Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-05-13
(Rlchmond Times Dispatch }

which he and Capt. John s. Wise, now
a resident of New York city. but then
of Richmond, Va, fought near Bangs
or Christiansburg station on the 18th
.day of July, 1882.
If | mistake not this was the last
Iduel fought in Virginia. and III the
memorable Democratic Readjuster
campaigns In the early eighties for II
has been said that after the Crockett
Wise meeting, the late Gen. William
| Malone issued an edict TO his Read
ljuster lieutenants to engage in no more
duels with the Fnnders. In those days
dueis We're quite common in V1rginla,
but the Crockett Wise meeting was
| the only one ever fought in this section
of the state. 1t was not the first time
hut was the last that Hon. Mr.. Wise
faced foe at ten PAGES on the duel
field. As will be recalled the political
contests, especially upon the hustlings
in Virginia in those campaigns, were
of the most beIIigeren1 nature, fire.
lquently terminating in personal en-
Ecounters which were often finally set
tied ION the field of honor"
| CAUSE OF DUEL.
| The nnpleasantness which termin-
ated in the duel between Mr.. Crockett
and Mr.. Wise grew out c. a friendly
conversation between them in the PRE-
sence of some mutual friends in q room
at the old Crockett Tavern on Main
Street in WytheviIle. Capt. Wise was
then canvassing this section OF the
Estate for Congressman-at large, the
late Hon. John E. Massie being his
lopponent. Mr.. Wise was running as
la Readjuster Republican and Mr..
Massie as the Readjuster Democrat and
Mr.. Wise, it will be remembered won
The conversation referred to was after
wards repeated by Mr.. Crockett. 1t
iinvolved the moral as well as the poll
ltical obligation in the settlement of the
then pending and all absorbing ques
tion of paying the State debt. and Mr..
Wise claimed that he had been mis-
quoted by Mr.. Crockett.
A short while afterwards Mr.. Wise's
appointments called him to Marion to
speak, where he met Mr.. Crockett, and
after an effort at an explanation they
came to blows, Or rather Mr.. Wise
struck Mr.. Crockett, and bystanders
interfered, preventing Crockett from
returning the assault. They were
} both arrested. taken before magis
trate and fined. Not being satisfied
with the outcome of the personal en-
counter with Mr.. Wise. Mr.. Crockett
returned to Wytheville and sent g
challenge to Mr.. Wise. The challenge
was written hy the late Gen. William
Terry, of Wythevllle, but could not bt
} delivered for some days, Mr.. Wise be
; ing engaged in canvassing what wa
then the s'back countless of the 9tl
} district, Wise. Lee, Scott and Buch
: lanan. Mr.. Stuart Crockett was Mr.
SICrockett's second. He met'Capt Wis
at Abingdon, where the challenge wa
: delivered. Capt Wise accepted
& through his second, the late Judg
} George w. Ward, OF that place.
THE CARTEL.
SI Judge Ward drew up the "cartel
and Bangs or Christiansburg depot wa
: selected as the place of meeting. Thi
3 was ON the oath of July, and the mex
D day the 25th was the time designated
Z Mr.. Crockett selected DR.. r. E. Moor
& of Wytheville, as his surgeon and Nj
B Wise selected the late DR.. Lewis Whei
: of Richmond, who was telegraphed
q be at ChrisJiansburg the next morl
D ing.
81 All of the parties, with the exec
y ltion of DR.. Wheat, went down to Chr
q ltiansburg on the same train. A repo
< got out in WytheviIle of the pendll
" duel and Crockett fearing that
= would be arrested rode through t
mountains at night to Martins TAI
now the progressive city of Pulaski
distance of over twenty miles, a
a took the train at that place. I
. lplace where the duel occurred was tn
q luuarters of mile from Bangs Oh
d Blacksburg Yellow Sulphur road.
x was on the right of the road, on bel
& tiful plateau near a piece OF woo
. lMr. Wise having the choice OF we
& ons selected duelling pistols.
El FACE TO FACE. .
Eel At the toss Judge Ward won the
* Election of position, and Mr.. Stu
& Crockett gave the word. The LAT
% lstepped off the distance, ten PAGES
WAS a cool, braclng July morning,
Y common in this mountainous sect
70 land as the sun was kissing the higf
&Ipeak of the Alleghanies the princil
q took their positions and at %" /
% fired simultaneously and missed,
XlCrockett shooting low and Mr.. v
high.
. The pistols were reloaded and
lCrockett in taking his accidently t
. lit. the ball going "across the lint
fire, high in the air." The pistol
again reloaded, and at the word,
Crockett fired, missing again, but {
Wise's pistol failed to dischar
ND why it has never been explained.
Two reasons have been assigned,
that 1.-THE ball was not driven hol
did not reach the powder; the
that udge Ward, Capt. Wise's sec
failed to cap it. After Mr.. Cro
Ihad offered to give Capt. Wise
other chance" Mr.. Crockett said
they were satisfied and all partie
the field,