The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01

danced on the waves to fight their second
duel.
ELDER LUCAss LETTER
TO HIS son CHARLES.
In L series of letters, remarkable for their
clear record of current political events and
sage advice to the his younger son. Will
liam. then in an Eastern college, written
49, Mr. ]. Z. c. Lucas, father OF Charles.
ia is to be found much that bears d.
-, ,non the affair between young Luz
cas- and Benton.
In a letter of this series. under date OF
Ct louis. August 10. 1877. he writes 10 WIZ
liam: u III.
rrao,ica of law and speculation in lands Is get
ting ,ich fast. The number of his enemies IL
daily increasing. 1 remember to have mehtloneo
to you that probably upon his return irom .ne
United States missouri was a Territory them
he vould he engaged in the most serious diff
culties.
forms his student son:
Charles has fought a duel on the 18th INST.
early in the morning, with Colonel Benton. a
gentleman OF the bar. Charles was wounoeo'
a bullet entered his neck near the throat on the
left side of it and came out about an men
and a half distant from the place 1t entered
in a declining direction. He lost good yield OF
blood; almost tainted.
7 was then at nv farm and came late in the
evening Of the same day. On my return 1 heard
Of the affair; that he was in bed at Mr.. Eas-
toms and was anxious to see me. 1 went I'M
mediately to see him and found him in excellent
spirits, but very hoarse. / entertained serious
apprehensions Of the wind pipe or other muscles
being impaired: however, l found his voice
the next morning a. It ought to be. :
He could not have had q more narrow escape.
He has hit his adversary's leg a little below
the knee, near the center Of the bone. 1t has
not cut the cloth of his pantaloons. = =
When yoit ycrita IN Charles do as IL you knew
nothing of this.
The next letter, dated September q. 1877,
reads:
Ny Dear son-we have met with an IRE
parable loss.
Your brother Charles is no more. He fell last
Saturday. early in the morning. in a single
combat with his former antagonist, Colonel
Benton. His enemies have at last succeeded to
have him killed, but none of them could subdue
him. " . = His irreproachable character. his
sterling worth, the fair prospects that his emf
nent qualities would be rewarded and public
esteem made him n mark OF envy.
Then, too, among the evenly penned, but
now yellowed and ragged letters of the
elder Lucas--who never recovered from the
blow dealt him in the death Of his brilliant
young son-occur these:
Joshua Barton. Sir-As there remains nothing
OF my late son, Charles Lucas. but his reputa-
ton, and as 1t is my sacred duty to defend
and protect it. I beg leave to npply to you for
Information on some particulars relating to his
differences with Mr.. Benton.
First, please to state what day you did notify
MIR. Lawless that Charles Lucas was sufficiently
recovered from his wound to meet Colonel Ben
ton, and what time of the day this notification
was given.
State fully what you said on that subject, how
direct and explicit you were.
Be pleased to relate whether Charles appeared
cool and collected when he took his ground at
the last interview with Benton: IL both fred
AT the same time, or II not. who fired the
soonest?
What were the words Mr.. Benton addressed
Charles after he fell? What was said or replied