The Syracuse Journal, Volume 20, Number 51, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 19 April 1928 — Page 2

famous American Duels / B jf F*ll \ / »/ X - _A.-•&..--.\L-idwwi ***x&Yr i / w.z»*x« VtMft* IwW» Miram /m - jRx! »*-' iSsfr - x2B \n / ■ ‘ A ..'XM WaiteaX !<£vsUßF \i°J XXJm / _.JWMw\ r WL- *|R v \J v\ ■-' HHBHmn \ \ WI \ ! >t M m HHsMbik 7 jzr wrr * c By ALFRED SORENSEN ft } ■ t V

L dinner party given in London in 1772 by General Oglethorpe, who took quite a prominent part in the settlement of Georgia, a discussion arose over the question whether • duelling was consistent with moral duty. Dr. Samuel Johnson, who was one of the guests, maintained that a man had a right to defend his honor. Turning to Boswell, his biographer, he asked: “What would

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you do if you were affronted?” “I should think it necessary to fight,” was ins reply. “That solves the question,” said Goldsmith. “No, sir!” emphatically declared Johnson, “it does not follow that what a man would do is therefore right. He who fights a duel does not .fight from passion against his antagonist, but out of self-defense to avert the stigma of the world, and to prevent himself from being driven out of society. I could wish there were not that superfluity of refinement; but while such notions prevail no doubt a man may lawfully fight a duel.” Henry Clay, who fought two duels —one with Humphrey Marshall, and the other with John Randolph—held virtually the same opinion as Doctor Johnson, and advocated the passage of a bill by the United States senate against duelling. Re admitted, however, that “the'man with a high sense of honor and nice sensibility, when the question is whether he shall fight or have the finger of scorn pointed at him, is unable to resist; and few, very few 5 , are found willing to adopt such an alternative.” During the days of chivalry in the southern states it required great moral courage not to accept a challenge, and there were very .few refusals. John Randolph, whose duel with Clay was a bloodless affair, was challenged several times, but declined owing to "religious scruples.” When he stood in front of Clay his hair-trigger pistol was accidentally discharged, muzzle downwards, before the word to fire was given. In the second round Clay missed his mark, and Randolph fired up in the air. Thereupon they “made up” and shook hands, Randolph was frequently branded as a coward, and was once publicly “posted” by Gen. James Wilkinson In the following insulting language: “In justice to my character I denounce to ttie world John Randolph, member of congress, as a prevaricating, base, calumniating scoundrel, poltroon and coward.”. Notwithstanding this great provocation, as well as others of a like character, Randolph stood firm in his determination not to engage in “affairs of honor.” In replying to Wilkinson’s challenge Randolph concluded his note by saying: “I cannot descend to your level. This is my final answer.” This was the cause of Wilkinson’s vitriolic “posting” of the congressman from Virginia. - In 1785 Gen. Nathaniel Green twice declined to accept a challenge from Captain Gunn of Georgia, who thereupon threatened to personally assault him. But Gunn failed to carry out his threat as General Green sent him word that he was prepared to defend himself as he always carried pistols. Gen. Sam Houston turned down several challenges. “If they quarrel with me that is their privilege,” said he, “but I shall try to take care that they do me no harm.” Fabius Stanley and Zechariah Johnston, United States naval officers, had a misunderstanding In 1850 and the former sent the latter a challenge. Johnston refused to fight, thereupon Stanley “posted” him as a coward in a Washington hotel, and was court-martialed and dismissed from the navy. General Harney, whose courage no one ever doubted, was challenged by General Summer, but Instead of accepting he had the moral stamina to have the challenger court-martialed. In 1884 John S. Wise, member of congress from Virginia, in replying to those who<expected him to resent some severe newspapw assaults by fighting a duel with Page McCarty, said: “McCarty’s abuse of me has no more effect than a dog barking at the moon. His invitation comes too late. Time has been when I might have been fool enough to indulge in such folly, but with age, and with a broader view of life and its responsibilities, I have bidden farewell to the McCarty type of manhood.” Sir Walter Raleigh, after he had killed several men in duels, and had declared that he would never fight again, was challenged by a young man to whom he replied. “If I could as easily wipe from my conscience the stain of killing you as I can this spittle from my face you should not live another minute.” Although duels, in various forms and with rules differing from time to time, date back to remote ages, “when the memory of man runneth not to the contrary,” it was not until early in the Sixteenth century of the Christian era that duelling was adopted in Europe as a method of settling so-called “affairs of honor” in accordance with an established code. So prevalent did duelling become in France that Louis XIII issued an edict against the practice and sent many duellists to the scaffold. This severity, however, did not much abate the sanguinary encounters, but early In the reign of Louis XIV quite a number of

North Africa Reports First Comet of Year

The first comet of 1928, which will be known, therefore, as comet 1928a, has been found by an astronomer named Fillppoff at the French observatory at Algiers, in northern Africa. Announcement of this discovery has Just reached the Harvard College observatory, according to Dr. Harlow Shapley, director. When discovered, on January 28. the new comet was In the constellation of

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( I olh il 1 ' H HI I i I noblemen, whose courage was unquestioned, made a compact to refrain from the fighting of duels. Their stand caused a falling off in these combats, and in 1644 Louis XIV organized a court of chivalry to pass judgment on “affairs of honor,” which up to that time had been settled by a resort to arms. Today there is a law in France making the killing in a duel punishable as a homicide. In recent years duels have been of rare occurrence in France, generally resulting . harmlessly and regarded as a joke carried out for notoriety. In the United States —especially in the South and In California—duels were very common up to the close of the Civil war, army and navy officers and politicians being the most frequent participants. Today, however, a meeting to “shoot it out” on the “field of honor” is an unheard-of event and would be a front-page sensation. One of the most determined and desperate duels ever fought in the United States was that in which DeWitt Clinton and John Swartout exchanged s shots five times. It was the result of differences and bitter quarrels between the political followers of Clipton and the adherents of Aaron Burr. • DeWitt Clinton was admitted to the bar of New York at an early age, and immediately entering the school of politics he became an apt pupil under the tutorship of his uncle, George Clinton, Republican leader and governor, who made him his secretary and appointed him to other secretarial positions. George Clinton was a deputy in the New York provincial congress; a brigadier-general in the Continental army; was successively elected governor of New York from 1777 to 1795; then served in the legislature; was again elected • governor in 1800; and was made vice president of the United States in 1804, filling that office until his death, eight years later. DeWitt Clinton rose rapidly to eminence and power in the Republican party, and had fully as distinguished a career „as his talented uncle. When he was twenty-eight years old he was elected a member of the lower house of the legislature, and the following year he became a state senator. From that time to the end of his life he was, with brief interims, a continuous office-holder. He was United States senator from 1801 to 1803, when he resigned, to accept appointment to the office of mayor of New York city. After serving four-years in this position he was removed, but was reappointed two years later. He was again put out of this office in 1810, but was reinstated and continued to serve as mayor until 1815. Clinton was an unsuccessful Presidential candidate in 1812. From 1811 to 1813 he held the honorary office’ of lieutenant-governor, and tn 1817 be was elected governor; was re-elected in 1820; declined to be a candidate two years later; and was again elected in 1824 and in 1826. His brilliant and remarkably successful career was cut short by death while still ip office. Clinton was a public-spirited citizen. At the very beginning of his career he was an earnest advocate of public improvement. It was owing to his efforts that the Erie canal was built, and this great achievement added much to his popularity. Clinton and Burr became engaged in fierce political disputes in which offensive personalities were the outstanding features. John Swartout. an intimate friend and defender of Burr, became more or less mixed up in the quarrels of the two leaders. Swartout, who had himself been hard hit by

Gemini, the twins. It was of the eleventh magnitude, too faint to be seen without telescopic aid, and its position, in the astronomical equivalents of'latitude and longitude, was 6 hours, 24 minutes and 56 seconds right ascension and 20 degrees 16 minutes north declination. It is reported as having very slow movement, thus indicating that it is at a great distance from the earth. After two

more observations have been made astronomers will be able to compute its orbit and tell whether or not it is likely to become visible to the' naked eye. • —■■■ A Mammaplane Last summer when Charles A. Lindbergh was making so many flights over the National road, Josephine, a little seven-year-old girl, eagerly watched for the one especial plane carrying him. Her mother explained to distinguish that plane, that it

THE SYRACKSE JOURNAL

Clinton’s vituperative references, took up an active defense of Burr and charged that Clinton’s vicious attacks were based on personal and selfish motives. This angered Clinton, who denounced Swartout as a liar, a scoundrel and a villain. Such vilifying epithets were more than Swartout could stand and he accordingly challenged Clinton, who promptly accepted. The shooting match took place in 1802 on the ground at Weehawken, N. J., where the famous duel between Burr and Hamilton was held in 1804, and where Hamilton’s son had been killed in a duel in 1801. On reaching the designated spot Swartout demanded that Clinton should sign a written apology. Clinton indignantly refused to do anything of the kind. Just before taking their places Clinton remarked: “I wish I had the principal here.” He referred to Burr, who, if he had stood before Clinton at that meeting, might not have lived to kill Alexander Hamilton. Swartout was seconded by Colonel Smith, and CJinton by Richard Riker. The first shots were harmless. Riker, in accordance with the instruction of principal, now Colonel Smith to ask Swartout if he was satisfied. “I am not,” was his answer. Another exchange of shots were made without effect, and again Swartout was not satisfied. A third exchange resulted without injury, and Swartout, upon being again asked if he was satisfied, replied: “1 am not, and I. shall not be until the apology Is made which I have demanded.” His defiant attitude was certainly that of Macbeth who shouted: “Lay on, Macduff 1 And d—d he him that first cries ‘Hold, enough!’” The prepared apology, dictated by Swartout was again presented to Clinton for his signature, with the declaration that if he refused to attach his name the tight must go on to the finish. Clinton declined to sign any paper regarding the matter in dispute, and said that “he had no animosity against Mr. Swartout and would willingly shake hands and agree to meet him on the score of former friendship.” This friendly offer was declined and the combatants resumed their positions and fired the fourth shot. This time Swartout was wounded in the left leg, about five inches below the knee. He was not disabled and Insisted upon proceeding with the contest, saying that it was useless to ask him to quit At this stage of the affair Clinton once more asserted that he entertained no animosity. Furthermore, he stated he was sorry for what had occurred, and then offered to shake hands and forget the past. While this conversation was in progress, the attendant surgeon extracted the bullet from Swartout’s leg. For the fifth time he faced Clinton, and was again wounded in the left leg, a few inches above the ankle. Still standing, and determined as ever, he called for another shot. Thereupon Clinton refused to comply, and walked away. Swariout said-he was much surprised at his action in neither apologizing nor affording full satisfaction. While Clinton was in the United States senate he became involved in another “affair of honor.” In the course of an animated debate he had used language that was offensive to Senator Dayton of New Jersey, who was a friend of Burr. The next day Dayton sent him a challenge which was accepted without any long-winded correspondence. They met on October 24, 1803, and upon Clinton making a satisfactory explanation and offering an apology the duel was called off.. • Two years after this Incident Swartout fought a duel with Riker, who was severely wounded. Riker became a judge of the city recorder’s court of New York, and served on that bench for many years. Early Recreation Spots The earliest form of a publie preserve devoted to outdoor recreation in the territory of the present United States was a city park, Boston common, acquired in 1634. The next example of public action of this kind covered a field related to that at present usually held by state agencies—the reservation to the people for “fishing and fowling,” by an ordinance of the Massachusetts Bay colony? in 1641, of “great pohds,” water surfaces of ten acres or more. The first state park of larger size, set apart primarily for recreation, was one which is now a famous national park. Yosemite. Congress ceded it to California in 1865, and later It was returned to federal control.

would have one pair of wings, a monoplane. Very often Josephine would come running with: “Oh! mother, there he Is; It’s a mammaplane.” Finally her mother said, “Jo, just what did you say?” “Why, a mammaplane," and at the laugh that followed, Jo said: “Well, the ones with two wings are papaplanes, aren’t they?” Bones of at least 2,000 hippotamuses killed by prehistoric hunters were found in a single cave in Sicily. /

The Cream °f Tobacco KSdr <*<• FRED NIBLO Photoplay Director, writes: “To a moving picture director there is no comfort or luxury like a good cigarette. Such a cigarette I have found in ‘The Lucky Strike’—and during the filming of big pictures like ‘Ben Hur’ I smoked ‘Luckies’ even while directing in the open air thousands of supernumeraries, and never once did I ever suffer from throat irritation.’* “It’s toasted" No Throat Irritation-No Cough. ©1928. The American Tobacco Co., Inc.

Eloquent Peace Plea Seen in Wooden Legs Vice President Dawes, after eloquently urging the American Legion at Greenville to make its Paris parade a memorial to the dead, said to a reporter : “The French lost horribly in the World war. They lost eleven men to our one. That is why our parade should be solemn and impressive—no gayety or fun. “I wish it could be a plea for world peace too. A plea for world peace—and that reminds me of a story. “An American nurse stood at a railway station’ ‘somewhere in France’ during the war when a long freight train loaded with wooden legs went by. “The nurse looked at all those thousands of wooden legs and sighed and said: “ ‘There goes a train load of the best stump speeches for world peace that ever happened.’” Ask for SUNSHINE RAISINS. Seedless. Rich in Iron and Vitamines. Create energy. Good for children. Full pound. All grocers.—Adv. All He Has Coming ‘‘What do yon get out of life?” de manded the carper. “What I put into it, plus a fair interest,” answered the thoughtful man —Boston Transcript. On every mountain height is rest.

For sleeping rooms — formal parlors and reception halls — GgSSBESIEffi —for the library— and for /■b Olnh public buildings. Properly applied it won’t rub off. yMMESHpffI Write to us or ask y° ur dealer ill ml f° r a CO M of OUT free drawing H ml book for children —“The AlabasISL Jftl fine Home Color Book” —and a free color card. Write to us also for our beau- / tiful free book “Artistic Home Decoration” by our Home Betterment Expert, Miss Ruby Brandon, Alabastine Company, 222 Grandville Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich. Nmw genuine without Alabastine— a powder in white and * ' orfoted in red™ * tints. Packed in .5-pound packages, p ready for use by mixing with cold - ..... or warm water. Full directions on n . a_ ai_t__4-__ every package. Apply with an ordi- (l€t All AldDdSullC nary wall brush. Suitable for all f r* J interior surfaces — plaster, wall vOIOF vdlu board, brick, cement or canvas. A J Instead of Kalsomine or W Paper ■ - . ...... ■

Filling Really Vital Part of Prescription It was in North Carolina, where the colored people are looked upon by their “white folks” pretty much as if they were children who were never expected to quite grow up. A northerner tells of his southern host, a doctor, being approached by a colored man, more or less dependent upon the physician’s bounty. The darky carried in his nand a prescription blank, which he fingered hesitantly before asking his benefactor, with just a shade of suggestion in his tone, where he was supposed to have it filled. “Take it right over there, to that drug store, uncle,” the doctor said, “and remember, I don’t pay for having it filled.” “But,” came the mournful remonstrance, “that ’scription don’t do me no good ’tall if yoh don’t pay for having it filled.”—Detroit Free Press. Squirrels Made Trouble Gray squirrels have taken to nesting in a power company’s conduit boxes in Stockbridge. Mass. After the town was plunged in darkness one night electricians found that squirrels had eaten the Insulation on some of the wires, causing a short clr'euit? A woman’s change of mind is an example of effect without a cause. It is some consolation to be at the bottom of the ladder when it breaks.

RADIO

Thousands of Farmers Get Market by Radio •The radio is perhaps the greatest boon given by science to the farmer.” said George G. Royce of the New York city office of the state department of agriculture and markets, speaking at a conference of extension workers from 12 Northeastern states held at Cornell university. “Science is the handmaiden of the i farmer. She is ever passing on to him discoveries that lighten his laI bors, add to the productivity of the I soil, give protection to the growing I crop and prolong the life of the harI vest,” said Mr. Royce. “But what matters it how well soil ■is tilled, the crop grown and harI vested, if it is not intelligently marketed?” he continued. “To market it, I thus, it follows that the farmer must : have timely market information i»eri taining both to condition and price. He should have this information made l available to him at the same time as j it is to the buyer to render more effective his bargaining ability. I “This, the ftidio is doing. Thousands of farmers now ‘listen in’ to | market reports which are going out | daily from large numbers of radio I broadcasting stations and are guided I by these reports in the marketing of their crops, and they make money by j it.” The New York state department of j agriculture and markets, realizing the ; importance and value of timely market information to the farmer, is now I broadcasting ■ daily markejl informaj tion from stations WEAF, W.IZ, I WNYC in New York city, from station WGY in Schenectady, station WCAD in Canton and WGR in Buffalo on the Buffalo markets. During the shipping season son lettuce, radio reports are broadcast on this commodity from WHAM. Rochester, and WGY, Schenectady. Similar reports on grapes ’are broadcast from WGY and WHAM during the shipping season. Radio Stations Aiding in Corn Borer Fight Services of i.-dio stations in 25 states will be enlisted by the'-’Depart-ment of Agriculture in its tight to ' check the ravages of the European corn borer. Co-operating with the radio service of the department, the stations broadcast for farm listeners one. ten-min-ute talk each week to May 1. Two series of talks are given: “Living With the Corn Borer,” for broadcast in states invaded by the insect, and “If the Corn Borer Comes.” for farmers in states not yet reached by the pest. The first series is transmitted, by stations in Ohio. Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and the New England states, and the second is broadcast hy stations in Delaware. New Jersey, West Virginia, North Carolina. Virginia, Illinois, lowa. Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota. Soldered Connections Important in Radio Set The first important factor for getting the best results from a receiving set is soldered connections. Every point should be carefully cleaned and then securely soldered. Antenna joints should be carefully solderbd and a 1 proper ground clamp installed. There are at least 22 contacts in a five-tube “■ set which cannot even be soldered. I Twenty of them are tube prong conI tacts, and the other two are the bat- ' tery switch and the rheostat Dirt on i any one of these will be a fruitful I source of noise. Mahy tubes have 1 solder (lead alloy) on their base i prongs. This solder rubs off onto the socket contacts, f oxydizes, and makes a high-resistance, noisy connection. The battery switch is often liable to “dirty up” after being cleaned. The same with the rheostat A dirty switch or rheostat contact causes noise in a receiving set Output Filter Provides Path for Direct Current An output filter is a device which provides an auxiliary path for the direct current •to the power tube, which prevents it flowing in the windings of the speaker. It is so designed that the alteration or speech current goes through the speaker, where it Is wanted. An output transformer performs the same function. The object is to prevent burning out the speaker winding and, what Is more important, to eliminate this constant strain which impairs the quality and possible output of some types* of speakers. xxxxxiooooooooooooooooooooETHEREAL SQUIBS 8 OOOOCXXXXHXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOO The violoncello is one of the finest instruments to broadcast owing to its rich, beautiful tone, and its great technical possibilities. Leakage is one of the chief faults of a poor grid condenser, and one of high standard is about the most Important part .in a receiver. Quality does not depend in any appreciable degree on the tuner or ra-dio-frequency amplifier, provided the selector Is not super-heterodyne. Atropin tablets can be used in an emergency to .make quick joints when there is no soldering iron at hand. Place one in a teaspoon and pour a few drops of'water in the spoon. A steady flame will result It will be found, often, that a loop receiving set will not work well in a stucco bouse. This Is because the stucco walls are built on a wire network for support. This wire network, which te grounded, acts as a grounded shield for the loop, or In-' door aerial, which prevents good reception.