The National Register.
London, England, 1818-05-10 00:00:00

MAY TO'

FATAL DUEL IN FRANCE.

The following sc.-mint of a ilnel at Cum, between a roan,
gesitleinuii, of the n.sni- of l'ickforil, and M. Mai.
,nner, a Frenchman; is evict, from a private letter, rccei% et,
by it gentleman in the county of Sussex :

" Caen, Arum 30. 1818.—A fatal duel took plate yester.
day morning, the relation which follows will account for it :
—Scene weeks siace u Fi encitinan, a Mons. Dulsuiseun, Who
passes here for a gentleman, spit iu the face of a Lieutenant
in the navy: the insult was unpioroked, but is supposed to
have originated in an milismuled jealousy. The fair object
of it was a nursery maid of lieu. H. 'Fite Prefect was ap-
plied to, and requested to interpose his authority ; of the re-
sult of this application lam ignorant. Nothing farther oc.
cnrred for several days, till a M. A thin, a friend of Dubnisson,
following the Lieutenant, and a Captain in our army, out of
Louguers Cafe, struck, from behind, the Lieutenant across
the head with his cane, and also as grossly instilled his com-
panion. This happened at night, a little after lea. There
was not any previous 9itarrel between the parties, nor was
intimation given of the intended assault. A coneidarable
ference of opinion appeared among our countrymen, as to the
•course to be perused in punishing the aggressor. Those to
whom the. Lieutenant and Captain applied for advice, decid-
ed, that as M. Allan had not sought a quarrel in a gentle-
manly manner, he had no right to be considered as a gentle-
man, and that he ongitt to be prosecuted. On leaturtlay, the
cause came on, and he was condemned to a mouth's imprison.
anent, and to a tine. On returning from the place of justice,'
the English who attended the trial, bad to sofferinider tl:e.
most revolting scurrilities, showered upon them by the towns.
people, and by the friends of Allan, irritated by his condemn-
ation, and exalting themselves mightily at the supposed
pusilanimity of the prosecutors. Young D. and young F.
had each an affair on their hands; but these were settled by
their receiving apologies. C. Pickford, who had his share of
the words" Cociten Anglaise, polisson, canaille marked his
man, and avoiding all present altercation, pursued his way
through the snob. In the evening, having found•him on the
Cour, he requested satisfaction; which was promised, with the
significant hint of " the nearer the better." '14(7 met near
%%iceties the following morning, about seven, M. 51ariater
with Oubuissun• for his second : and Pickford, with Lieut.
Morgan, of the navy. There was some dispute about dis..
tances ; Marinier wanted fifteen paces ; Pickford said that he
was ne shot, and would allow of none beyond four. To this
Marinier had no abjection, provided he had the first tire.—
P. insisted that they should tire together; but this species of
equality was stiffly opposed. Another proposal was then
made, that Mariniers friend should charge one only of Isis
pistols with ball, and give P. the choice; or that Morgan•
should charge with ball one of his pair, and should let Mari-
slier choose. This was acceded to. Marinier first took one,
and then P. the other. 'Try presented together; the in..
tersal between them was but about two feet. After a mo-
ment or two of hesitation, the word was- given, and Pickford
put a ball under his adversary's ribs, on the right side, which
~passed clean through him. He presently expired. The stir-
' diver was•brutally iestilted by the second of the fallen man.
After a proper display of t heatrical feeling, he wanted to pro.'
eyed to another ilnel a ton trance, and inidantly ; but P. though
terribly provoked, kept perfectly cool. He said unly, " fetch
.a witness, nod I will wait for you." After remaining 11101 e
than au hour on the ground, and seeing no one, they went
into Caen. P.'s gnat rel was fortunately unknown to his
father and mother till all was over. The young man played
whilst at Colonel H.'s on the preceding eve )) iii g, with his
accustomed coolness, and till a late hoer. There is occa-
sion to make any remark on the lad's conduct. I must add
that w ben they arrived' on the grouse!, he said, " I do not
approve of Monsieur Allan's prosecution ; my opinion was,
entirely against it, I. have had no concern in it. Only make
me an apology for the insetting expressions of yesterday, and
I shall be happy to shake hands with you. 1 have nut the
slightest wish to push this matter further." The unfortunate
'sufferer and his second refused all concession, and to theist
only can any blame be imputed. It gives me great pleasuua
to tell you every respectaole Frenchman applauds heartily
young P.'s behaviour; 1 huve nut seen one, whales er his party
and politics may be, who does not say, that his humanity, for-
bearance, and steadiness, cannot be excelled."

FEMALE SWINDLER.—A jeweller near the Haymarket ha*
beau defrauded of a set of jewels, value about SOO guineas, in.
the following entraordinaiy manner : About three weeks ago,
a female dressed in the first style of elegance, accompanied
by a mast in livery, came to his shop, and orderer) a set of
jewels to he finished by the let of May. In a few days after
eshe sva3 driven to the door in an el?gant Tilbury by a man of
dashing appearance, and said she hoped lie would not fail in
having it finished at the time, •tnd handed him a card. on
which was ellghtvetis. " Mrs. Desanges I)evoren, Gloticester.,
' place, Purtman•square." On the evening of the Ist the jew-
els were tinisherlonid the jeweller was about to proceed to
1 the house, when a rarriage drove tip and the lady herself
entered the shop. Alter some conversation, she requested
thatehe would laiug them home immediately, and was about
to lease the shop, when she said," Ily-the-bye, us my carriage
is at the door, you may us well accompany use home." The
jeweller did not hesitate to comply with her request, and
.entering the carriage, they drove to a house in (itolicestcr-
place. On their art ival lie was ushered into an elegant spat t-
mew,. vs liei e, reclining na a sofa, lie ml scovered the gentleman
who acr.•inieaaird i\his. 1). D. on her sect,t,ii visit to his shop.
1 here was wine VII the table, of whit li the jeweller was re.
quebreil to pm take. Alter drinking a tiW „lasses lie produced
the jewels, which were highly admired. 'floc wine was then
briskly s iiculitted ; Mr. Jeweller shortly became elevated,
, and was at length presa:led (Spoil by mice host to snug o sone.
'l•bis exertion, coop), ti with the strength oldie w Me, proilnced
sue ii all eifeet upon his facilities, as to send hit:l,4ol)Be the air
was well cow-laded, sound aslet•p on the Hoot! liow lung lie
was pernalted to roman there we know not, but on awaken_
mg lie fiiiiii:l himself on the floor of 3 neighbouring watch.
IliollSe ; 111It1 was isiformed that he had been foiled by a watch.
man dead di outs at the door of a lemse. He immediately saw
through Ilse teak, ,rout as soot' as day-light appeared, went Is
••• ,tt•te td the !loose *sl.t.i Che hail been doped. bat ;is rug
I.141.:1 :1,/ 11011 e 01* Ca. mitilser, he could nut find it. His en-
qiiii;es after 31 is. De via en aei e eye:illy mistier eA•fool— nu
•stets lady resi,:ed it' the td.igh boo, howl. Ile ails, however,
it.th.rilieit vial 4 i.h:l•. ao•1 gtilleasatt had Lee n seen at da►.
aerate., driving s, iy t'est in a backs', vouch along the Ma.
toad, and by further enquiry, lie lett tied that t!,c roach was
t. 41,0, I root the st.ue•t in ifoesei_street, by two pe►sons esttytty
me.% criiig toe tleset !Wood of the parties by a hone he had be( is
robbed. All elorts to discover their r‘treat bas 'oaks to
proved una%idli ig.