The Carlisle independent., 1907-11-07
GAVE FOEMAN LIFE
CALHOUN'S MAGNANlMITY ON
 FIELD OF HONOR.
Took Fire of Opponent Without Re turning 1t, and Then Refused to Shoot When Adversary
 Was Defenseless.

lAe " ndS redd WllH mucn in- .terest the Stories from San Francisco Involving Patrick Calhoun, a former South Carolinian, who is charged with being implicated in the San Francisco scandals. According to the Rome Tribune, a Georgia paper, Calhoun spared the life of John D. Williamson, president of the Chattanooga 6 Rome railroad, by firing his revolver in the air after accepting challenge to a duel with Williamson. The Tribune says:
 Tn 1887 John D. Williamson, who is we'll remembered in Rome as having built the first horse car line in this city, was president of the old Chatta- nooga, Rome & Columbus railroad, now the Chattanooga branch of the Central of Georgia. At a meeting of railroad men in Atlanta, held some time during the winter of that year, Williamson got into an altercatlon with Pat Calhoun, who was at that time a high official connected with the Piedmont Air Line railway, and the lie was passed.
 AS IL IS HOW TGCdllSG, w was the one who charged the other withlying, and Calhoun issued the challenge for a fight according to the code.
 "Revolvers were the weapons chosen and the spot selected was on the Rome & Decatur railroad, now branch of the Southern, somewhere between Rome and Gadsden.
 Calhoun with his second and an other surgeon, went around through Gadsden and came up the road to about the Georgia line. where they found Williamson in waiting. Both cars, with their special engines, stood on the track, while the duel was in progress, about 50 yards away.
 Williamson won the toss for posi- tion, and as the sun was setting chose to stand at the edge of the woods, with the light behind him. They took their places, armed with five-chambered re- volvers, and the terms were that each was to fire until the chambers were ex- hausted or until one or the other fell. It is said that the seconds became in volved in quarrel themselves while on the ground, and that pistols were drawn.
 "At the word fire Williamson fired at Calhoun, and then, as fast as he could pull his trigger. emptied his gun, only to find his opponent unhurt. Cal houn had not fired shot, but stood with his revolver upraised. It looked as though he had Williamson at his mercy, for he was privileged, accord ing to the code, to fire at will.
 s.The Roman, it is said, looked at Calhoun intently, probably expecting to receive bullet the next instant, and when Calhoun said, I have five bullets here, with either one of which I can take your life, Williamson re- piled:
 q Fire, sir, I am ready to receive them
 For reply llhoun slowly raised his revolver until it pointed straight above his head, and then pulled the trigger five times, discharging every bullet in the air. Williamson was thunderstruck, and when Calhoun SmIleQ anu IlduS ulOllOu as tHOuSu to approach him, he took the first step, and they met between the pegs which they had been toeing.
 "Calhoun and Williamson returned on the Iatter's car, and when they reached Rome they were again fast friends, and there was nothing to indi- cate that they had come so near to shedding each others blood. It is said that on the way up several small bot ties were drunk to each others health in renewal of their friendship."- Richmond Times Dispatch.