The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-06-05
A SINGULAR
DUEL
By GEORGE ATWATER

his wife stood, sending knife about
two inches from her body till they
marked her outline. The performers
were a young couple. and Mrs. Wealth
Grill was very pretty.
Such performances were not 10 my
taste, and instead of watching thls
one | looked elsewhere. Weatherll
had pinned his wife in with knives al
most completely when what was sup
posed to be an accident occurred. But
il had a definite cause which l, LOOKING
up at a stage box directly opposite the
knife thrOwer. witnessed. | saw
man partly concealed by a curtain take
something from his pocket that at hrst
| supposed to be a pistol. He turned
il in the direction Of Weatherill, but
not taking sight as with weapon.
saw flash of light from one end or
the thing in the fellows hand. which
| now saw was cylinder. and almost
instantly there followed a cry from the
audience Turning my eyes upon
Weatheril saw him give mo 41ntary
glance up at the box where ] had seen
the light. then run forward to his wife.
l noticed that one knife sticking In the
board near his wife's side was out or
line. She smiled at him to show him
that she was unhurt.
think | was the only person IN the
audience who was cogniZant OF the
cause Of the knife being thrown amiss.
for every eye except mine was at the
time Of the fash fixed intently on what
was going on Oh the stage. To me all
was at once plain. The man in the
box had flashed an electric light In
Weatherils eyes at the moment he
was throwing a knife with intent to
cause him TO injure his wife. The
curtain was lowered. and when it was
raised again the next piece on the pro-
gram was produced.
After the show | asked where
Weatherill was stopping and found
him in the lobby of his hotel. told
him that | had witnessed the attempt
of the man in the box and asked If he
would give me the reason for the
mans inhuman act. He said that 1t
! was the old story Of a man turned
down by a girl and marrying his rival.
| At the same time Weatherill apollo
gized for his wife's ever having been
mixed up with such man by saying
that it was all the mans doings, he
having forced himself upon the woman
l asked Weatherill If l could be Of
service to him as a witness, and after
considerable thought he said that very
likely | could.
The next evening curiosity led me
to attend the show again. l wondered
| if the Weatherills would have the
hardihood to repeat their perform
ance and if the man who had flashed
the light would be there. Both Of
these occurred. though the light fash
err this time occupied box facing the
wife instead of the husband. | did
not see him till the knife throwing
commenced. and then he drew aside
the curtains only sufficiently to show
his face.
Weatherill had about half pinned in
his wife and was about to throw the
next knife when suddenly he turned
and sent the knife at the box where
his enemy sat OF course there was q
commotiOn in the audience.
Thought will sometimes act with
lightning rapidity. 1t was so at this
time for me- ! saw that Weatherill
would he tried for murder and could
only get free by producing evidence
that his enemy had tried to destroy
his aim the night before with a view
to cause him to kill his wife. | spraIe
to the box and. pushing my way
through others to the injured man
searched him and found In his pocket
an electric lamp. The audience and
had witnessed duel. fought in tive
successive evenings.
AS soon as policeman came in
gave him the lamp. and l noted thu
names and addresses of those who haC
seen me remove it from the wounded
: mans pocket. He was carried to hi
hotel. but died on the way.
, Weatherill. leaving the theater. walk
, ed to a police station and gave himsel
up. He was taken to Jail, and ! wen
to see him to inform him that / ha,
taken an electric lamp from his enc
q my's pocket and had the names Of sew
, eral who had seen me do so. He grasp
2 ed my hand with a fervent pressure
realizing the favor had done him, 70
. my having seen the fash the nigh
I before which caused his knife to g
! amiss and the fact that his enemy ha
the lamp ready for use when he wa
killed would be sufficient evidence 70
an acquittal by any unbiased court
The man who had been killed was
leader Of a rough element who threa
ened to take Weatherill out and lyme
him. but the sheriff prepared for then
and. feeling sure of conviction Of th
, prisoner. they finally concluded to Il
the law take its course. But they di
not know of the testimony | was
!, give. Indeed. If had not happened
: be looking away from the stage and
a certain direction on the evening I'll
lamp was flashed fear nothing coul
have saved Weatherill. AS 1t was, m
story was corroborated by the findin
of the lamp in the pocket Of the ma
who was killed.
: Weatherill and his wife could not (
: enough to show their gratitude for n
action in the matter. and we BEGAN