Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1904 — THE CODE IN ANCIENT TIMES [ARTICLE]

THE CODE IN ANCIENT TIMES

Vmiou Duel In the Day* of Good Queen Anno. In the reign of good Queen Anne duels were no less frequent than in the rowdy, riotous days of Charles 11. Lord Mohun,.a dissolute, remorseless nobleman, was the terror of honest London citizens at this time, and many were the infamous escapades in which he played chief character. He was guilty of one act which bears no other name than that of murder—the killing of poor Mountford, the actor, in cold blood because he endeavored to protect the honor of Mrs. Bracegirdle, the famous and beautiful actress. It was Lord Mohun who fought and killed the Duke of Hamilton, an affair which all will reuien** r who have read Thackeray’s great novel. "Esmond.” The duel was fought with swords in Hyde park, the challenge having been sent by Mohun to the duke, who had, with perfect accuracy, stated that one of Mohun’s creatures “had neither truth nor Justice in him.” The Duke of Hamilton received a wound in the right side of the leg about seven inches long, another in the right arm, a third in the upper part of the breast, running downward toward the body; a fourth on the outside of the left leg. Lord Mohun himself was mortally wounded, receiving a large wound in the groin, another in the right side through the body, in which the sword plunged right up to the hilt, and a third in his arm. There is no doubt be rightly deserved his death, because, departing from the rules of fence among men of honor, he shortened bis sword, thrust under his opponent’s guard and stabbed the duke in the manner of a common assassin.