Year: 1864

DOllfAilCC. i uTIlNCu ldVO IIltsut, anu JHC
morning, sallying out to see the town, l was
taken somewhat aback at observing more
than half the stores unopened, though it
was then after ten o'clock. 1t did not take
me long to arrive at the cause Of this, for
observing string Of people setting west
ward and through tile main street, ques-
toned and was answered that "a fights
comm oa, stranger, jist down in the gully.


had come fresh from New York with
certain civilized notions respecting duels
which made the mans answer crate rather
harshly upon my car, and yet with the
same morbid curiosity that makes rneh
travel far and pay well to sec man hanged,
| determined to go out and see the fight, as
| saw clearly that it babe fair to be holi-
day in Memphis, and that any business
had to do might as well be deferred until
its citizens had settled "the fight" l
therefore joined the throng for the gully,
and walking overlook my original informant
and undertook to get more knowledge from
him. The fight, he told me, was to be be-
tween two men, Waldron and Jones by
name, each representing a large family Of
the respective cognomens, and each fighting
to settle an old family fcud that had existed
for over twenty years, and had already sacri-
feed to it three or four members on each
side; for be it known that at the period Of
which | write, and even twenty years later,
these family quarrcls were carried out, in
the southwest, with all the unfOrgivingness
and venom of the Italian vendetta, trans
nlitted from father to son, from brother to
brother, and from kinsman to kinsman, with
undying hatred. 1t was duel Of this
description that was going to witness.


Twenty minutes walk brought me upon
the ground, where l found, already, about
three or four thousand persons engaged in
every conceivable occupation, whisky drink
ing being the most prominent. There were
few impruyised tents upon the ground,
where certain antiquatod darkics dispensed
luxuries in the shape of cold ham and corn
bread, with various vegetables, and num-
berless wagons, barrows, and OK carts, each
carrying keg or barrel Of whisky either on
private account or to retail at half dime u
drink. On liberal calculation l counted
the crowd as three-Q quarters drunk when |
arrived upon the ground, and fast hurrying
to make up the last quarter. The fight, rs
my informant stated, was to come off at
ton O'Clock, and as it Nas then nearly eleven,
made no doubt but withina few minutes
| should be gratified with the smell Of
powder in the first act.


ltwould have taken shrcwd guessing to
have strolled over that ground and told, by
the talk or actions of the thousands there
gathered, for what purpose they had come
together. Politics, business, crops, horses,
and the state Of the river were discussed,
washed down with copious ,draughts Of
bald face" but never word about the
affair that had brought them upon the
ground. Hour after hour slipped by, and
the sun beat its hottest rays down upon the
crowd, and still they held on until near
four O'Clock, when whisper ran about that
the fight was about to como off. tlh


Copying the example Of the thousands
about me, / ranged myself in one Of the
parallel rows that saw forming, leaving
space of about fifty feet between the OPP
crations of the principals and their seconds.
Every eligible tree and hillock was already
taken possession Of, aud every standing spot
that offered fair sight Of the coming en-
tcrtainment. The first Of thc principals
that made his appearance on the ground
was Waldron, tall, well built, good-lOokiug
fellow of about twenty-three. He walked
nouchalantly about, shaking hands with
one, laughing and chatting with another,
taking bit Of tobacco with third, until
Jones made his appearance, when all hands
prepared for business. Jones was man
Of nearly forty, with hard, repulsive face,
and came upon the ground without noticing
any one, going directly to his place and not
leaving it or speaking to any one but his
seconds. - & et1ss


The weapons were rifles, the distance
sixty yards, and in very few minutes the
ground was measured and everything ready.
For the first time then, that day, there was
silence, each straining to hear the word and
sec the firing. At last it came. Arc you
ready, gentlemen One! two! three
fire p And the sharp crack of the rifles
rang through the gullcy, and the heavy
thud Of Waldron's body followed il. Thc
crowd stood still for an instant, and the So
conds bent over him. He was dead-shot
directly through the heart


There was low, suppressed murmur ran
over the crowd, which in a few minutes
broke out into wild conversation; and then
! learned that this was the third member
of the Waldron family that Jones had
killed within the year. had little time
to consider it, for mighty shout went up
from the crowd, and turned to see tall,
dark lad, who could not have been over
seventeen, standing in the spot where but a
few moments before the murderous ball had
passed through human heart, and to hear
from those about me that it was the younger
brother Of Waldron. .a.-.a


A very little time elapsed when the Sc
cond command was given, Are you ready,
gentlemen One! two! three fire p
And as the smoke cleared away I saw the
younger Waldron sitting supported by his
seconds. A few minutes elapsed, aud
could see there was an argument proceed
ing between principal and seconds / saw
them lift him to his feet, but he could not
stand Once more he was seated, and two
whisky casks we're brought to prop him in
sitting posture, and it was understood
there was to be another shot. l took look
at the face Of Jones while this was going