Year: 1860




stabbed one of bis f, crowd in dispute over 8
game of cards in the whisky-shop. As he aimed
the bovie.knfe at the b, east Of the other, a Bel
man from the city arrests the blow' cutting MI
own hand badly, and prof. ably preventing tne
other man from being killed. lhls Donelsoh wen
about armed with two revolvsrs and oowie-knife
generally with one Of the reFoi. ers IN MS manu-
brandishing it in the face Of every bne he met


After the adjournment Of the Ttarbeene and the
march Of the city delegation to the hotel the
Breckenridge men and boys assembled around the
grocery on the opposite corner and shouted CON
tinualy for Breckinridge and Lane. The city
party rang their bells and in return sh5Hted for
Bell and Everett. There would haze been no harm
had the excitement gone no further than this. In
short time the Bell party ceased to pay attention
to the shouting Breekinridgers over the way.


While the band vas playing in front of the hotefs
and some of the young Bell Ringers and Bell
Knights were dancing and playing about on the
ground, we, who were seated on the piazza some
thirty or forty feet from the end sew sudden
rush and heard two pistol shots. The piazza was
crowded with ladies, who fed screaming into the
hotel, whilst few tainted and had to be carried.
We did not the beginning OF the fuss, but were
told that two of the Breckinridge rowdies had





with defiant shouts into the very midst of the
young men who were playing. One Of the Young
Bell Ringers told them to Leave they had mt in
terfered with anybody, and did not wish TO be in
terfered with themselves At this one Of the -ow-
dies struck him with his fist; the blow was re-
turned another Young Bell Ringer rushed up,
and as he did 80 the other rowdy drew revolver
and shot at him, the bullet grazing his neck, upon
which he quickly drew a revolver and returned
the shot. This, we were assured, was the way the
fuss begun. All that followed after the two shots
we witnessed.


As soon as the two shots were fred the rowdes
retreated to their own corner, followed by NUM-
ber of the Bell Ringers one of them disappeared IN
his crowd, the other wheeled around and leveled
his revolver; at the same instant the big des-
perado Donelson sprang to his side and leveled his
two revolvers, whilst third man whooped and
cracked his heels and added himself to the party
with leveled revolver. Several of the Bell
Ringers put their hands under their coats as if to
draw weapons and charge on the three rowdies
with their four Ieveled revolvers; but older MEM
bers Of the excursion party ran to them and in
| ducd them not to make the attack, whilst men on
the Breckenridge side got around the rowdes and
induced them to put up their weapons. Had the
| Bell Ringers made the attack the shots Of the
rowdies would have told on somebody, for the
| space around the hotel was crowded with people.
Had the Bell Ringers been anything else than what
they are, band of gentlemanly and peaceably
| disposed young men, there would have been q
bloody fight for the defiance and language Of the
rowdies were of the most bitter and taunting de-
scription. After this scene the rowdies disappeared
| and the young men resumed their sports on the
| green.


| number of the Young Bell Ringers, during
the barbecue, found that many of the ladies were
willing to stay night if there should be bal
| at the hotel. The young gentlemen arranged tt


keep the music with them, and applied at the hote


for the use of the saloon The landlord agreed t.


accommodate them, but at the same time toll


them that if they gave the ball, there were two o


three men in town that they would have to pu


balls through before morning. Not daunted b.


this, the young men engaged the room and deter


mined to stay; but when the shooting took plac


in the evening, the ladies began to desert th


hotel and HE them away to their country homes


and So as the ladies were frightened away, th'


dance had to be given up, and all hands returned


to the city.


The ruffian Donelson got on the cars when the.


arrived, and got off at the next station, Tickfaw


He passed very coolly through the crowd fror


New Orleans, and, being questioned as to his con


duct at Amite, said that he was as good Bell an


Everett man as any, but that he was not going t.


see a crowd attack one man, no matter who h


was. He was very quiet in the cars, but change,


his manner as soon as he got out. When he land


ed at Tiekfaw, he threw his hat back gave
whoop and fired in the air twice with one of hi
l revolvers. Some one in the cars, thinking that h


had fired at the cars, shot at him from one of tn
S car windows. He turned round and pointed his n
vover deliberately at the car whence the shot PR
d ceeded. Many Of the passengers squatted betwee


the seats, whilst others shouted, "Don't shoe
+ don't shoot! he didn't fire at you, RI" Upon th
o he dropped his pistol and went into a grocer
y about fifty yards from the cars. As he entert
D. the grocery, the young man who had been shot


and grazed at Amite jumped off the cars and ft
:! lowed him. His companions called to him TO con
e back, to let that man alone, etc, but he paid
d attention to the call SO lot of them jumped
s. to fetch him back, or at least prevent fight.
q As the young man entered the grocery, he rails
e little loaded cane that he carried, and ask
e Donelson if he was the man that shot at him in L
Il crowd at Amite. His answer was, I" Yes, d.
10 you, and Til shoot you now y with which he seiz
y tile young man by the collar and raised his
. yolyer to his breast. Just ut this juncture, t
d pursuing crowd rushed into the. grocery, and sc
"a eral of them sprang upon the big fellow to get
~ revolver from him. They hugged his arms do'
q at his sides, but could not get the pistol out of
h hand. In the struggle they rolled out at the de
u in heap, and tumbled about on the ground


tie while; the spectacle reminding us of seye
IN bull terriers fighting bear. AT last with h
an culean effort, Donelson kicked and shook hims
as loose from his assaants, sprang to his feet, leap
ne back, and raised his revolver to fire. AT this


stant the crowd who had come running from
lie cars jerked their reyolyers, or already had thu
u out, and fired some six eight shots at him 81
We ultaneousy, before he had his revolver well !
en- He dropped his pistol hand, reeled around as


hurt, and walked up to and leaned against the 81
mt of the grocery, in dropping attitude. The ca
Lis left the next minute and as long as we could
al Donelson he was leaning against the house.
he man who went up and looked at him after
to shooting, said he shot through the right hal
on and in the side, and slightly wounded in one OF


checks. This affair ended the excitement Of /
" day. ==, .@.
~, NJ The rufian Donelson is doctor and a seho
~ =, teacher and is nephew to Andrew Jackson Dor
- son, of Tennessee. He once killed man in


sfssippi and fed to Texas. In Texas he murder