The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-07-20
DUELSIN MISSOURI.
The Field If Honor Was a Com.
mon Eesort a Century Ago.
BATTLES ON BLOODY ISLAND


one time notorious dueling resort In
the Mississippi river near st. Louis.
The spot remains. but II Is no longer
an Island It now Is part OF East
81. Louis
The opprobrious title was derived
from the many sanguinary encoun
tiers which took place on the island
Here IL was that the fatal affaire
d'honneur between Thomas III. Ben.
ton and Charles II. Lucas took place
One day IN 1916 these two men en-.
gagged In trying a lawsuit. one repre-
senting the plaintiff and the other the
defendant Lucas was twenty-five
years old. son OF judge and the dis
trict 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 &C.
cusation was resented. and IL 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 10
time the two men the next year often
engaged I'm harsh words. Finally on
an election day Benton questioned
Lucas right to vote. saying that the
other had not paid his taxes. II lrked
Lucas. who later referred to his enemy
as puppy" This appellation was
too much for Benton. who again chal-
ienged Lucas to duel This time the
challenge was accepted.
The two men met on Bloody island
Aug 10. 1917. The encounter took
place az distance OF thirty feet. Lu.
cas- fell with a bullet In his neck upon
the exchange OF shots. Upon the adj
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 II was TO be at a
distance Of only ten feet Lucas was
jured. He approached the dying man,
according TO custom. and expressed his
sorrow. Lucas dashed forth an accu-
sation OF murder, but 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 Or. Farrar's friends
challenged Graham. but the challenge
was refused on the ground that Far
rars friend was not n gentleman. Or.
Farrar was then under obligation to
defend the honor OF his friend This
challenge was accepted. and rs n re-
suit Graham was severely injured and
died after mopths OF suffering
A second duel on Bloody island &C.
Cured in 1916 between Captain Henry
s. Geyor and Captain George III. Ken
nerly. both veterans OF the war OF
1872 Captain Geyer was for many
years a leader in Missouri politics and
one OF the states most able lawyers.
Kennerly was wounded nc the second
Ore 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
REYNOLDS Brown. understandable
and Pettus Biddle.
While duets 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. II a
man felt that his honor had been I'm
peachcd In any way the popular thing
TO do was 10 settle it by duel. pistols
being used in nearly every instance.
There was a certain unwrItten code"
observed For instance. I'm the duel
between Gcyer and Kennerly the fol.
lowing were the rules:
The ground shall be measured of
10 six PAGES
The gentlemen shall stand back 70
back at the distance OF six yards from
each other
At the word march" the gentlemen
shall Immediately step on uilte Ha''H
aud turn and dre without further or.
der.
II either party reserves his FIRE and
continues 20 take aim after the other
has fred 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
readyY' and. being answered in the az
Armative. the word "March' shall be
the order for stepping or and turning
and firing as above stated.
The weapons smoothbore pistols.
The pistols 10 be delivered cooked to
the gentlemen after they have taken
their places and 20 be held hanging
down by the side until after the word
March"
One can readily see why Bloody Is
land should become popular spot for
duels First II wns near 81 Louis the
largest town I'm the state The Island.
- "A. s.frs