Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-27

tant. 1t was fun to the boys, and they would let
1t proceed Mr.. Prentice always wore little, old,
yarn jacket when at work, and when he had doned
his coat and donned the "wampus," one of the re-
porters would syly rid the pocket of the nuisance
and the trouble would discontinue until the next
time.
great many people unwittingly confuse George
d. Prentice of the Louisville Journal with Sargent
S. Prentiss of Mississippi. Both were natives Of
New England and in many points of character they
resemble each other though they differed widely
the poles in general way
Prentice is often spoken of as dueist but am
quite sure that he never fought duel, though fire.
quently challenged. He went to Arkansas once in
response to that sort of invitation, but the affair
adjusted in a satisfactory way before the prin-
cipas met the field. He really had contempt
for the code duello."
81 have been credited with being particularly
game" he once said to this writer. But the fact
is that somewhat tmid. l knew, however,
when came to Kentucky that If l wished to
main here that l must display willingness to
fight, and that sort of show has shielded me from
many a serious difficulty"
Frequently Prentice escaped duels by means of
joke Once when he had been invited to make
target of himself as matter of honor he re
Piled
at takes only one fool to send challenge but
it takes two to fight and beg to be omitted from
the category"
On another occasion he accepted, and having
choice of weapons, he insisted that each should
he armed with cask of whisky and straw and
that each should suck with his straw from his cask
until one should fall and that one should be con
sdered vanquished and the others honor satisfied
Frequently however, Prentice was suddenly
brought into personal encounter from which he al
ways emerged with full credit, and even honor to
himself Once, for instance, Frankfort editor
fired at him with a pistol on a Louisville street
Prentice closed with the man and had him down
with a knife brandshed above him. Some by
ISLANDERS shouted Kill the scoundrel!' Cut his
head off" and the like, but Prentice put away the
knife remarking he did So IL cannot Kill an
unarmed man." and allowed his foe to arise, The
two afterward became close friends.
In such matters Prentice of Louisville was un
like Prentiss of Vicksburg for the latter was near
ly always Spelling for a fight and would shoot
lat the drop of hat" 1t is said Of him. and with
good warrant that Prentiss would leave a hand at
a game of poker and go out to exchange SHOTS WIN
a gentleman who sought that sort of diversion. ana
would then come back and take up his cards 10
see if he could "open a jackpot'-whateVer that Is
little while after taking charge of the Journal,
Mr. Prentice was in the fercest local fire OF pc
litical battle and hand to hand with Shadrack
Penn the editor of the Louisville Advertiser and
the champion of Kentucky Democracy In those
DAVIS PENIS friends expected him to shlVer
Prentices lance in the onset, but the youthful
stranger did not hesitate to engage MS veteran
antagonist He said that while he did not desire
strife he was ready for It, and declared tnaC MS
editorial culver was armed with quilts OF all sizes
From, those of the hummingbird to those of the
ooo1e and made Louisville too torrid for Penn,
who went to st. Louis.
For eleven wears these giants OF those Gays
waged their polemc and Prentice became Ia
nous throughout the world