Evening star., 1950-08-20

was MADE Dy Jne Tragic QedGn OH
Saturday, February "a. 1888, of
one of the best men who ever
served in Congress - Jonathan
Cilley. He was killed in duel.
by one William j. Graves. who
survived, but died a decade after
ward, in comparative obscurity.
Jonathan Cilley was of a dis
tinguished New Hampshire family
and was born in Nottingham
July 2, 1902. He. was the son OF
Greenleaf Cilley. who died in
1903, leaving a wife, four sons
and three daughters. Being de-
sirous of a liberal education
Jonathan entered Atkinson Acad-
emy, and became a member OF
the freshman class of Bowdoin
College, Brunswick, Me-, in 1921.
OF William J. Graves, with
whom the duel was fought, but
little is recorded: He was born
in Newcastle, KY, in 1905, being
Cilley's junior by three years. He
took his seat in the House as a
Representative from Kentucky on
March 4, 1885, and ceased to serve
March 8, 1841. Returning to
Kentucky, he again entered the
State Legislature in 1843 and died
in Louisville September 27, 1848
Whoever it was who said, En-
vious men grow mean at the sue
cess of their neighbors, had q
wonderfully keen conception. Gil
| ley was alert, smart, active, with
vocabulary and a style of de-
livery of a high order and con-
vincing force. He was always
gentleman, however, and never
transgressed the rules of propri'
ETY.. He took no undue advantage
of an opponent, but fought fol
what he deemed right, as mar
to man.
Speech Brought Challenge
Cilley had spoken in the Hous'
and though harsh his words may
have seemed without investigat.
ing them. yet they were supported
by a report of a committee o.
the House, appointed March IA
1882. for the purpose of inspect
ing the books and examining the
proceedings Of the Bank of the
United States. This report dis
closed that for l6 months the
New York Courier and Enquirer
was energetically opposed to the
Bank of the United States, but
on March 26. 1881, and within
less than nine months thereafter
the bank made three loan.
amounting to $52.975.
I The editor of the Courier ant
Enquirer turned out to be Jane
Watson Webb. who arrived il
Washington nine days after Gil
ley's speech in the House. H
Immediately addressed not
from Gadsby's Hotel to the lat
ter, the last paragraph of whicl
said: "I deem it my duty t
apprise you, sir. that I am tn
editor of the paper in which tn
letter from the Spy in Washing
ton charging a member of Con
gress with corruption. was frs
published, and. the object of thi
communication is to impure of vol
whether I am the editor to whom
you alluded, and, if so, to ask the
explanation which the character
of your remarks renders neces-
Sary."
Cilley did not delay his reply
to Graves challenge, but. through
George w. Jones, the delegate
from Wisconsin, forwarded his
reply that same day. 1t was short
and to the point, and said: Your
note of this morning has been
received. My friend. Gen. Jones
will make the arrangements suit
able to the occasion"
Rules for the Duel
Accordingly, Mr.. Jones submit
ted the following propositions te
Mr.. Wise, under date of February
23. 1898:
"Sir-Mr. Cilley proposes t,
meet Mr.. Graves at such place a
may be agreed upon between u
tomorrow at II o'clock noon. Tn
weapons to be used on the occa
sion shall be rifles; the partie
placed side by side at 80 yards dis
tance from each other; to hol,
the rifles horizontally at arm
length, downwards; the rifles t
be cooked and triggers set; tn
words to be, Gentlemen, are yo1
ready?' After which. neithe
answering No. the words shall be
in regular succession, Fire-one
two, three, four Neither part,
shall fire before the word fire no
after the word four The posi-