Smyrna times., 1912-08-21
DUELSIN MISSOURI
The Field of Honor Was a Com
mon Resort a Century Ago.
BATTLES ON BLOODY ISLAND.
This Notorious Fighting Ground Was
the Scene of the Two Duels Between
Benton and Lucas-RuIes of the
Geyer- kennerIv Meetino-

Benton and Lucas-Rules of the
Gsyer- kennerIy Meeting.
The Biographies used in the schools
today do not show Bloody island. a
one time notorious dueling resort in
the Mississippi river near st. Louis.
The spot remains, but it is no longer
an island" 1t now is a part of East
st. Louis
The opprobrious title was derived
from the many sanguinary encoun.
ters which took place on the island.
Here 1t was that the fatal affaire
d'honneur between Thomas Fl Ben.
ton and Charles H. Lucas took place
One day in 1916 these two men en-.
gagged in trying a lawsuit, one repre-
sendng the plaintiff and the other the
defendant Lucas was twenty-five
years old, son of judge and the dis
tr1ct attorney of the territory. Benton,
too, was well known and later became
United States senator. Lucas won the
case. His opponent accused him of
Juggling with the evidence. The ac-
cusation was resented, and it was re-
spOnsible for a challenge issued by
Benton. Lucas refused to fight, say
ing that he could not be held account
able for defending his client
Bad blood ensued, and from time 70
time the two men the next year often
engaged in harsh words. Finally on
an election day Benton questioned
Lucas right to vote. saying that the
other had not paid his taxes. 1t lrked
Lucas, who later referred to his enemy
as a puppy" This appellation was
too much for Benton, who again chal-
lenged Lucas to duel. This time the
challenge was accepted.
The two men met on Bloody island
Aug II, 1917. The encounter took
place at a distance Of thirty feet. Lu.
cas- fell with a 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 schOOlbOys, another fight was
planned. This time it was to be at a
distance Of only ten feet. Lucas was
mortally wounded. Benton was unin-
Jured. He approached the dying man,
according to custom, and expressed his
sorrow. Lucas flashed forth an accu-
sation Of murder, but a few minutes
later before dying he recanted and ex-
pressed his forgiveness.
But the first duel that ever took
place on Bloody island was fought in
1910 between DR.. Farrar and James A.
Graham. One Of Dr. Farrar's friends
challenged Graham. but the challenge
was refused on the ground that Far
rars friend was not a gentleman. Dr.
Farrar 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 on Bloody island oc-
CURED in 1916 between Captain Henry
S. Geyer and Captain George II. Ken
nerly, both veterans of the war of
1872 Captain Geyer was for many
years a leader in Missouri politics and
Kennerly was wounded at the second
fire and remained a 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
stead-JOshua Barton duel in 1916. the
Martin-Ramsey affair in 1918. the |
do
and Pettus- -Biddle
While duels would not be counte- |
nanced under any consideration today. |
it must be remembered that at this time |
they were almost as common among |
men as fights among schoOlboys. If a |
man felt that his honor had been i'm |
peached in any way the popular thing |
to do was to settle it by a duel, pistols
being used in nearly every instance.
p There was a certain unwritten code" |
observed. For instance, in the duel |
between Geyer and Kennerly the fol-
lowing were the rules:
The ground shall be measured of
to six PAGES
The gentlemen shall stand back to
back at the distance of six yards from
each other
At the word March the gentlemen
shall Immediately step off three PAGES
and turn and fire without further or
der
If either party reserves his fire and
continues to take aim after the other
has fired he shall be shot instantly by
the adverse second.
The seconds shall decide by lot which
gives the word
The only words shall be. Are you
readyT' and. being answered in the af-
frmative, the word March" shall be
the order for stepping of and turning
and firing as above stated.
The weapons smoothbore pistols.
The pistols to be delivered cooked to
the gentlemen after they have taken
their places and to be held hanging
down by the side until after the word
March"
One can readily see why Bloody is