Categories
Crime and Punishment

“Over in the corner, shot two men frae Auchtertool”

In 1822, James Stuart and Alex Boswell had a pistol duel in Auchtertool. Boswell politely missed on purpose. Stuart had never held a gun and accidentally shot Boswell in the chest, killing him It was over a poem in a newspaper making fun of Stuart.

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It was the third-last duel in Scotland, having been illegal since 1819. Alexander was James Boswell’s son. The poem basically said that Stuart, a politician, was a farmer. Stuart got off with it. #Auchterduel

References

https://www.thefifepost.com/history/trials/james-stuart/