Balnagask, and Cruickshank of Langley Park. He sometimes took a holiday
with them; and even entered for a time into some of their frolics, when
his seedtime and harvest were finished: he was quite fit to keep his
own with them. He was well educated, wrote out his leases, collected
his rents, could floor any one in court, and was very popular as a
justice.
Mr Cruickshank of Langley Park and Mr Innes afterwards quarrelled: the
quarrel originating at Blackhall. There had been a good deal of
chaffing between them, which ended in a row. Cruickshank went home and
wrote a challenge to Innes, and Innes went home and wrote one to
Cruickshank. They met and fought at Laurencekirk: Major C. Robertson,
Kindface, Invergordon, was Cruickshank's second, and Dr Hoyle,
Montrose, was in attendance as surgeon. ---- ---- was Innes's second,
and Dr Skene, Aberdeen, his surgeon. After the first fire the seconds
stopped proceedings; but Mr Innes's mother had intercepted a letter,
which she gave to her son after the first duel, and Mr Innes forthwith
sent another challenge to Cruickshank. They fought again at
Bourtreebush, half-way between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. Mr John
Stewart, late in Anguston (who was a great friend of the laird of
Durris) was standing with Mr Innes at the Plainstones, in Aberdeen. Mr
Innes looked at the town clock, and said, "My time is up; but you will
meet me at breakfast to-morrow at Durris at eight." He did not say what
he was to be about. Mr William Walker, who was afterwards three years
overseer to Mr Innes at Durris, tells that he thinks it was in June or
July 1819 that his father's servant and himself were carting home fuel
from near Bourtreebush, when they observed two carriages on the
turnpike from Aberdeen driving at a furious pace. The carriages stopped
in an instant within 300 yards of the inn; several gentlemen alighted
and walked into the nearest field, and in a few minutes shots were
twice exchanged, one party and carriage leaving twenty minutes before
the other, in the direction of Stonehaven. At the second shot Mr Innes
was wounded in the thigh; and it was a close shave on the other side,
for Mr Innes's ball went through Mr Cruickshank's whiskers. Mr Innes,
however, kept his appointment with Mr Stewart next morning. Mr Stewart
said that he met him at Durris House at breakfast. He came down stairs
with his wonted agility, in the best of spirits, and shook hands with
him; but he seemed to tremble a little, and his hands fell downwards,
and although he never mentioned the duel, Mr Stewart afterwards heard
he was wounded in the groin. For the above account of the second famous
duel fought between Mr Innes and Mr Cruickshank of Langley Park, I am
indebted to Mr William Walker and Mr John Stewart, late of Anguston.
The two were, however, great friends ever after.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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