The daily Alaskan., 1912-07-30
'DUELSIN MISSOURI
The Field of Honor Was a Com
 mon Resort a Century Ago.
BATTLES ON BLOODY ISLAND.
Thil Notorious Fighting Ground Was the Scene of the I've ousIs Between 5snton and lueas-Ruiss of the Gsysr. Kenneriy Meeting.

DtNk00 dtt0 &tNdb-Fhef01 VI Nf"
 Gsysr. Kenneriy Meeting.
 The geographies used In the schools todiiy do not show Blooly island. q one time notorious dueliug resort Ia the Mississippi river near St Louis The spot remains, but t Is no longer an island It now Is part of East l St. Louis
 The opprobrious title was derived from the many sanguinary encoun tefs which took place on the island Here lt was that the fatal sffaire d'hOnneur between Thomas II. Ben ton and Charles II. Lucas took place.
 One day in lSI6 these two men en. gagged in trying a lawsuit. one repre- senling the plantiff and the other tine defendant Lucas was twenty years old. son of judge and the dis trict attorney Of the territory. Benton. too, was we'll known and later became United states senator Lucas won the cass. His opponent accused him Of juggling with the evidence The ac cuShtion was resented. aud it was re sponsibe for challenge issued by Betton LGcns refused to fight say ing that he could not be held account abln for defending his client
 Rsd blood susucd. and from time Co time the two men the next year often engaged in harsh words. Finally on an election day Benton questioned Lucns' right to vote. saying that the other had not paid his taxes, It irked Lucas. who later referred to his enemy as puppy" This appellatlon was too much for Benton. who again ehal lenlscd Lucas to a duel This time the challenge was accepted
 The two men met on Bloody Island Aun I2. IslT. The encounter took place at q distance of thirty feet Lu- cas fell with . bullet in his neck upon the exchange of shots. Upon the ad- vice, of seconds Lucas declared himself satisfied The men shook hands and went to their homes. The wound WAS not dangerous. A few days later the 
 two men met on the street again, and. like two schcolboys. another dght was planned. This time 1t was to be at a distance of only ten feet Lucas was motTally wounded. Benton was uniu. jur,sd. He approached the dying man. according to custom, and expressed his sorrow. Lucas flashed forth an accu- sation of murder. but few minutes iater before dying he recanted and ex- pressed his forgiveness.
 But the first duel that ever took place on Bloody island was fought iD islD between pr. Farrar and James X Graham. One of pr. Farrar's friends challenged Graham. but the challenge was refused ou the ground that Far rars friend was not gentleman. Dr. FaiTar was then under obligation to defend the honor of his friend. This challenge was accepted. and as a re- suit Graham was severely injured and died after months of suffering.
 A second duel ou Bloody island cc. cured in 1916 between Captain Henry s. tSeyer and Captain George H. Ken uerly, both veterans of the war of 1912. Captain Geyer was for many years leader in Missouri politics and one of the states most able lawyers. Kehnerly was wounded ct the second fire and remained cripple for life.
 There were many other duels fought here between some of Missouri's early statesmen and pioneers. A few Of the encounters were the Thomas Hemp stesd.Ioshua Barton duel in 1sl6- the Martin.Ramsey affair in ISIS the Retnolds. Brown. walker.Marmaduke and Pettus- Riddle.
 while duels would not be countc- na,,ced under any consideration today, it rnast be remembered that at this time they were almost as common among men as ights among schoolboys. If q man felt that his honor had been im- pe;iched In any way the popular thing to do was to settle 1t by duel. pistols being used in nearly every instance
 There was a certain unwritten code" observed. For instance. in the duel between Geyer and Kenoerly the fol- lowing were the rules:
 The ground shall be measured on to six paces.
 The gentlemen shall stand back to back at the distance of six yards from each other
 llt the word March" the gentlemen shail immediately step off three paces and turn and Ire without further or dei..
 If either party reserves his fire and continues to take aim after the other has fired he shall be shot instantly by tho adverse second
 The seconds shall decide by lot which gi' Iae word
 only words shall be. Are you re,d, ?' and. being answered in the af- irnative. the word March" shall be the order for stepping off and turning and firing as above stated.
 The weapons smoothbore pistols.
 The pistols to be delivered cooked to tn, gentlemen after they have taken thsir places and to be held hanging down by the side until after the word 'Atarch."
 One can readily see why Bloody is- land should become popular spot for auels. First 1t was near St Louis, the