Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-20

I q traitor to The south and that be
(Murphyl proposed to drive me bach
north. where l came from. Here were
two men inSulted. ] as the younger
man and the first cause of the trouble
argued that / should resent n. Dr.
Armitage argued that as a northern
man / was not fitted for such a con
test with southerner who had be-
longed to the poor white class. and fl
was his owD part. both for himself and
his daughters husband. to chastise
Murphy. And chastisement, of course.
meant a shooting match
Both Mrs Armitage and my wife.
who knew of the trouble. were very
much frightened. understanding that
Murphy's insult IN South Carolina
must be resented and dreading the
consequences. Armitage called meet
ing of several of his intimate friends
and asked them what course they rec
commended him and me to pursue.
They were very indignant at Murphy's
act, and some were in favor of send
fng a committee TO him to request that
he leave the state. Neither the doctor
nor ] would assent to this. Then one
of the planters asked If some ruse
could not be adopted by which Muir
ply would be put out of the fight
This suggestion found favor with my
father-in-law. and be adjourned the
meeting. saying that he would think It
over.
The result was that the next day
he told me be had formed u plan.
was TO purposely meet Murphy and
slap his face. Some of our friends
were TO go with me TO see that Muir
ply did not draw a knife or a pistol
on me. the object being TO force him
to challenge me. The plan the doctor
had in view turned upon the terms.
which were sure to give me an advan-
tage over my enemy-indeed, so great
an advantage that. while l could con-
quer him, l need not kill him. In 9TH
er words. the affair was to be not a
duel. but a method of Kidding US both
of Murphy's persecution.
The next evening / went to the bar
room of the tavern where Murphy had
given the insult and where / knew he
was 10 be found every evening drink
ing mint juleps. ! entered the room
with two friends. and, that l might
not be considered to have -ome espe-
cially to End him. we called for juIeps.
paying no attention to Murphy, who
sat at n table with another man. On
seeing me he scowied, but said moth
ing till we had finished our juleps and
were about to leave. AS we passed
him he Kissed:
yankee curt"
brought the palm of my hand
across his cheek and quickly stepped
back. and my friends placed them
selves between him and me. One of
them said TO him:
You have repeatedly injured a man
whose ancestors were South Caro-
Iinians. He is worthy of his fathers,
and. though they were gentlemen,
which you are not, he is ready to give
you satisfaction. l shall expect to
hear from you at my house at your
convenience"
With that we left the tavern.
Mr.. Murphy now had to choose be-
tween sending me challenge and be-
ing considered in the neighborhood
what he had called me-a cur The
challenge came. and handed it to DIR.
Armitage. A reply went back that
challenged party. | must insist on my
own terms. These were cavalry sa-
bers in a dark room. the time limit of
the contest TO be fifteen minutes. at
the expiration of which the doors
were to be thrown open and the affair
ended. The hour Of the meeting was
to be o'clock p. IN. or at twilight
Twenty-four hours elapsed and we
were beginning to think that Murphy
had been bluffed when a reply came
accepting the terms. A bedroom was
secured at the tavern from which ev
cry article of furniture was removed
except the carpet. There were but two
windows. which were boarded up, rem |
dering the room as nearly dark as pos |
sible.
At half past Or. Armitage. my Sec
ond. and myself entered the tavern
and passed upstairs to waiting room
that had been assigned US. The doc |
tor took out of his vest pocket & vial |
and a camels hair brush.
"Sir down there" he said. pointing