The Monticellonian., 1907-11-07
GAVE EOEMAN LIFE
cAtHoUNfs MAGNANlMfTY ON
 FIELD OF HONOR.
Took Fire of Opponent Without Re turning +, and Then Refused to Shoot When Adversary
 Was DefenseIess.

was OefenSetesS.
 The public has read with much 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 b Williamson. president of the Chattanooga X Rome railroad by firing his revolver in the air after accepting a challenge to d duel with Williamson. The Tribune says:
 In lSS7 John D. Williamson, who is well remembered in Rome as having built the first horse ear line in this city, was president of the old Ghatta, 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 altercation with Pat Calhoun, who was at that time high official connected with the Piedmont Air Line railway, and the lie was passed
 As it is now recalled. Williamson was the one who charged the other withlying and Calhoun issued the challenge for a fight according to the code Williamson accepted and named Jack King. who was then president of the old Merchants National bank here and large stoekhelder in the Chdtta- nooga. Rome & Columbus railroad. as his second. Air Kings death occurred at his home here about three years ago.
 Mr Calhoun,s second was Capt. Henry Jackson. one of Atlanta's most prominent attorneys at that time.
 Reroivers were the weapons chosen and the spot selected was on the Rome & Decatur railroad. now a 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 ears, with their special engines, stood on the track, while the duel was ill progress. about 50 yards away.
 Williamson won the toss for posi- ton, 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- yolvers. and the terms were that each was to fire until the chambers were eX- hausted or until one CT the other fell. It is said that the seconds became in- volved in q 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 a 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
 @The Roman 1t is said, looked at Calhoun fntently, probably expecting 10 receive | bullet the next instant, and when Calhoun said, I have five bullets here. with either one of which l can take your lie. Williamson re- piled.
 Fire. sir. I am ready to receive them
 For reply Calhoun slowly raised his revolver until 1t pointed straight above his head, and then pulled the trigger five times. discharging every bullet in the air Williamson was thunderstruck, and when Calhoun smiled and made a motion as though 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 latter.s ear. and when they reached Rome they were again fast friends. and there was nothiag 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 DiSDatch