Complex sentence: After being thwarted in the meeting, Valance challenges Stoddard to a gunfight and nearly beats Peabody to death after the publication of an unflattering article in the newspaper.
Split into simpler sentences: After being thwarted in the meeting, Valance challenges Stoddard to a gunfight. He nearly beats Peabody to death after the publication of an unflattering article in the newspaper.