The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-07-08
HORSE AND
BUGGY DAYS
by
Ida 10 Martin

er, General Thomas Sprigg. Since
then | have talked with a number
of folks who once visited in the old
house and they tell me that it was a
Mansion" indeed. l have also run
across a newspaper story about one
of the descendants of this famous
General, in a newspaper printed in
Hagerstown almost century ago,
the old Herald of Freedom and
Torchlight," by Mittag and Sneary.
This article is about the murder, and
surrounding incidents, of VIM. o.
Sprigg. 1t begins in this fashion:
"HORRID TRAGEDY"
"On yesterday "Wednesday eve
ming, few minutes past o'clock,
Robert Swan entered Helfnger's Ho-
tel, armed with a double barrelled
gun, and shot VIM. o. Sprigg dead,
in the bar room, without speaking
to him."
This old story, brought to light
again, reminds us of tragedies that
often occur when good friends be-
come jealous, or allow anger to over
rule reason. These two men had
been friends, as we'll as their fam
lies. But at public gathering Mr.
Sprigg thought himself insulted by
his good friend, Swan. He demand
ed an apology, which was refused
because Swan had intended no in
suit. MIR. Sprigg described what fol-
lowed in a letter he later published
in the papers as follows:
Il gave Mr.. Swan a chance to
explain his conduct to me about
the matter, but he did not I there
fore took the first opportunity to Of
fer him an insult, which did by
splitting in his face (this was on Sat
urday the Oath, of January, 1852,
they MUST have been friendsD; he
went off and armed himself, as he
told friend of mine, with two pis-
tolls, and said that he would give
one to me and take the other him
self"
After this there was much small
time arguing about little points etc,
and eventually formal challenge
to duel was given and accepted. But
even here there was quibbling, and
when they could not actually agree
on time of day for the duel Git
seemed that neither actually wanted
it,, they wound up by one man 60
ing to the appointed place at six
in the morning, and the other going
at eleven.
At some time during all this bat
tie of tempers, the first offender got
across the point that his action was
not in any way intentional, that the
whole thing was the result of mis-
understanding Upon this, Mr. Sprigg
expressed his willingness to forgive
and make public apology. So in
due course an apology was prepared
and signed by Mr.. Sprigg, wherein
he duly apologized for his "hasty
and unwise" action when he just
thought he had been insulted. All
looked well.
But alas; when the apology was
printed in the newspaper, below it
appeared note by the still indig-
nant Robert Swan, in which he ex-
planned that the apology was made
because he, Mr. Swan, had chal-
lenged Sprigg, and that Sprigg was
now moved by fear of the challenge
and threatened duel.
Now it is doubtful whether any,
one can become quite so angry with
each other as good friends: at least
that was the way this incident turn
ed out Sprigg, at sight of the note
below his apology, became enraged,
and spread threats and condemna-
ton against his friend" Articles
appeared in the papers penned by
both parties, and several times the
dispute was submitted to counsel
lors. Each called the other "Cow-
ard" and a lot of other good"
names for friends to be using.
The following is the letter of chal-
lenge sent by Swan to Sprigg, as
published in the Herald of Freedom
and Torchlight, yellow with age, that
I am fortunate to have:
'W. o. Sprigg, Esq.
Dear Sir: have well looked over
our relative positions since l saw
you, and have come to the conclu-
sion that our affair cannot otherwise
be adjusted than by an unqualified,
unequivocal apology; therefore, I
now propose that we meet on Charles
Perry's Meadows tomorrow at II
o'clock, armed as both think proper,
without friends on either side. r.
propose this merely because I do
not wish others to be involved in SO