Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24

away his fire, In gush OF admlfa'
ton, the son of Kentucky sprang for
ward. They met half way and grasp
ed hands cordially. His voice husky,
Clay said: ~ trust in God. my dear
sir, you are unhurt. After what has
occurred ! would not have harmed
you for thousand worlds.
You owe me a coat. Mr. Clay" said
Randolph, with a laugh to relieve the
tension. showing that the bullet had
passed through the skirt of his coat.
| close to the hip. II am, indeed, glad
| that the debt is no greater" responded
| Clay.
Close Friends Thereafter.
Still further adding to the merri-
ment that followed this happy ending
of q near-calamity, when Randolphs
party returned to his home they met
! a runner from the bank. who eX-
| planned that they had overpaid him
! to the extent of $3.50 when he had
closed his account. Randolph replied:
II believe it is your rule not to cor
rect mistakes, except at the time ana
over YOUR own counter" But when
the runner was gone he said to his
friends: II will repay them Monday.
People must be honest If the banks
are not" He took from his pocket
the gold pieces and said to Hamilton,
Tatnall and Benton: Gentlemen,
Clay's bad shooting shall not rob you
of your seals. I am going to London
and will have them made for you"
On Monday Clay and Randolph eX-
changed cards and were close and
devoted friends thereafter. Their
perfect amitv was best evidenced
when Randolph. years later, returned
from Russia broken in health and
spirit-indeed, he was dying. lie
would visit the Senate chamber and
sit near Clay to grasp his hand and
hear his magnetic voice,
1t was on the Bladensburg field
of honor" par excellence" however.
that most members of Congress used
to settle their differences instead or
unseemly fisticuffs in the legislative
chamber or ink bottle throwing IN
such an august assemblage as I'M
parchment hearings before the Judi
Ciary committee. as was witnessed IN
the last session of Congress.
One of the most historic of such en-
counters ended the life of the hero
Commodore Stephen Decatur, whose
achievements rank with those of John
Paul Jones, Oliver Hazard Perry, Da-
vid Farragut and George Dewey.
Before the City of Washington was
founded Bladensburg was a seaport OF
importance where cotton and tobacco
were laden for direct shipment to
England. 1t had commercial he
half a century before the Declaration
of independence was dreamed or
Here was the old George Washington
Hostelry, opened in 1882, where WASH
ington and Patrick Henry lodged the
first night of their horseback journey
from Mount Vernon to attend the Ses-
sions Of the Continental Congress in
Philadelphia. In the best room in this
inn slept Mistress Martha Washing
ton, when, in the Autumn of 1775, she
was riding in state in a gilded chariot
drawn by four Virginia thoroughbred
horses, as BETTING the wife OF
manor lord of Colonial Virginia, to
visit the commander-in-chief of the
ragged Continental Army at Cam
bridge, Mass.
The Bladensburg dueling ground
was a corner of the historic battle
ground on which the British were
opposed in their expedition against
Washington in 1914, with Commodore
Barney and his Marines as the partic-
ular heroes of the day, in appreciation
of which the City Councils of Wash.
ington presented the commodore with
a beautiful sword las testimonial OF
their respect for the gallantry and In
trepidity displayed by himself and the
officers and men under his command
in the defense of the city,
Blood Run" bordered the dueling
ground, on the old stage route from
the Capital to Baltimore. a scant half
mile over the District border, to the
right of the road, in a jungle hemmed
in by hills on three sides and the other
screened by tangled thickets. Through
this led a cowpath which led to the
fateful dark and bloody ground"
which first came into its baleful dedi-
cation as early as 1914, when Edward
Hopkins of Maryland. an ensign of In
fantry in the Army Of the United
States, was slain at the point OF
sword.
Duel Shocks Capital.
Probably no duel ever shocked the
National Capital as did that between
Commodore Decatur and Capt. James
Barron, on March %, 1920. The tragA
edy had a wonderful background Of
romance and color. The intrepid sea
fighter, known as the "Bayard of the
Seas" Decatur, was the social lion of
the day. He was the hero of TripoH
Bay and had received the thanks Of
Congress. He had wiped the Barbary
pirates off the map. He stood out as
the great naval "red star" of his
period. He it was who arose one
night and proposed the toast: Our
country-may she always be right;
but our country-right or wrong.
He had recently bought 20 lots in
what was known as" the Presidents
Square" and had completed the erec-
ton Of his home, then considered
palace, fronting Lafayette Square.
This house is still standing at the
southwest corner Of jackson place and
H street.
Decatur's wealth was chiefly prize
money from his capture of British
vessels in the War of 1912. The walls
of his residence were hung with pic
lures Of his engagements with the
Macedonian. 1t was in this house
that he died as a result of the duel.
Handsome. rich. idolized, at the
height Of his fame, Decatur was but
40 years of age when he was killed.
One Of the most chivalrous of men
Of any age or country, Decatur ac-
knowledged the authority of the
duello in adjusting private differences
and would have adopted its policy in
war-ship against ship. He had been
principal in a duel in 1893, when ne
wounded his antagonist on the hip.
and was involved in other disputes OF
similar character in 1901 and 1903,
when he offered to fight the secretary
of the Governor of Malta in place OF
William cambridge, a midshipman in
the United States Navy, who later
served as his own second at the
fata; Bladensburg duel. During the
War of 1872 Decatur made written
proposal to Sir Thomas Hardy to fight
a naval duel.
Brewing IL Years.
The Decatur Barron duel had been
brewing for IL years. In June, 1907,
Commodore Barron, in command OF
the Chesapeake, one OF the first
Of ca lied frAli1