Evening star., 1950-08-20
End Of DueIing in D. c.
Death Of Member Of Congress Brought About
Law Against Personal Feuding in 1830s
By John CIoeett Proctor

tions\ OF the parties at the ends
of the line to be determined by
lot. The second Of the party los
ing the position shall have the CIV
ing of the word. The dress to be
ordinary winter clothing, and sub
ject to the examination of both
parties. Each party may have on
the ground, beside his second, a
surgeon and two other friends.
The seconds, for execution of their
respective trusts. are allowed to
have pair of pistols each. on the
ground, but no other person shall
have any weapon. The rifles to
be loaded in the presence Of the
seconds. Should Mr.. Graves not
be able to procure a rifle by the
time prescribed, time shall be al
lowed for that purpose"
Graves and some difficulty In
finding an acceptable rifle, but
finally secured a .44-caliber piece.
one made by Henry Derringer in
1880, for John C. Rives. owner
and editor of the Globe and a
dead shot marksman. David
Crockett had used 1t for target
practice, and its accuracy was
vouched for.
Cilley's rifle was not so large a
piece, it's length being only So
inches, or 9 inches shorter than
the Rives piece, while the caliber
was only 80. 1t was of Tyron
make. Both pieces are now in the
National Museum.
It was agreed that the parties
should meet at Anacostia Bridge.
ION the road to Marlboro" be-
tween the hours of 1870 and 230
pm. Cilley and his party arrived
first, and all proceeded to the
dueling ground. The position as
signed Graves was near a wood
which partly sheltered it: Cilley's
was on higher ground. Cilley was
attended by Mr.. Jones. Mr..
Bynum and Col. James w.
Schaumberg, and by DR.. Duncan.
as his surgeon. Graves was at
tended by Mr.. Wise, Mr.. Crit
tenden, Mr.. Menefee. and DR..
Foltz. Mr.. Calhoun and Mr..
Hawes, both members of the
House from Kentucky were at
some distance off as spectators.
The hackdrivers, together with
Grafton Powell and James F.
Brown. constituted all the eye
witnesses.
When the command was given
| to fire, Cilley fired before his
piece was fully elevated; both
missed. The friends of both
parties then assembled to try to
patch up the differences, but on
account of the obstinacy Of
Graves seconds and friends, this
resulted in failure. and again the
men faced each other, and again
both missed.
From every viewpoint. this was
} a silly duel. Here were two men
firing away at each other, neither
holding enmity toward the other.
both fighting solely to comply
with the code duello. Before the
men were ordered to face each
other for the third and fatal
time. Mr.. Wise said. These
gentlemen have come here with
out animosity toward each other:
they are fighting merely upon
a point of honor. Cannot Mr..
Cilley assign some reason for not
receiving, at Mr.. Graves hands.
Col. Webb's communication"
If this duel had done nothing
else but kill poor Cilley, We, in
deed should have much cause for
regret. but it did even more than
this. Congress took up the mat
ter Immediately and on February
20, 1889. placed on the statute
book law against dueling, which
had the desired result, and from
that day. dueling around WASH
ington was rare thing, and
ultimately ceased entirely.