8/13/2019 History of Dueling

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4 t1jJ Etiening1 uLkf,nB HILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1963

In Our Town By James Smart

L E X N D E R H M I LTO N was killed in a duel in1804.

James Cochran was killed in a duel in 1803.And Hamilton Cochran, descended from both-

families and therefore interested in duels, has writtena book about dueling in 1963.

When dueling is the subject, the pen is safer thanthe sword.

The title of the book is Noted American Duelsand Hostile Encounters.

It tells about the history, theory and practice ofdueling in the days when a gentleman wasn't reallya gentleman unless he was willing to risk becominga dead gentleman to prove it.

I visited Cochran in his study in his Wallingfordhome, and found dueling weapons hung all over thewalls.

These weapons range in age from the 1600's upto modern weapons, said Cochran, retired Curtis Cir

culation Co. executive and author of six historj,4novels and three non-fiction books

HE POINTED TO empty hooks onThat one's away being repaired,'

Remington army .44 given to me by afather used it in the Civil War.

When I got it, it was loaded.He slipped off his shoes,stood on a chair and took downa sword hanging over the fire-place.

Here's an interesting Span-ish broadsword, he said. Hetranslated an inscription on theblade: Do not draw me withoutcause, do not sheath me withouthonor.

This was hand forged inToledo, Spain, about 1640, hesaid, Lc'xing the blade.

This is a rapier SL h asD'Artagnan used in 'The Three hran

Musketeers,' he said', brandishing another blade.was made in Solingen, Germany, still a center of finecutlery.

H E B R O U G H T OUT wooden cases containingpairs of matched dueling pistols.

Every gentleman of quality was supposed to owndueling pistols, he said. The man who was chal-lenged could choose the weapons. One man oncechose kegs of dynamite. Each sat on one with thefuses lit, to see who would sit longest without run-ning.

One set, made in France and never fired, hadhand carved designs on the walnut handles and en-graving on the side lock and hammer. All were setin cloth, with accessories for making and loading bul-lets, each in its place in the case.

Cochran showed me dozens of pistols of all sizesand types. He demonstrated drawing a small gambler'spistol from his sleeve, and operated a naval boardingpistol which flicled out a sort of switch-blade bayonetafter its single snot was fired.

Would you like to know the most commonreason for duels? Cochran asked. Not love, notmoney. Politics was the biggest cause.

The second most frequent group of duelists werenewspapermen.

I was careful what I wrote about Cochran. Hebeen practicing.

the wall.he said, a

Cousin whose