Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-20
61e Surgeons VindicatiOn


was studying medicine in Philadelphia.
Jeliffe was graduated a few months
after the firing on Fort Sumter, which |
opened the war. He was a delicate lit
tie fellow not at all in the fighting line,
the only bullets he took to being his |
pills. He would have liked to stay in |
the north, where he would not be ex- !
pected to fight, but his father peremp-
torily ordered him home, and the med
zeal knowledge he had gained was APP
propriated by the Confederacy.
Little Jeliffe was looked upon as
| being so feminine and received so
many taunts on that account that he
made up his mind he must do some
thing to prove his manliness. Being
| invited to a carouse by some Of his
! brother officers, he carried out his III
tention by getting drunk. Fortified
with an infusion of the blood of John
| BareycOrn, he was brave as a lion,
and when one of his associates called
him Miss Jellffe he smote the offender
hip and thigh-that is. he threw a
glass Of whisky in his face. The In
suffer, Captain Ralph Pawning, would
have annihilated the young surgeon
then and there. but the others placed
themselves between the two and pre-
vented
The next morning the doctor awoke
with splitting headache. He had
scarcely opened his eyes when there
was tap on his tent pole and in
walked Lieutenant Rutledge He in
formed Jeliffe that he had been sent by
Captain Pawning to demand satisfac-
ton for 1.-The outrage" of the night be-
fore. Jeliffe asked what outrage"
Rutledge refreshed his memory. Jeliffe
was astonished and, not knowing
what to do, said that he would COM
municate with the challenger later.
The lieutenant having departed, Jeliffe
sent for one of his brother officers,
, Captain Parker, with whom he was
r most intimate, for consultation and ad-
vice. Parker looked serious, stroked
his beard and said:
: "Reckon you're in a hole, Davey.
+ You can only get out in one way-by
, taking your chances with Pawning.
You must meet him."
"Why not apologizer moaned Jeliffe.
= Because you've been regarded the
n Miss Nancy of the regiment and II
!. you apologize after having resented
q being called 50 it will fix your status.
n You'll have to stand the contempt of
, every officer"
Parker left the tent with reluctant
- permission from Jeliffe to arrange the
! terms of a meeting and as soon as he
had gone Jeliffe gave himself up to
a despair.
d. There was desultory fighting for q
d week, then a lull. One morning Lieu
tenant Rutledge came to Jelitfe and
II told him the meeting must take place
" Jeliffe plucked up what courage he
IN could muster and said he would SEE
IN Parker. Parker Immediately went t.
Rutledge and returned with the in
7 formation that all had been arranged
o. The meeting was to take place in ;
7 field Just back of the picket line a
/" daylight the next morning.
a. Jelffe, fearing to show his condition
y, before his brother officers, kept hi
he tent. Soon after taps he put on
he his candle to prevent any one comin
r. in and sat on his cot in terror. Mid
AZ night came, and he was still sitting i
q the same position. At o'clock in tn
hc morning he had become desperate, an
nj ut 4, when his second came to his ten
n he was ready to die. He walked out
he the field, showing neither trepidatio
nor bravery. He was subject to S
many conflicting emotions that the
RI neutralized one another.
Cd They found their opponents on tn
field waiting for them. There being L
ma duelng pistols in camp, the second
had arranged that shots should be e,
m. changed with revolvers. At a signt
the opponents should begin firing an
an continue till one had fallen or IL
chambers Of his revolver had bee
al. emptied. They were placed thir'
nv PAGES apart, Jeliffe facing the east ar
al. Pawning the west Rutledge was
give the signal by dropping han
Ia. kerchief. Both the principals had the
Re- weapons raised, as was permitted
,or the terms. The handkerchief was st
futtering in the wind when there WI
oil "crackw and Pawning fell dead.
\" Rutledge looked with a glare at
Icb life and put his hand to his hip,
inf tending to shoot him, supposing tn
ent ne nau Ireu OeAoEe MS 'iine' wv
nod ker prevented. Both ran to Pawnii
var and found him stone dead. They pI
rcd ceeded to Jeliffe, took his revolver al
be found that it had not been discharge
nm. Suddenly several shots were heard, a
,oI. bullets whirled about the heads of
emit party. They precipitately took
lao cover.
les, II was pam enough now. Inc 81
they had chosen was exposed to
hia enemys picket hne' ana fa"hlns
his been killed by sharpshooter. I
Al question arose what should they 8
; Of about the duel. 1t was decided to g
ned the facts, generating Jeliffe and CO
ing mending him for the fortitude W
In. which he had stood up to fight W
one of the braYest men in the arr