposed to withhold
his FIRE. He told us that he was on tn,
ground with his friend and second, Nixo1
White and his surgeon Dr.. Francis y
Mullen, first. He got there at day break
a few minutes before DR.. Johnson arrived
with his friend. DR.. A. NJ. Henderson am
his surgeon, DR.. Gibson, OF Baltimore
They arrived in a carriage just befor,
sunrise. 1t was a very cold morning. 20
warmth. Jones was walking up and dowl
On the ground. The carriage containin,
Johnson and his friends, drove up no
far from where Jones was walking. Whel
the carriage stopped Johnson cleared hi
throat, as if to attract attention. an
! then bowed 10 Jones. a custom then il
vogue as part of the code of duelling, a.
Mr.. Jones explained to US with a mamie,
which indicated contempt for it. Jonc
stopped in his walk, and turning to John
son, said: Don't speak to me YOU infer
nal scoundrel.' Johnson said nothing i,
reply, but cleared his throat again in
more emphatic manner. Jones took tina
second clearing of his throat to mean ;
new resolve to avenge personal insult
and he asked US if We had not observed
that it was a custom of Johnson to clea,
his throat when a new purpose had en-
tered his mind. After a moments re
lection, we told Mr.. Jones we though
We had.
Both the combatantS were our intimat,
{ personal friends from school days through