USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 45
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When he returned to where Mr. King was standing, a box of cartridges was opened.
Mr. King loaded his pistol and handed it to his principal.
Capt. Jackson found some difficulty in loading his, not being used to that kind of revolver.
"I don't think load can this weapon," said Capt. Jackson.
"I can, Cap," spoke up Mr. Bruffey, and he took the pistol in his hand.
There was two or three seconds of silence.
"Bang!"
"There, my finger's gone!" and Mr. Bruffey walked off holding up a bloody hand. A part of the third finger of his right hand had been torn away by the ball.
"Let me dress the wound," said Dr. Cooper.
"Oh, go on with the fight," said Mr. Bruffey as he wrapped a handkerchief about his lacerated finger. "A finger don't amount to anything."
Capt. Jackson loaded Mr. Calhoun's pistol and handed it to him.
A black cloud passed over the moon and it was hard to distinguish a per- son twelve paces away.
At this time I passed close to Capt. Williamson and Mr. Calhoun, to see if there was any quick breathing, or any- thing to indicate nervousness. But the breathing of both was slow and regu- lar, and there was not a tremor of the body. Two cooler, braver men never stood on the field of honor.
Capt. Williamson raised his pistol slightly.
"Lower those weapons!" came from Capt. Jackson. Mr. Williamson's weapon was dropped.
The affair was getting to be dra- matically sensational.
Capt. Seay rushed forward and stood in front of Capt. Williamson.
"As a citizen of Georgia and in the name of the Governor of Alabama," cried out Capt. Seay, "I call upon you to stop!"
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
THE "PRINTUP," S., R. & D. ENGINE IN THE DUEL.
The captain didn't know which state he was in.
"It's a shame," he continued, "for two such men to stand up and shoot at each other, and this thing must be stopped !"
Capt. Seay had to be forcibly moved out of the way. He then called upon the doctors and the reporters to help him remove the principals and the sec- onds into the coach and take them back to Rome.
Mr. Bruffey put in with: "Yes, these men are two of the best citizens of Georgia, and it would be a terrible calamity if either of them was killed. Gentlemen, if it will satisfy you, you can each take a couple of cracks at me.'
"Gentlemen, must this thing be?" asked Dr. Cooper.
There was no reply.
"Gentlemen, are you ready?" came from Mr. King, and after a second's pause he proceeded :
"One, two, three, fire!"
Six rapid shots rang out on the still night air. Mr. Calhoun was asked if he was hurt and he said, "No." Capt. Williamson was asked if he was hurt and he answered that he was not.
"Load my pistol again," said Capt. Williamson.
Mr. King made a movement to go towards his principal.
Capt. Jackson raised his revolver and said:
"I'll shoot the first man who moves, if I can!"
"I think I have the right to speak to my principal," protested Mr. King.
"I wish Judge Tompkins sent for to see how this shooting shall proceed," said Capt. Williamson.
"I'll kill the man who crosses the
line, so help me God!" said Mr. Cal- houn as he looked towards Mr. King.
Capt. Jackson said he believed Mr. King had the right to speak to his principal.
Mr. King went to Capt. Williamson and Capt. Jackson conferred with Mr. Calhoun.
Mr. King began to examine Capt. Williamson's pistol.
"What does that mean?" said Capt. Jackson, coming towards Mr. King.
"I am looking to see if my princi- pal's weapon is empty," replied Mr. King. "You can see for yourself."
"That's all right," replied Capt. Jackson.
Then Mr. Calhoun's voice was heard clear and strong:
"Mr. Williamson, I have reserved four of my shots and I now have the right to fire them at you."
"I am ready to receive them," came from Mr. Williamson in a steady voice.
"Mr. Williamson, I ask you to with- draw the statement you used in speak- ing about me before the legislative committee."
"I will do so," replied Capt. William- son, "when you say you meant no per- sonal reflection on me by your remarks before that committee."
"My statement before that commit- tee was to impress the legislature with the fact that your railroad was offered to the Central in 1887. I say this with four balls, and I do not wish to take your life."
"When you say you meant no re- flection upon me personally then I will retract, but not until then."
"I want you to retract uncondition- ally."
"You will get such when you tell me
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you did not intend to reflect upon my character."
"Mr. Williamson, will you retract?" again asked Mr. Calhoun.
Capt. Jackson interrupted the dia- logue with the question :
"Mr. Williamson, have you any re- spect for me as a man of honor?"
"I have," was the reply.
"Then I say to you as a man of honor that I would withdraw the state- ment."
"Capt. Jackson, I will not do so until Mr. Calhoun tells me that he meant no personal reflection by his remarks."
"I hold four balls," said Mr. Cal- houn. "Will you withdraw?"
"I'm ready for your fire," replied Mr. Williamson with firmness.
Then Mr. Calhoun raised his pistol aloft and said:
"Mr. Williamson, in my remarks be- fore the legislative committee, you did not personally enter my mind. I say this holding four shots in reserve, and when I have fired them in the air I ex- pect you to withdraw your remarks, since I have made this statement."
Pointing the pistol upward, Mr. Cal- houn fired the four shots. The flashes of the pistol could be seen.
As soon as the shots were fired, Capt. Williamson said :
"Since you have stated that you meant nothing personal in your re- marks, I now withdraw the statement I made before the legislative commit- tee."
Mr. Calhoun walked over to Capt. Williamson and the two gentlemen shook hands.
"Let all this be a matter of the past," said Mr. Calhoun.
"It shall be with me," said Capt. Williamson. "You have shown your- self to be a man of courage and I be- lieve I have."
"You certainly have," replied Mr. Calhoun.
Capt. Jackson then threw his arms about Mr. Calhoun's neck and kissed him.
The party returned to the train and champagne and cigars were in order.
We arrived in Rome a few minutes after 9 o'clock, and that was the first telegraph station reached after the fight. I sent the first authentic news of the fight to Atlanta at that hour.
Cap. Williamson and the other gen- tlemen who live in Rome got off, and Mr. Calhoun, Capt. Jackson, Dr. Coop-
er, Judge Tompkins, Major Lowe and myself were sent through on Capt. Williamson's private car, arriving in Atlanta at 2 o'clock on Sunday morn- ing.
NOTES OF THE FIGHT.
Capt. Jackson tells a good story on Mr. Ed Bruffey. He says when they found it impossible to give Ed the shake, they just swore him in. The party had to travel as secretly as pos- sible to avoid arrest. Soon after Bruf- fey had been "sworn in" he approached Capt. Jackson and said: "Captain, is there any particular lie you want me to tell, or shall I just lie generally?"
The saddest thing of the day was the grief of Capt. Williamson's private secretary at the thought of his em- ployer's having to face death. He re- mained in the coach during the fight, and when the six shots rang out, he jumped to his feet and exclaimed: "My God! Is he killed?"
Mr. Calhoun did some practising early Saturday morning, and he is said to have turned over a silver dol- lar three shots out of five.
It is claimed by Mr. Williamson that it did not occur to him that he could reserve any shot, and that was why he fired so rapidly and left himself unarmed.
Mr. Calhoun says he did not hear any bullets whizzing past him. "I felt as calm and cool," says he, "as if I had been making a law speech." And he looked just as he said he felt.
There came near being a serious col- lision at Cedar Bluff between Capt. Williamson's special and the regular passenger, on which Capt. Jackson and Mr. Calhoun arrived. Had the special had a few minutes more time when it pulled out from the sheriff there would have been a smashup.
About an hour before the fight took place Capt. Williamson was asked by me if he felt any apprehension of what was coming. He said: "I don't any more mind going into this fight than I do going to breakfast. I have no fear of death and I attribute this to my phi- losophy. A man must eventually die anyway, and to die now is only to hasten matters a few years."
When the duel was over, it was a happy party that boarded the train and made the champagne corks pop. Mr. Calhoun called Capt. Williamson "John," and Capt. Williamson called
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
4
3
8
7
10
ROME DWELLINGS OF HIGH ALTITUDE AND LOW
1-Mrs. C. S. Sparks. 2-Mrs. E. L. West. 3-Col. and Mrs. J. Lindsay Johnson ("Rio Vista," on the Etowah). 4-Barry Wright. 5-John C. Glover. 6-Hugh B. Parks. 7-Richard A. Denny (formerly Capt. John J. Seay and Thos. W. Alexander). 8-Mrs. Henry J. Hine. 9-Judge and Mrs. Waller T. Turnbull ("Saracinesca," Tubbs Mountain). 10-W. Coleman Bryan (J. Park Bowie). 11-J. E. S. Angle (John Montgomery).
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him "Pat," and both were on the most friendly terms.
The way he dodged around, jumping from car to car, perplexed the old sher- iff as bad as the harlequin in Humpty- Dumpty did Goody Two-Shoes.
They tried to make the old Cherokee sheriff believe the special train car- ried the mail and that he would be hung for interfering with the mails, but it was no go.
Capt. Jackson, in discussing the duel after it was over, said: "My man showed as noble courage as was ever witnessed on the field, and he had a man of true grit in front of him."
Before going on the field, Mr. King told Capt. Jackson that he was un- armed.
When Ed Bruffey, who has been un- able to walk without crutches for sev- eral months, left the train to go on the field he forgot his crutches and jumped about in a very lively manner.
And now the fight is over, everybody is satisfied and happy, and will remain so unless the Governor of Alabama opens up a correspondence with the Governor of Georgia.
GORDON NOEL HURTEL.
The Barrett narrative, written in collaboration with Bruffey for The Constitution of Monday morning, Aug. 12, 1889, follows:
Mr. Calhoun and Capt. Jackson are back at home again.
Mr. Williamson and Mr. King are in Rome.
The duel is a thing of the past and the friends of all concerned are pleas- ed at the bloodless result. But those who were upon the field may have to make another trip to Alabama. Gov. Tom Seay wants to see them.
Alabama's chief executive made every exertion to prevent the duel in his state. He telegraphed to every county, and yesterday morning when he ascertained that his officers had been eluded, and that the fight took place near the state line, he was an- gry.
Gentlemen who were in Montgomery yesterday morning and who reached Atlanta last night say that Gov. Seay says he will have officers sent for all parties interested in the affair, and see that the law is vindicated. Just what will be done remains to be seen.
Mr. Calhoun passed the day at his home and will remain in the city some
time. Capt. Jackson has no idea of going away, and if Gov. Seay wants them he will have no trouble in secur- ing them.
On our return to Atlanta yesterday Mr. Bruffey and myself were asked thousands of questions about the Cal- houn-Williamson duel-among them if the men really shot to kill? Were the pistols loaded with balls or were the cartridges blank? And hundreds of other such, I may say, foolish ques- tions.
The bravery shown by both parties in the fight was simply unequaled. They are the two bravest men I ever saw, and in the history of this coun- try, it is safe to say, there will never be another such duel.
Had it not been for the darkness, both men would have been killed, for both are good shots. Mr. Williamson apparently wanted to hit Mr. Calhoun before the latter could get good aim, and therefore fired all five of his balls in less than two seconds. He was familiar with his pistol, but his haste was evidently the cause of his wild shots.
Mr. Calhoun, on the other hand, was a perfect stranger to the hammerless Smith & Wesson self-cocker. In fact, Capt. Harry Jackson says Mr. Calhoun not only never used one before but had never had one in his hands, and as for himself, he never saw one until yesterday on the grounds. Capt. Jack- son at first protested against the weapons, but Mr. Calhoun said he was perfectly willing to use them. Mr. Calhoun is a dead shot, and while he might have shot to kill, it struck me otherwise.
After the first shots and when the colloquy ensued, Mr. Calhoun simply held Mr. Williamson's life in his hands. He could have killed him at any mo- ment, and it would have been perfectly justifiable under the code. Whether he ever had any idea of shooting again is the question. No one knew then and perhaps no one knows now. Mr. Williamson's cool bravery in telling him to "shoot your remaining four balls and then we will load and shoot again," folding his arms and standing erect to receive the balls, was an ex- hibition of courage that gained for him the admiration of everyone on the field. Mr. Calhoun's action in firing his four balls into the air was magnanimous and a clear exhibition of the manhood of the man.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
When Mr. King started to approach Mr. Williamson during the colloquy and Capt. Jackson leveled his revolver and cried "Hold your position; if you approach I will kill you!"-the scene was dramatic beyond description.
There were on the field besides the principals and the seconds the two sur- geons, Dr. Cooper and Dr. Battey, Col. John J. Seay, of Rome; Mr. Dozier, The Constitution's engineer; John G. Taylor, of The Rome Tribune, and Mr. Bruffey and myself.
Everyone thought Mr. King was armed, and expecting a general shoot- ing, there was somewhat of a scram- ble among the spectators. Bruffey dropped on the ground behind a stump; the others drew back in the woods, and I sought shelter of a pine sapling the size of my arm to the immediate right of Capt. Jackson.
As a scene for a wild and pictur- esque duel no more strange spot could have been selected than in that small clearing in a clump of woods. It was not more than 75 feet square and was covered with a growth of scrubby bushes. On three sides were great tall trees underneath which was a dense undergrowth. On the fourth side was the railroad track with The Constitu- tion engine and Mr. Williamson's car, containing Judge Tompkins and Mr. W. B. Lowe, both of whom Capt. Jack- son refused to allow on the field.
With the puffing engine, the dimly- lighted car, the group in the clearing surrounded by the great, tall trees in the gathering shadows, the scene was a weird one. Then the reports of the pistols, the flames from their muzzles, -next the silence, the colloquy, the four shots in the air, the frightened owls hooting and moaning in the dis- tance-it was a queer, a picturesque, a strange, a grand picture.
Bruffey was twice the hero of the day. Once when he shot his little fin- ger off. Again at Cedar Bluff.
The special engine and the car bear- ing Mr. Williamson and party and the train with Mr. Calhoun and Capt. Jackson arrived in Cedar Bluff at the same minute. A big, black-bearded sheriff with a pistol in one hand, a telegram in the other, followed by a posse of five armed men, jumped on the platform of Mr. Williamson's car. "I want Williamson," he gruffly cried to Mr. King.
"I don't know anything about him," Mr. King replied. Then pointing to Mr. Calhoun and Capt. Jackson, who
had gotten off their train, "That might be him."
The sheriff immediately ran toward them and grabbed Mr. Calhoun's arm. "You are Williamson; I arrest you!"
But Col. Seay told the sheriff he was mistaken, and got him away. Then Bruffey whispered to me, "You cover all this. I am going to be arrested and go to jail, and it won't be the first time, either."
Then he said to the sheriff, "Mr. Sheriff, I am Pat Calhoun, but you can't take me."
In a second the cold muzzle of a pistol was against Bruffey's temple. "We'll see!" cried the sheriff, jerking his arm and lifting him off his crutches.
"Well, what are you going to do with me?"
Then Capt. Jackson spoke up and said to Mr. Bruffey, "Pat, you will find your passes in my valise."
"Here," said the sheriff, "this man must be identified." To the crowd, "Is this Mr. Calhoun?"
Then some smart Aleck who had been on the train spoke up and said, "No, sir, that ain't him. He's a big- ger man and ain't got no crutches."
The sheriff said in disgust: "You're damned smart, ain't you?" as he re- leased the badly-bunged-up scribe.
But Bruffey's game gave Mr. Cal- houn and Mr. Williamson time to hide in the cars and get off. Without it there would have been no duel.
One of the bravest men I ever saw was Mr. Dozier, The Constitution's engineer. He runs a dummy on Col. Seay's line in Rome, and through Col. Seay's kindness I was able to secure his services to run the engine I had obtained. At Raynes' Station a party of officers ran up to arrest the crowd. A big fellow with a rifle went toward the engine, to the edge of the cut in which it stood, and leveled his rifle at Mr. Dozier.
"Stop that train !" he commanded.
"Not today, thanks," answered Do- zier, as with a wave of his hand he threw the throttle wide open, without even dodging.
The officer did not shoot and the train moved off.
Col. John J. Seay and Dr. J. B. S. Holmes, of Rome, are trumps. Rush- ing back to Rome after being put off Mr. Williamson's car in the woods, I went immediately to Dr. Holmes' of- fice to telephone General Manager
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Lawrence, of the Rome & Decatur, to have an engine ready for me imme- diately. Mr. Lawrence replied he had only one engine and no engineer who had ever been over his road. I could have it if he had an engineer, but without one it was impossible.
Dr. Holmes went to the phone and said: "Lawrence, he must have an engine. Arrange it, please, if not for The Constitution, for me."
I left in search of an engineer while Dr. Holmes was talking. I met Col. Seay and told him I must have an engineer at any cost.
"That's just what I have and you shall have him. Here he comes in a dummy now, and he knows the road, too."
"Bring him out to the Rome and De- catur, quick," I replied.
Then I drove out to the depot, told Mr. Lawrence I had a man, secured a fireman as Mr. Lawrence went to his office to write instructions for the en- gineer. Mr. Seay and Engineer Dozier arrived, jumped in the engine, threw the throttle wide open and we were off running wildly down the track with- out orders or instructions, but fortu- nately, the track was clear and we got through safely.
Catching Mr. Williamson's engine and car which were side-tracked at the junction and were not able to move without a pilot, 'I offered them our pilot, provided we were taken aboard their car, with the understanding that that engine was to pull the car and ours to follow. They had no alterna- tive. It was take us aboard or not get to the dueling grounds on time. They accepted the offer with thanks, but just then the sheriff appeared. We took Mr. Williamson and Mr. King on our engine and were off. Their en- gine and car followed.
The remainder of the story was told yesterday.
E. W. BARRETT.
The Constitution added the following details :
The Calhoun-Williamson duel was the one thing discussed in the hotel corridors, private parlors and on the streets yesterday from dawn to dark. Minute details of the fight were in great demand. The Constitution's magnificent and complete work ex- cited the admiration of everybody, and the issue of the paper was exhausted long before the noon hour. Twice the edition could have been sold.
On Friday last, when the trouble then pending between the gentlemen became known, members of The Con- stitution staff were instructed to watch it closely and to shadow the gentlemen connected with it until the conclusion was reached. Their work in yester- day's edition shows how faithfully they carried out their orders. Mr. E. W. Barrett was assigned to the William- son party. Mr. Edward C. Bruffey was put on the Calhoun party.
This was Friday afternoon about half past 4 o'clock. The Kimball House was then the battlefield and the two reporters hung closely around with ears and eyes open, never leav- ing the hotel except to follow either Mr. Williamson or Mr. Calhoun. The work was slow, but it was interesting.
Late Friday night it became appar- ent to those who were conversant with the latest work that the gentlemen were preparing to leave the city. About half past 10 o'clock Capt. Jackson en- tered the Kimball and . went up the elevator. In a few minutes he came down and walked hurriedly out the Wall Street entrance with his shadow close behind him. At the Union Depot he entered a cab and was driven rap- idly to his residence. A cab followed closely behind.
Capt. Jackson remained at his resi- dence about 10 minutes, and came out carrying a small satchel. He then re-entered the cab and was driven to the Union Depot. Stopping at the eastern end, he was joined by Mr. Cal- houn, who was awaiting him. Together the two gentlemen entered a Mann car and went to a section which had been reserved for them. Mr. Bruffey was on the same train when it pulled out.
No one knew whither the gentlemen were bound, and a careful watch was necessary to prevent a loss. At every station the front and rear entrances had to be watched, and when Captain Jackson emerged from the section at Anniston, followed by Mr. Calhoun, his shadow made himself scarce. Capt. Jackson passed within three feet of Mr. Bruffey in leaving the car, without knowing it. From that time on it was a game of hide and seek. No two gen- tlemen ever tried harder to evade friends and avoid observation than Capt. Jackson and Mr. Calhoun, and the watch kept upon them was hard work. But Mr. Bruffey was equal to the task, and when the fight came off he was on hand to see it.
Mr. Barrett was not long in ascer- taining that the Calhoun party had
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY.
SALE
13-14-1「 雑
ROME'S HISTORIC CLOCK TOWER, AND OTHER SCENES.
The top of the tower is the highest point in downtown Rome, and it has often been sought by romantic young people who wanted to get married in an unusual way. Other views on this page include the office of the Howel Cotton Co., the jail, the N., C. & St. L. (Rome) railroad station (in oval), the City Hall Park bandstand and various machines for locomotion.
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left the city and with renewed inter- est and increased watchfulness linger- ed about the Kimball, all night long. About 6 the next morning Mr. Wil- liamson left his room, closely followed by Mr. Barrett. The gentleman and his friend walked to the Union Depot and boarded a Western & Atlantic train, Mr. Barrett within reach. At Kingston, where Mr. Williamson's pri- vate car was awaiting him, Mr. Bar- rett's presence was detected, and an attempt was made to give him the shake. But he would not have it, and accepting a seat upon the front plat- form, made his way into Rome. Outside of Rome, on the Rome and Decatur road, Mr. Barrett was made to leave the train. He felt knocked out, but not defeated. Hurrying back to Rome he sought Mr. Lawrence, superintend- ent of the Rome & Decatur, and char- tered a special engine. But Mr. Law- rence could not furnish an engineer. Then Mr. Barrett "bought" one off a dummy line and in a short time over- took Mr. Williamson's private car. The car was standing upon a side-track and could not move. Mr. Williamson's en- gineer had never been over the road and the superintendent would not per- mit the train to move under a man un- acquainted with the line.
Mr. Barrett's engineer, however, knew the road. When he pulled out of Rome, Mr. Barrett was in a hurry, and ordered the engineer to turn the machine loose. By those who were on the engine the ride was described as having been wild, reckless and dan- gerous. But Mr. Barrett was willing to take all chances. Realizing that Mr. Williamson could never reach the field without his help, Mr. Barrett ap- proached Judge Tompkins, saying :
"You cannot get there without my assistance. Now, if you want to fight that duel, I will take you to the grounds upon one condition."
"What is it?" asked the judge.
"Give me and my party seats in your car."
Judge Tompkins did so and Mr. Bar- rett was at the fight.
The last line of the duel heading in yesterday's Constitution, stating that Mr. Williamson makes retraction, con- veyed a wrong idea. The fact was that Mr. Williamson withdrew his re- marks when Mr. Calhoun stated that in his statements before the legisla- tive committee Mr. Williamson per- sonally did not enter his mind.
Capt. Jackson explained as follows to the editor of The Constitution under date of Aug. 11:
"In your issue of yesterday, under the heading "To Meet in Alabama," appears this language:
"'Capt. Jackson carried with him a pair of dueling pistols which were believed by those who saw them to in- dicate that the worst is anticipated.'
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