Year: 1859

THE FIGHTING EDITOR OF ARKANSAS,


There never was an age in the annals oi
time, or country ON the surface of the
globe, where dueling prevailed 10 such an
extent as it did in the early history Of Ar
kansas. Nc one public man ever attained
to any considerable eminence, either pro-
fessional or political in that purple land
where law insured not life, without first
passing through the terrible ordeal Of
blood and fire on the miscalled field OF
honor. The Rectors, Conways, Crtten-
dens, SEWERS, Jobnsons, Borlands--every
name of note that can be menlioned-a
furnished SO many examples of this strange
yet genera. rule. Even the learning and
eloqueIce of the mild and merciiul lawyer
and poet, Albert Pike, to achieve influence
or distinction, avaled not until he had
proved his prowess in mortal combat with
a redoubted foe. .t.a4


In addition to the usual causes opera
ting on all frontiers to produce such a
stage Of society, another one existed in the
stormy sea Of politics. The Wings and
Democrats were nearly equal in numerical
force, and never did hostile factions dis
play more intense activity and concentra-
ted bitterness. On the stump, in the forum,
and through the press, everywhere, and
by all possible means, they hurled their
furious .anathemas against each other in
terms or measureless wrath and denunica-
tion. As necessary consequence, none
save men of the highest courage dared as
pre to be leaders in parties where such
position must be won and maintained at
the flaming mouth Of the pistol or before
the fearful point Of the bowie knife and
doubled ed ged dagger.


One horrible peculiarity marked the
course of such personal conhicts-they al
most always terminated fatally to the in
dividuals engaged in the unnatural strife
No combatant thought his fair fame vim
dicated by merely winging his antagonist;
nothing would suffice but the caup de grace
of death. Indeed, the universal opinion
Of the community regarded boodless en-
counters as shameful in the extreme
worse, even, than positive cowardice; and
as every candidate for popular favor had
prepared himself well by long practice, to
use the last great argument, which closed
all discussions and silenced the most stub
born objector, very few meetings occurred
Where the spectators were not gratifed by
Witnessing the slaughter OF one or both of
the ambitious rivals.


AS may be easily imagined, the post of
an editor was the most perilous Of all
others; and hence, the opposing factions
respectively selected the entire crops to
manage their journals from the most des-
perate adventures that could be mustered,
and paid them accordingly to do their own
lighting and that of all their anonymous
correspondents. In some instances thous-
ands Of dollars were expended as mere
premiums, besides the offer of enormous
salaries, to secure the pen and pistol of the
most notorious duelists in the south west
| could specify one man, an ex-senator,
who owed his rise to this very crcum-
stance. sS sd i55


However, leaving these vague geneiali-
ties, the following brief sketch Of striking
and real particulars will afford tolerable
conception of the stern trials incidental to
editorial life. aa..


Early in the month Of July, 1889, Israel
Woods, the proprietor of the Arkansas
Democrat, was seated in his sanctum,
busily employed in the manufacture OF
written slanoer for his weekly issue. A
single glance at this person was truly
enough to make an ordinary beholde,
tremble with apprehension; for you might
search he wide world without finding his
superior in physical power and agility.
In the prime Of youth and robust health,
he see med mighty mass Of iron bones and
elastic sinew--strong as the mythic Milo
when he rent the ancient oaks. His hands
looked like sledge hammers, and his
countenance bore the impress of reckless
brayery-a sort Of mute defiance and chal
lenge to all the heroes Of the human race.
His eyes were Of peculiar tint-that
fierce reddish yellow which resembles the
iris Of the eagle, Of all colors considered
the sign of the most dangerous characters


Indeed, he had acquired his title to be
placed foremost in the highest class of the
fighting chivalry by daring feats per-
formed in all principal cities of the south
from Charleston to New Orleans. Never
theless. he had more sense than to rely fol
impunity on the terror which his name &C
irresistibly inspired. His office was ar
armory. A huge doubled barrelled sho,
gun hung short distance above his head