Middletown transcript., 1907-08-03
sToRY OF TWO DUELs
4 Sword Thrust, Bullet Wound and
aa Extraordinary Sequel

al EXTRAORDINARY oeqMei
When dueling was an actual factor ii
the social order of this country ii had
many worths and notable exponents. in
Guiding no less distinguished personages
than Henry Clay. Andrew Jackson,
Alexander Hamilton, De Witt Clinton,
Stephen Decatur and others of the same
type, but nowhere on this continent was
it SO much an established institution as
in that peculiarly romantic old city Of
New Orleans. Il was woven into the
very fabricof the life of the community,
and many crumbling tombstone in
the antiquated creole cemeteries bears
grim and silent witness to the fact,
though to understand the situation more
clearly one should breathe, so to speak.
the atmosphere of the period.
N: Augustin, who afterward became a
district judge and general of the Louisiana
legion, was the victor in several encount-
ers in which the temper of the period
caused him to be engaged. One in par
ticular is note worthy on account OF the
part it played in an extraordinary freak
O. fortune. Alexander Graiihe was the
offending party, though the insult, or,
rather, prosocation, for gentlemen sell
dom insulted, would in this day be of
scant concern. But some cause of action
was present, and each was sure that a
deadly meeting would certainly follow.
They rode together in carriage with
ladies, who, after the duel, commented
on their mutual affability during the en-
tire trip, which only serves to show how
delicately adjusted was the code OF eti-
quette, especially in the presence Of ladies.
They fought at The Oaks, and as soon
as the weapons had been crossed and the
impressive sAllez, messieurs, pro-
nounced GraiIhe. who was high strung
and hot blooded-doubly SO under the
stress of what he regarded as grieyous
proyocation-lost his temper and furiously
charged his antagonist. Augustin, on
the contrary, was cool, collected and
agile, parrying each savage thrust until
by temps darret Sudden pause) judi
eiousIy interpolased into vicious lunge
of Grailhe's, he pierced him through the
chest Grailhe, with one of his lungs per-
forated, remained for a long time hover
ing between life and death, and when
at last he did come out of his room he
was bowed like an-octogenarian.
It was now only only a question of
time for the wounded man, as an internal
abscess had formed where it could not
be reaehed-surgery than was not what
it is now-and the doctors despaired OF
saving him. Some time after he had
been up and about quarrel with Colo-
mel Vaudeville de Marigny resulted IN
bis challenging that distinguished citi-
zen. This duel was also fought at The
Oaks, but as Grai!he was too weak to do
bimself justice with sword the weapons
chosen were pistols. at fifteen PAGES, each
to have two shots, advance five PAGES and
fire at will. At the first shot, fred sim
nltaneously, the unfortunate man fell
forward, pierced by his adyersary's bull
LET, which had entered the exact place of
bis former and yet unhealed wound.
Marigny, with pistol in hand and as
placid as a marble statue, advanced to
the utmost limit marked out, when
GraiIhe. who was suffering greatly, ex-
claimed: Fire again You have another
shot. -
With grave dignity Marigny raised bis
pistol above his head and fred into the
air, saying With frigid politeness. 'Ineyer
strike fallen foe.
More dead than alive, the stricken
duelist was carried home by his friends
and consigned to the care Of his physi-
clans; but, instead of sinking rapidly, as
was expected, he really began to mend
and by the following morning was much
improved. The ball had penetrated to
the abscess which had threatened his life
and made an exit for its poisonous accum-
ulations. Some time afterward he walked
out of his room as erect as ever and soon
regrined his health and stately bearing.
= Century Magazine.