Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-06
AN OLD DOCTORS EXPERIENCE
Incidents in a Projected Duel BY Two
Hot. Headed Barristers.

An old doctor from one Of the south
ern states, a gentleman now we'll ad-
vanced in the scale Of years, during d
visit to friends in Washington, week
or so ago, entertaining small party'of
friends with various "reminiscences IN
h,s career as a medical man and other
wise. spoke Of the days when the code
duello had wide championship in parts
of the country where he lived, and
practiced his profession.
Doctor" said one Of the party we
all know that in your earlier days
when YOU were young and handsome,
30 to speak, you were recognized as a
strong advocate Of duelling. Did you
ever engage as principal IN one
yourself?
mo" said the old gentleman, some
what mournfully. II did on one or TWO
occasions invite persons to the field
but the requests were not compile"
with, and, though have been present
at a few hostile meetings, 1 was there
in my humble capacity as surgeon
and, of course, to heal rather than 10
hurt any one"
Another member Of the small COM
pany inquired Of the doctor concerning
his presence at any fatal encounter.
Did you ever see a man killed IN q
regular old-fashioned duel?' was the
question.
"I am very happy to answer that
in the negative" was the reply. Ill
tell YOU of one incident that am
personally cognizant Of" said the doc
tor. "and that Is seasoned both Win
pathos and some little amusement.
This was before the war, when two
young men, both lawyers, became IN
yolved in q dispute in court and one
of them accused the other OF preVarl-
cation. He had no stronger language
but that was enough. The dispute
occurred in the forenoon and before
the afternoon was on the decline a
challenge had been sent and accepted.
The men were to fight at twenty PAGES
at daylight on the next morning. l
was surgeon for the challenger and
everything was arranged all right. The
offended man had a friend who was
to remain with him all night, and his
leading second, with myself, were to
call for him at o'clock on the morn
ing of the meeting and go with him
and others to the ground.
well, we did call, but couldn't get
our man. The report Of a duel got
out and the young fellows wife heard
Of it and captured him. She cried and
threatened and tainted, and went into
Mysteries about a dozen times. The
result of 1t was that 80 far as he was
concerned the affair was off. He
couldn't get away. The second, how
ever, went to the field to take his
place and I went along, Of course.
1--WE got there in full time. but to
our amazement there was no enemy.
The other mans wife had also been
apprised Of the intended meeting and
began screaming and Kicking ana
fainting, and he, like the other, could
not get away. His second came in the
course Of a few minutes, but, after
comforting with my mans second
(they were good friends. too), the two
agreed that it was not their funeral
and there was no duel.
Later on an arbitration committee
decided that there was no call for ex-
treme measures anyhow and, with
honors easy, the quarrel was settled.
These two fellows became good friends
afterward, as they were before the
dispute in court. Both Of them were
killed In the southwest during the civil
war;"