The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-11
OLD TIME TRAGEDIES OF DUELING DAYS One of the Noted DueIS at
 BIadenSburg GRE EWSOME MEMORIES General A. T. Mason Killed by Cap tain "Jack' Mccarty-Election Quarrel That Ended in
 Death-SequeI.
GREY ME MEMORIES
From the Baltimore Sun.

 blood of the flower of our manhood that to this day the name of the old town savers of and recalls grewsome memo ries But perhaps no duel ever fought there caused more universal regret or widespread interest than that fought be- tween Mason and McCarty in February, lSl9
 Nearly one hundred years has passed since those cousins demanded satisfaction of each other under the requirements of the code of honor, and still the story is related by reminiscent old folk and i'm pressed upon us as one of Nrgina's trag edies Gen. Armstead T. Mason, United States senator, and Capt John M Me Carty, member of the house of delegates of Virginia were the combatants in the duel Both were sons of prominent Vir- ginia families. They were knsmen. both being grandsons of the first George Mason, author of bill of rights and pro prietor of "Gunston Hall,' on the Po- tomac. in Fairfax county.
 In the political and social issues of their day they were men of note General Mason was the uncle of James G. Mason, Confederate minister to France, who was taken from an English war ship the first year of the civil war He was a much older man than McCarty who claimed descent from the Kings of Munster. Ire land
 How the Quarrel Began.
 The quarrel which had such an un- happy ending originated at an election in Leesburg. Loudoun county, Va, in May ISIS. Captain McCarty had just returned from an electioneerng tour During his absence scurrlous reports with a ten dency to backen his reputation had been freely circulated. Damaging assertions appeared in the newspaper published in his own town, the Genius of Liberty ed tied by James H. Dulany. and under the immediate patronage of General Mason. That the latter gentleman was not alto gether gultess of conspiracy in these published defamations was firmly believed by McCarty and his adherents. Certain it is he did say that young McCarty had periured himself concerning his age, and that being a minor he had no vote, and consequently was inegible to office. Cap tain McCarty's rich Irish blood boiled with righteous indignation and an unright- eous anger when he learned of these statements.
 General Mason will not dare say such a thing to me- he declared, and going directly to the Generals office he de- manded either denial connrmation Of 1ne said statements. General Mason de- clared he was not in d position to deny them whereupon Captain McCarty struck him in the race. calling him liar and d the general to fight him. But the latter would not accept the challenge unless written in due form and brought to him by the proper parties.
 Capt. Mccartys Gard.
 Captain McIarty then caused a card to be published and freely circulated throughout the county This old sheet lies before the writer now. It is time worn and yellow by age, but it's very ap- pearance is interesting and reminiscent. it's black letters standing out on its yellow pages in bold relief One gazes on 1t with a sort of fascinated horror, for one knows it had d work to do and that it did 1t well. Here it is:
 ITO THE PUBLIC:
 During the period of my electoneer- ing excursion through Loudoun county, and since the termination of my contro- Versy with Gen. A. Y. Mason the Genius of Liberty, paper under his immediate patronage, has been frequently crowded with the bitterest inVectves against me- but they appeared in such q form that l could make no inquiries concerning them few days, however, after my election to the house of delegates piece prepared in the same paper signed 'Jurscola the author of which, from its general character of falsehood and scurrh l demanded from the editor, and shall make no other apology for not chastsing him than to inform the people of Loudoun that this suborned agent was William H. HandNHi Shortly after Mr. Handy was given up as the author of 'Juriscola' l was informed that MT. Handy had some days before obtained pair of dueling pistols from George II. Chichester, Esq. This intelligence was succeeded by some communications between Mir. Chicester and myself. and the negotiations resulted in a manner highly honorable to that gen d. in tom pending between us the annexed letter vas addressed to pr. Tebhs
 Ieesburg, May IT, ISIS.
 |" Sir: | understand you have tsen the bearer of q note from Mir John McCartY to George Mason Chichester demanding of him an explanation of his conduct in lending my pistols to MT Handy. The note as might be expected from the char acter of it's author, was such as not to entitle it to the respect of an answer, and accordingly it has not received one. l will. however, inform you that Mir Chi chester had no agency in the business eX- cept to deliver the pistols at my written request to Mr. Mandley Rust. It is true that l did not know or even suspect that they were for Mr. Handy; but that is of mo consequence, for if l had known all the circumstances l would have lent them to MT. Handy. The principal object of this note is to inform you than l am re- sponsible for the loan of those pistols. l am apprised that MT. John McCarty, like q coward and a scoundrel as he is, has come from Alexandria on a bullying eN- pedition. Not satisfied with the con tempt and derison to which his recent conduct has exposed him, he seems de- <-rmined to sink himself still further, If possible, into the depths of infamy. The prohigacy and pusllanmity of his char Rcter are so fully eXemplihed as to for bid me to expect anything honorable of him But l would wish him to know by the perusal of this letter that l do not, in imita ton of the example of MT Mer- cer, wish any of my friends to fight my battles for me. even if any of them could be "instlgated" to do it. And l repeat that 1 am responsible for the loan of my pistols of which he pretends to complain. "I am, sir your friend and humble ser want HAMPSTEAD T. MASON
 This correspondence brought Mason and McCarty face to face, and though there remained a long interval during which each indulged in all sorts of threats and billingsgate, a duel was plainly ineyita- hle. It was not actually fought. how ever, until February. lS19 the modus op- arandi being a point of dispute in the meanwhile. McCarty suggesting that one of the three ways be used: Clasp hands and jump from the dome of the capitol; sit on kegs of gunpowder on ignited fuses causing simultaneous explosions; hand to hand fight with drks. General Mason did not respond to any of these unusual means, it being finally arranged to fight with singe-barrel shotguns at