The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-07-04

are really but little more than fencing
matches. They may be chivalrous
and reckless. but they are not deadly
affairs.
Two officers Of Frederick the Great,
King Of Prussia, once asked his per-
mission to fight duel. Permission
was granted by the rough and over
bearing old monarch, but when they
met on the duclling ground next
morr;ng they found there a gallows
erected, and corporal's guard sta
toned, and inquiring the meaning
were told that his Majesty had order
ed that whoever survived the duel
should be Immediately hung. The
duel did not take place.
During the first sixty years Of the
last century, when duelling was SO in
force in South Carolina, there was q
rigid law, in words, against it--rigid
in words, but absolutely a dead letter
as regards enforcement. Public
opinion uphold duelling enthusiastic
cally and frown down the law. The
penalties under this law were very
severe, but never enforced. The pen.
alties under the present law are also
very severe. Their severity and
prompt enforcement, coupled with the
gradual capitalization of public opin.
ion against the oustom, have caused
duelling to beocme almost extinct.
Not absolutely extinct, however. In
the South We sti,. now and then hear
OF duel ia which the combatants
are guided anS governed by tho rigid
rules OF the old Code Duello.
The duelling ground before the war
was always come very quiet, hidden,
remote, unfrequented spot, where the
parties would not probably be sub
jected to the interruption of officers Of
the law-as psrfunotory and useless
as such interruptions might generally
be-.
Last week we spoks of Sand Bar
Ferry. Before the war, and for many
years after, it was within the domain
Of Edge6eld, ana we were proud of
il. Now, with itS glory gone, it is in
the domain Of Aiken. The days of
duelling are over, bu. the historic
note Of Sand Bar Ferry will never
die.
The mere mention of the place
brings to mind high-atrung honor,
reckless bravery, ohivalry unpreoe.
dented-pistols, early morning, .=o
parties ready to kill or die, q stepping
off of 30 many paoes, the words:
Ready, frel' and an affair Of honor
settled satisfaotorily-very eadly Of
ten'--horribly sometimes-hus aetia-
faotorily. =.~[
1t is best perhaps that duelling is
over. Thesse ere now so.called better
ways Of settling personal difficulties.
Sand Bar Ferry is NO more the place
of honor, ohivalry and bloodshed.
The pistols ring OUT no more on the
banks OF the Savannah, and few peo-
pie are with us now who can tell from
personal knowledge Of seeing duel
there, or of:what Sand Bar Ferry was
in the olden days. .. .
It is now almost forty years since
duel has taken place at Sand Bar
Farry. The last three duels that
came Of, there--if We remember
aright--ooourred in one aud the self.
same year--1870. One of these was
between very prominent and popular
young man Of Augusta, named Tilly-
sndson account: Of his ohivalry, gen.
eroaity and elegant psrsonal habits he
vas called tE his friends "Couut
Tilly":---sna another equally promi.
nent aud, popular named; Radcliffe.
Tho trouble was about woman, and,
sad to soy. not a good woman. Women
over whom men fight to The death are
not generally good women. "Count
Eillg" was killed outright -. -.
Cornelius Redd, . man we'll known
in Augusta during the var period,
aud said to be a desperate: fellow, be.
came engaged in dispute With anoth.
or desperate party BY the name Of
Copeland, Of Washington, D. q.
The trouble was, about : gambling
aebt, and the two deoidedto fight it
out according to the Code. :,
ii i They. selsotea d seconds and a sur.
gsonf ana with some hftyts interested,
spectators repaired to tho Sand Bar
Ferry sduellins grounds at shout 4
o;olookpne afternoon, .ceAs weapons
for ls4hs ssttlemenE of Ethse difhepltys|
wsss ssvy ropeasers: % *. = ~. Y
: 4 IA {f,envtt n 4 "A uou sks mon e.s.S