Rose Hill Seminary

Swift Hunter vs Will Davis

July 27th 1893

Fuming Fireeaters Fight

Will Davis, a law student, and Swift Hunter, a young druggist, met on the field of honor near Versailles yesterday morning. Nothing of the romantic was wanting to make the encounter a fitting procedure. The cause of the war was an insult offered in a ballroom and prompted by jealousy. The weapons were pistols at 18 paces. The place was a wooded pasture the time just before daylight and blood was drawn. The affront was given at a ball at Rose Hill Seminary, a fashionable boarding school near Versailles. Davis and Hunter were both in love with the same girl who Davis escorted to the ball late in the evening when the gayety was at its height. Hunter and his rival met in crossing the wax floor. A few short and angry words passed between them. Hunter and his passion almost involuntarily made a remark reflecting upon the young lady in the case and was immediately called to time by Mr. Davis. Hunter was infuriated and refused to apologize. As quick as a flash, Davis drew his white glove which was still fragrant with the delicious perfume, the cause of the trouble used that evening and was about to throw it in his opponent’s face when Hunter cried, “Stop! I consider your glove as thrown and will return it to you wrapped around a bullet.” Davis chose Burchard McGinn and James S. House as his seconds and Hunter chose Paul McCaw. Just as the son was raising the party met in a bluegrass pasture on the farm of Col. Gus Macey, the well-known turfman. Eighteen paces was the distance decided on, Davis won the toss and chose the side facing the sun. Two shots were fired. At the first fire, neither was wounded but after the second discharge, Hunter was found to have received a flesh wound in the leg. The firing then ceased. Later that day, the two met and concluded with nature’s weapons. 

It is believed to be located in the McCauley building on Main Street- Shelton Tavern/ Devine Hotel 

John Upshaw Waring

March 7th, 1845

The murder of this individual, so long the terror of the neighboring counties of Kentucky, occurred about two weeks ago. He was shot while passing along the street, by some person from the upper window of a tavern in Versailles, Woodford county, Ky. A rifle was found beside the window, but the person who had fired it had disappeared. The ball entered his forehead just above his eye, passed through the root of this tongue and perforated his lungs. He lived about 30 hours after receiving the wound, and his last hours are thus described by the Lexington Gazette:

We have heard it stated that “no coat of mail” was found upon his body after death.--He was in his life and death a most unfortunate man. From some cause or other, his mind appeared to have taken a wrong bent many years ago, which led him into a long series of acts of unjustifiable character, and involved him in innumerable feuds, and almost continual combat. We became acquainted with him in 1826-27, while he was residing in Union county in this State, and have been tolerably familiar with his history, both before and since that period. Since the conclusion of the border wars between England and Scotland, few men have enacted a similar part in civilized life. At times he was upon terms of defiance with the whole community in which he lived; his life has been repeatedly attempted; he was always armed to the teeth when he left his house, which was itself almost an arsenal. When killed he had a brace of six barrelled revolving pistols, and a large bowie-knife upon his person, and was momentarily expecting an attack from some one of his numerous foes.

He was a lawyer, and most of his difficulties originated from the mode which he practiced his profession. By buying up old and doubtful claims he involved himself in endless litigation; and the bitterness generally attendant upon such cases, was deepened and widened by the manner in which he conducted his suits. No apprehension of personal danger ever deferred him from purchasing those claims, or prosecuting them to the uttermost afterwards. On the contrary, the prospect of danger seemed rather an additional inducement; and he was at all times ready to defend himself by tongue, pen or pistol.

Had his mode of warfare been more bold and open, he would have avoided much of the obloquy which his course drew down upon him. But so exceedingly circumspect had he been in always placing himself in an apparently justifiable position, legally, that many doubted his personal courage. It is fair, however, to say that his life had been secretly aimed at by his enemies, and that he displayed unyielding firmness from the time of receiving his death wound up to the hour of his death.

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Incident with Cassius Clay

“After the mob of the 18th of August, 1845, while I was still editing the True American, then printed in Cincinnati, one day sitting in the office of my brother-in-law, Madison C. Johnson, John U. Waring entered. This man, a lawyer of Versailles, Woodford County, Ky., was one of the greatest desperados in the State. He had killed several men and was the terror of every one. I had often heard of him, but had never seen him before. When he was introduced to me he said: “This is Cash Clay, I suppose.” I said: “Yes.” “Years ago, said he, “Dr. L. Marshall began playing the same role on the slavery question as you are now doing. I took a halter and showed him a limb of a tree and told him if he did not give it up we would hang him to it, and he gave it up. NOw you will meet with the same fate.” This man, who always went armed with pistols and knives in boots, pockets and elsewhere, was of a small but wiry frame, with dark hair and skin, and eyes so black and fiery and furtive. I, too, was well armed, and greatly his superior in personal strength. So, though I felt very much excited, I kept a cool nerve, and advancing on him till I could reach him with my knife if need be, I said, “Mr. Waring, I exercise a constitutional right. I shall now follow Marshall’s example, and whenever you or your friends attempt to use force you will find me ready to defend myself.” Finding that I was not to be intimidated he asked some questions of Johnson and left the office. I never saw him again.”