Why Did Joseph Pulitzer Shoot a Lobbyist?

David Senra, reading James McGrath Morris, says Joseph Pulitzer fired on the lobbyist Augustine in a bar after each man called the other a liar and Augustine advanced on him. Still in his early 20s, Pulitzer had been nominated for Congress and used his newspaper to help himself get elected. In only five years he had grown from a bounty hunting Hungarian teenager to an American lawmaker, and he kept reporting after he took the seat so his stories could advance his political work.

He treated lobbyists at the Capitol as an army of darkness and attacked them in print as corrupt. Augustine, a giant of something like 300 pounds, answered in person. Pulitzer told him never to speak to him again. Augustine called Pulitzer a damn liar and moved toward him. After about 10 to 12 paces of retreat, Augustine raised his fists. Pulitzer drew a pistol, fired, and missed. A second shot only grazed Augustine in the leg. The wound enraged Augustine, who charged like a bull, mashed Pulitzer's head against the wall, and tried to take the pistol.

Pulitzer was indicted for felonious assault. At trial he said Augustine had brass knuckles and he had only been defending himself. He got off with a small fine.