Washington sentinel., 1901-03-30

latter replied. Never mind the
books; bring a case OF pistols.
The students were in the habit Of
settling their affairs OF honor either
lust before or Just after morning
Drawers. All the distinguished
Irishmen Of the earlier part OF the
nineteenth century were duellstS.
Daniel O'Connell was on the field
OF honor more than once, and
O'Gorman Mahou, famous figure
in the British Parliament IN the
sixties, was out ~ times. 1t is
familiar history that Daniel O'Con-
nelPs son challenged young Ben
iamin Disraeli (aiterward Lord
Beaconsieldl to mortal combat.
AS Tor our own American record,
dueling was quite a conventional
thing with US down to .he time Of
the Civil War, and as late as 1883,
il may be recalled that Mr.. Knox
and Mr., Sheehan, the last named
gentleman being a direct descend
ant OF that famous duelist Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, met at Far
Rockawav, near New York, and
exchanged shots, Knox being
wounded on the second fire. In
the same year, Mr.. r. R. Beirne
and Mr.. w. 6. Elan, two Rich
mond editors, met on the field OF
honor at Waynesboro, after a most
exciting race to escape the pursu-
ing sheriffs, and Mr.. Elan was
wounded in the hip, These, we
believe, were the last two duels
conducted according to the code
in this country. Our antebellum
record may we'll restrain our con-
temptuous comments on dueling
in Europe. There are many places
in this country which have tragic
memories as dueling grounds. On
the fighting grounds Of Bladens-
burg, named after Governor
Bladen, OF Maryland, many distin-
guished Americans have met. The
first duel was fought there in 1903
between two Congressman, Mr.. J.
w. Campbell, from Kentucky, and
Mr.. II. B. Gardiner, from New
York, the latter being severely
wounded. In 1914 Ensign Edward
Hopkins, Of the navy, was killed
there by a brother officer whose
name is still in doubt. There Ar
instead Thomson Mason, one Of
the most brilliant and popular Vir-
ginians Of the period, was killed
by his cousin, ohm Mason Nc
Carty, on a February morning in
1919. They fought with muskets
only 10 PAGES apart. The great
name OF Stephen Decatur, OF
Maryland, naval hero of 1912, is
also on the list OF Bladensburg's
victims. He was killed there in
1920 in a duel with James Barron,
a brother officer. Later came the
Graves (Ky.) and Ciliey (Maine)
duel, in which Cilley was killed.
The last fatal encounter on that
celebrated fighting ground was
fought as late as 1904, when Dan
iel Johnson, a physician, and
Thomas F. Jones, a lawyer, both
Of North Carolina, met there.
Johnson was instantly killed by his
adversary's first FIRE. A notable
duel between Virginians took place
at Weldon, N. c., about I84o, in
which Daniel Dupger, a Whig, was
killed by George e. Dromgoole,
Democratic member Of Congress
for the district.
The story OF the duel in which
Aaron Burr killed Alexander
Hamilton on the dueling grounds
near Weehawken, N. J., in 1904, is
too familiar to be rehearsed, The
Weehawken field OF honor saw
many other famous meetings. St.
Louis also had its famous dueling
ground, the notorious Bloody
Island" ." where not a few eminent
Americans OF an earlier day en-
gagged IN fatal encounters. The
latest American duel in which dis.
tinguished men took part was that
fought between Senator Broderick
and Judge Terry, in 1859, at the
Lake House dueling grounds, near
San Francisco. The affair came
of in the presence Of s. spectators,
manV OF whom made long Journeys
to witness 1t. Broderick was shot
through the lung and died a few
days later. 1t is only few years
ago that Terry himself came to a
tragic end, being killed by a Fed
eral deputy marshal, who believed
that he was about to attempt the
life OF Justice Stephen Field, Of the
Court.
While il is a matter Of record
that in France alone about 1000
duels are now fought every year,
and alike in the army and colleges
oil Germany duels are daily occur
rences. yet tendency to discredit
the "held Of honor" is distinctly
noticeable throughout Europe.
Pope Leo XIII, has recently taken
occasion to condemn dueling in
an emphatic manner, Emperor
William OF Germany not long since
issued an order to discourage and
restrict dueling IN the army, and
even in France, where dueling is
most in vogue, an anti dueling
league has Just been formed with
such men as the Prince de Broglie
and General de la Rogue at its
head. It's quite probable that be-
lore the present century has run
half its course dueling will be as
obsolete on the Continent Of |
Europe as it is in Britain and |
America.