ffence he was
called out and whipped, as the master told him, for telling a lie.
Whether the charge or the punishment was just is not a point of any
moment, though I must say the testimony goes far to justify both.
William goes home, complains to his brother Matt. F., not so much of the
severity of the punishment, as of being called a liar. The elder brother
becomes highly indignant, and determines to go to the Professor and
demand an apology. It must be remembered that the father was all this
time in Louisville, and of course the natural person to have made any
remonstrance with his old friend the Professor. Matt. F.'s family remind
him that he is very weakly, and that one of the masters at the school is
an enemy of his. They therefore beg of him to be calm, and to take his
intermediate brother Robert with him, in case of accidents. He consents.
He then goes to the gun-store of Messrs. Dixon and Gilmore, and
purchases of the latter, about 9 A.M., two small pocket-pistols, three
inches long in the barrel. These he gets Mr. Gilmore to load, but
purchases no further ammunition. After this he proceeds with his brother
Robert, who is armed with a bowie-knife, to the school. Not wishing to
be unjust to Mr. Matt. F. Ward, I give the statement of the subsequent
occurrence in the words of his brother Robert's evidence in court.[BQ]

"On entering the school-room,[BR] Matt. asked for Butler. He came. Matt.
remarked, I wish to have a talk with you. Butler said, Come into my
private room. Matt. said, No; here is the place. Mr. Butler nodded.
Matt. said, What are your ideas of justice? Which is the worst, the boy
who begs chestnuts, and throws the shells on the floor, and lies about
it, or my brother who gives them to him? Mr. Butler said he would not
he interrogated, putting his pencil in his pocket and buttoning up his
coat. Matt, repeated the question. Butler said, There is no such boy
here. Matt. said, That settles the matter: you called my brother a liar,
and for that I must have an apology. Butler said he had no apology to
make. Is your mind made up? said Matt. Butler said it was. Then, said
Matt., you must hear my opinion of you. You are a d----d scoundrel and
a coward. Butler then struck Matt. twice, and pushed him back against
the door. Matt. drew his pistol and fired. Butler held his hand on him
for a moment. As the pistol fired, Sturgus[BS] came to the door. I drew
my knife, and told him to stand back." Thus was Professor