Evening star., 1919-10-12
Duels in the Navy.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

lenged the officer who caused his
arrest. The officer declined on ac-
count Of Taylor's inferior rank. Upon
up by Purser B. F. Bourne of the
U. S. S. Erie. and the affair was beau
tifully adjusted to the entire salts
faction of all concerned. Bourne was
slightly wounded in the groin.
A duel between A. Y. Humphreys
of the U. S. s. United States and En-
sign II. A. Mutt, a British officer, also
grew out of the Taylor incident. Mutt
refused to allow Humphrey to return
to his ship and treated him rather
roughly. Humphrey demanded a duel
but Mutt refused. After Humphreys
boat had sailed for another port his
cause was taken up by his friend.
DR.. A. NJ. Montgomery of the Erie
who, with several comrades, called
at the British messroom to post Mutt.
They were greeted with rude insults.
This naturally aroused their good,
rich. red American blood and they
offered to fight any officer in the
def being received in silence, the
Americans referred to the entire regi-
ment as a bunch Of towards. This
was too much for Capt. Freeth, who
agreed to take on any of the Amerl-
cans the next day. Freeth received a
bullet in his hip. while Montgomery
was unscratched.
Things were now getting so warm
that both British and American cap
tains deemed it wise to discontinue
all shore leave to officers. Neverthe-
less. Lieut. Stockton, who had already
won world renown as a duelist, and
who was still warm under the collar
officer during his duel with Bourne.
succeeded in getting ashore, where
he met Capt. Johnson at St. Michaels
Cave. He was accompanied by Bourne
and DR.. John w. Peace. Just as the
scrap was getting we'll under way
shot matters were spoiled by the
arrival of a company of soldiers
which had been sent to arrest them.
The sailing of the Erie for Algeciras
stopped that particular style of naval
sport for time.
&&**
About year later a fourth duel
took place at Gibraltar. Lieut.. Tom
Smith Of the 9th Foot sent chal-
lenge to the Americans. Lieut.. Sam
w. Downing of the Guerriere agreed
to uphold the American reputation
for scrapping. He succeeded admira-
bly,. Three shots were fired by each
man, all of Downing's shots hitting
his man, while Smith hit nothing but
ozone.
The governor decided that too much
dueling was going on and. therefore.
issued a decree that all intercourse
with the Americans should cease.
Capt. johnson and doctor friend,
however, slipped out to the Guerriere
under cover of darkness and pre-
sented challenges to the captain and
Lieut.. Downing. but before arrange
ments could be completed the Guer-
riere received sailing orders. Short
ly thereafter the United States naval
station was removed from Gibraltar to
Port Mahon making it impossible for
the enemies to reach each other
In cornf1eld near Bladensburg,
Nd. in the spring of 1896 occurred the
celebrated duel between Midshipman
Daniel NJ. Key and Midshipman John
Il. Sherburne. Key was son of
Francis Scott Key. the author of "The
star Spangled Banner" and brother
IF Philip Barton Key. who was killed
in Washington in 1859 by Gen. Daniel
E. Sickles.
When the party had climbed over
the fence and entered the farmers
field Sherburne said: "Mr. Key,
have no desire to kill you" mo mat
ter" said Key; II will kill you" Key
dropped at the first fire. dying a few
later.
Midshipman James ]. waddell Of
North Carolina and Midshipman
H. Waring of South Caro-
lima, both attached to the receiving
ship Pennsylvania at Norfolk, in 1912.
had words over the eternal female.
Waddell limped the rest of his life