Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-16
FAMOUS DUEL IS RECALLED

FAMOUS DUEL Is RECALLED
Story Of Fight Between Thomas n
Benton and Andrew jackson Retol,
BY Champ Clark.
Bryan and Champ Clark have buri
ed the hatchet, according to the Wash
ington correspondents. They met a
a luncheon, shook hands and "all wa
merry as a marriage bell" In tn
course Of the hatchet-burying lunch
con other guests persuaded the speak
er Of the house to tell one Of his IA
vorite stories-the tale Of the Draw
between Andrew Jackson and Thomas
Hart Benton, Of Missouri.
He wasn't Thomas Hart Benton o
Missouri in those days, but Colone
Benton Of Tennessee. state which
has been the scene Of great many
famous duels and gun fights" TIL,
fight took place in 1913, and curious
combination Of circumstances led VI
to it. Benton had been one Of Jack
sons aids and had been sent to Wash.
ington by Jackson to straighten out
the generals financial affairs with
the Federal government. This Bentor
did and did well. @
In the meantime Benton's brother
Jesse Benton. quarreled with William
Carroll, one Of Jackson's officers. The
quarrel proceeded in the conventional
manner; arrangements were made fol
a duel. Jackson consented to act as
Carroll's second after he had tried
unsuccessfully to patch up the quar-
rel. Well, the duel took place and
both men were wounded.
Colonel Benton, away in Washing
ton, got news Of 1t and came home
across the mountains, breathing Out
threats Of vengeance against Jackson
Now Andrew Jackson, whatever his
shortcomings may have been, was not
the person to pull in his horns be-
cause Of threats. Instead. he got his
"shootin' irons" in order and was
waiting impatiently in Nashville fol
Benton to come back. So
They met on a Nashville street ir
front Of the City Hotel, September 4
1913, and Jackson at once drew his
pistol. There are various accounts oi
just what happened then. So many
things happened and in such RAPID
succession that 1t is hard to give q
wholly accurate account of the ARRAY
that followed. Anyhow, Jackson gave
his adversary no time to draw gun
but forced him into the hotel and was
backing him down a hallway, a pisto
held close to his heart, when Jesse
Benton appeared. Jesse had a pisto
that at close range was almost as ef-
fective as a Calling gun. He emptfed
two bullets and slug into the fu-
ture president at short range, Jackson
fell, his left shoulder mangled and his
right arm shattered, and at that mo-
ment up rushed John Coffee, one. OF
Jackson's aids. Coffee believed Colo
mel Benton had laid his chief low, and
he began firing at him. Benton. fell
down stairs and was out cf the COM
bat. ,t -.
In the meantime Stokely Hays, q
nephew Of Jackson's, had drawn Q
dagger and grappled with Jesse Ben.
ton, whose right arm he finally pinned
to the floor with the knife. At this
stage Of the fight innocent bystand-
ers," one or two of whom had beer
wounded in the meantime, took q
hand and pulled the combatants
apart. .4.t..r
Everybody recovered from his
wounds, but the result Of the duel was
that Benton was dead politically In
Tennessee. "Old Hickory" was al
ready a tremendous favorite in the
mountain state, and shortly after he
had recovered from his wounds, he
won the battle Of New Orleans. There
was not much popularity for the man
who tried to kill him, even though the
attempt may have been justiiable.
Benton struck out for pastures new
and the pastures he chose were those
Of Missouri. Eight years after the
fight in Nashville, Thomas H. Benton
went to Washington as the first sena-
tor from Missouri. He served for thir-
ty years. ...,' .....
Jackson arrived as a member of the
senate in 1923. His desk was next to
Benton's, and there was considerable
breathless curiosity as they sat silent
and refusing to recognize one anoth-
er the first day Jackson took his
place. The quarrel, however, was
speedily forgotten. "Old Hickory" sent
his card to Mr. and Mrs. Benton, and
within an hour received their cards
in return. The next day the two
statesmen shook hands and there was
general applause in the senate cham
Der as they did so.
During Jackson's two administra-
tions the senator from Missouri was
one Of his most loyal adherents and
the two men were great friends. They
tell a story Of Benton's coming to the
White House once and asking to sec
the president.
You can't see him, Senator" the
negro servant told him. He's upstairs
havin' bullet cut out Of his arm"
"All right, George" said Benton
I'll see him anyhow"
He went to the presidents bedroom
and found Jackson with doctor, cut
ting from his arm one Of the bullets
Jessie Benton had fired from his Cat
ling-gun pistol more than twenty
years before.-Kansas City Times.
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