Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-09-22
+ A Il A l. d u T. L.

A letter published in the Newly ork
Joul lnsl Of Commerce of Monday after
noon, and slip from the u 5. Gazette,
give the particulars Of a bloody duel at
St. Louis, Missouri, August 26. The
parties were Maj. Thomas BiddIe, Pay
ment in the U. S. Army, and Hon.
Spencer Peitis, recently chosen Mem
her Of Congress oft'et State over Mr..
Barton, the late Ar Jackson member.
1t will be recollected THAI 'ns. Spring, in
consequence OF mutual recr '""tions
during u political discussion in the pa"
lie newspapers, in which it is believed
Mr.. p. was tho aggressor, Major Bid
die proceeded to Mr. Pettis' lodgings
and finding him asleep, aroused and in
flcted personal chastisemen. with cow
skin. Mr.. p. attempting in vain ~ de-
lend himself with a sword cane which
was broken in the affray. MIR. Biddle
for this assault was bound over to keep
the peace in the sum Of $4,000, and the
affair ended until after the election was
Terminated, after which the charge of
cowardice being made from many quar-
ters, Pettis challenged Biddle. They
met on the 26th ult. at 5 o'clock p. m. on
the island opposite the city, attended by
their seconds, and surgeons. Major
Biddle being the challenged party, and
Of course prescribed the terms of the
fight. Being near sighted man, he
fixed the distance at fpe feet! They
stood back to back at that distance, and
the rule was, on giving the words care
you ready? Fire! one! two! three" to
wheel at the word "fire" each Ind lib
erty to fire rs he pleased, at one, two, or
three, taking the longer time for cool
and deliberate aim, if he chose to risk
being shot down by his antagonist at
one. Both fired at 'one' and both fell,
mortally wounded. In this position,
Biddle is said to have called for a sec
ond shot, but his seconds did not COM
municate the wish.
Major Biddlc was shot in the abdo-
men, the ball lodging within: MIR. Pettis
through the side, just below the chest,
the ball passing entirely through his body.
MIR. Pettis died about 3 o'clock on the
afternoon Of the next day, Saturday, and
Major Biddle fingered until Monday
morning, o'clock.
Mr.. Pettis' funeral, on Sunday after
noon, is said to have been the largest ev-
er seen in St. Louis. His coffin, (as is
the custom there) was covered close with
black velvet, nailed on the edges with
brass nails; a broad frill Of black Grape,
closely printed, and pinked at the bot.
tom, hung from the top half was down
the sides. A lady's coffin would have
been covered in the same manner with
white muslin and Grape.
The letter in the Journal Of Commerce
says:-"The time, the place, the order OF
arrangement, the seconds, the surgeons,
all the details of this honorable slaug hter,
were publicly talked of throughout the
day. Hundreds, or rather, i, is believ-
ed, over 1000 people were collected on
the shore an hour before the time, cast
ing their eyes across thel Mississippi in
fearful anxiety for the result. They
fought under cover Of some bushes, 80
that the deed Of death was not seen.-
But the distance was so trifling, tha: the
swapping of the pistols, believe, was
heard, and the form of Major Biddle
was readily distinguished before taking
shelter of the bushes"
The distance ut which they fought
was SO small that in extending their arms
in amty, they might have shaken hands.
Thus has terminated quarrel arising
out of political discussions, conducted in
bitterness Of feeling and attended with
personalities. Boston Patriot.