Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-21
NO. so.

put in type. It would have blistered
longed to his newspaper and his chief
then as completely as Highland gill
lie to the lord Of his clan. From print
er's devil and apprentice up we were
expected to share the editors battle,
to maintain his cause, to resent as a
personal insult every criticism on our
news or editorial methods. When Col
onel Rhett came to the office the
morning Of the denunciation Of him
| by the News and Courier there was a
consultation in the local room. 1t
was assumed that there would be
fight In the streets and that Captain
Dawson would have at least two
friends with him. Frank McHugh-
long since dead, poor fellow, and
good and loyal fellow he was-and I
were awarded the honor Of being the
two first men to second him, because
we were young and had no families.
Our pistols were discussed, tried and
examined, and the local editor, from
certain experiences of his own, gave
US useful instructions as to drawing
and tanning, and settling the butts In
,ur hands. When Colonel Rhett walk
ed out McHugh and I were twenty
steps behind him, keeping heedful
watch on his erect, slender shoulders,
and behind us trailed casually large
section Of the local and typographical
staff, anticipating joyously that the en-
tire staff of the News and Courier
might participate with Captain Daw-
son and that the question Of local
newspaper supremacy might be set
tied then and there in general battle
without annoying details or the tedi-
Gus necessity of labor.
There Was no Fight.
/ From the News and Courier office
to State street was line of detectives,
sent there by Mayor Cunningham to
keep the peace. At least five hundred
citizens had gathered on the steps Of
the old postoffice, looking up Broad
street and along the sidewalks to see
the expected fight. To the general
disgust and disappointment there was
no fight. Colonel Rhett went peace
fully to his home, then, I believe.
somewhere in Meeting street. A few
minutes later McHugh and and our
following, coming up Meeting street,
encountered Captain Dawson and his
brother-in-law arm in arm, and the
two hostile parties passed with nothing
more harmful than mutual giares and
scrupulous measurement and allot-
ment of the sections of the sidewalk
to which we were respectively enti-
tied. Colonel Rhet had killed Judge
| Cooley in a duel near New Orleans
and, think, was painfully sensitive
on the subject of being regarded as
man killer.
/ .Dawson's fixed idea was that Rhett
had been brought to South Carolina to
kill him, and to the day Of his death
he never forgave the men whom he
iregarded as being In q plot against his
life. Probably he was mistaken. tits
4 certain that Colonel Rhett never
would have been party to plan to
kill a man deliberately. He was said
i to be dead shot with firearms Of any
kind and was intensely sensitive on
questions Of personal honor, but he
would not fight you for vengeance un-
less he felt It to be absolutely neces.
sary.
About the second interview I had
with him after he came into the Office
IL had then been promoted to writ
i ing ub-editorials-he gave me a copy
Of John Lyde Wilson's Code Of Honor
and Of the Rhett and Calhoun corre-
spondence preceding fatal duel, and
impressed on me that the purpose Of
the Code was not fighting, but the ad-
| justment of troubles among gentle
men honorably to all. In the episode
with Captain Dawson he 'contented
himself with a brief editorial state
ment to the effect that Captain Daw-
son, being already under two chal-
lenges not accepted, and having pub
licly announced his purpose to accept
no challenges, was outside the pale
and beyond the notice Of a gentleman,
whatever he might say or do.
Three Towering Figures.
Time teaches US many things. 1t
was my fortune to have quarrels and
friendships with the three towering
figures of modern South Carolina jour-
/ nalism, Dawson, Rhett and N. g. Con-
zales. Like many others, I resented
Colonel Rhetts failure to fight Daw-
son when the opportunity was not only
offered but urged. I have lived to
realize that his course Of inaction was
best for his own reputation and for
the state. I was alternately Captain
Dawson's fierce enemy, close friend,
bitter foe and friend again-his friend,
thank God, when he died. Looking
back I can recognize and honor the
splendid intellect, the moral and phys
ical courage, the robust manhood,
which marked and guided his whole
course of life, whatever his defects
may have been.
One of the most wonderful instances
Of mastery newspaper strategy, one
Of the most remarkable illustrations
of newspaper competency and knowl-
edge as opposed to incompetency and
lack Of knowledge, in all the history
of the trade, was given that year. The
Journal Of Commerce won Its fight for
the straightout policy. The press OF
the state was with 1t. The people were
| with II. Poor as South Carolinians
were then, subscriptions actually
poured in on it. I have seen from one
mail two bushel baskets Of letters.
each containing subscriptions and
money. At the same time the mail OF
the News and Courier was filled with
stop orders and returned copies. All
over the state Democratic clubs met
sent in subscriptions en- masse to the
Journal of Commerce, and resolved
that such members as were paid up
subscribers to the News and Courier