The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-12-25
From the Providence American.

AHE DCEL.- uc IOiloWlng Iettei |
which we received last evening, gives "a
full account ofthe ridiculous affair which |
lately occurred at Cumberland. There
is no doubt that the circumstances are
correctly stated. We feel somewhat IN
clined tn he severe t; but Judging from
the account gwen below, we should con-
clnde that the aclors Of this tragi-comedy
were sufficiently punished by their fright
IL all our affairs Of honor turn out like
his, there is no great danger of their
becoming very frequent.
CUMBERLANo, Dec. IL, 1882.
FRIEND MowRY-I here send YOU an
account Of what consider 10 be a
shameful affair. Yesterday four mon
came out Of Massach chusetts in two chais-
es into the northerly part of this town,
and stopping at the house of one Of my
neighbors, inquired if they were in
Rhode-tsland or Connecticut. On be-
ing told they .were in Rhode sland,
they rode on short distance and stop
ped, and after fastening their horses to
the fence, got ever into the adjain,ng
pasture, where they stood talking, for
sometime. AT last two of them began
to undress, but before they had got
through, their attention was arrested by
some cattle that were in the same pas
ture, one Of whom, seeing strangers, sent
forth a sort of threatening noise of won
der, on hearing which one ,ofthe other
gentlemen went aud reconnoitred, and
returned with a report that there was a
bull there, winch, by the way. was not
the case. They then picked up their
clothes, and got over a wall into another
pasture, followed at short distance by
"a number Of boys, whose curiosity wns
excited by these strange prsceedings.--
Here they finished undressing themselves
taking off their very shirta. At this
junc,ure, the youngest looking one Of
two seemed much agitated = One of the
boys says. 'he cried properly, and that
one Of the other men gave him bottle
TO drink out of two or three times. Two
pistols were now produced and the two
shirtless men stood up, backing each
other, about a rod apart, with their pis-
tolls IN their hands, at their sides Soon
after something was said by one of the
other men, and both the shooters turned
round and fired-one when Ise had got
half way round, and the otter without
raising his arm. The buHet from the
pistol of the former probably come very
near one of the seconds, though he stood
some way off, as he exclaimed, damn
you, don't hit me- Two more pistols
we're now brought on, and the fighting
parties stood up as before. The second
who had expressed himself apprehenr i've
of being hit, looked oul for himself by
getting behind an old tree. The com
batanis turned round and fired pretty
much as before. aud the one who fired
dowhwards immediatelv fall 10 ahegronnd
onds ran aud picked him up, and j. ap-
peared that ball, whether from his
own or his opponents pistol is unk
had entered the lower part of his leg,
which bled profuseIy. His attendants
now put en- his clothes as fast az possi-
BILE, and the unhurt one dressed himself
forgetting, however, in his trepidaiion.
to put on his shirt, and all concerned
cleared out with great speed, evidently
fearful Of being taken up by the neigh
bors, carrying off a fence stake which
was pulled up for want of time to unite,
the halter, and leaving behind a very
good shirt and pistol bullet that was
picked out of the ground near where the
wounded man stood. On getting into
their chaises they drove off with great
violence, and after driving about a mile
met an inoffensive old neighbor of mine
with his grandson in the road, to whom
they presented their pistols with yolIey
of oaths. threatening him witt, instant
death, if he tried to stop them, tn.
thoughts Of doing which they must have
known, had their fright allowed them TO
consider, could never have entered his
head.
Who these rasculs we're, is not known
They had long beards on their upper
lips. and were decently dressed, and
made off towards Boston. Thus. Mr..
Printer, you have plain account of|
what took place no longer ago than
Sunday, in one of our peaceable, quiet.
and tolerably populous eighborhoods
near our meeting house, in sight of
dozen dwelling houses, and of a num-
ber Of boys looking on, aud l wish ven
to publish the whole oft, in the hone.
that if we have any public spirited mag
istrates, they will see to it, that the
peace of quiet country village is not
disturbed, nor the dignity of our State
insulted in this manner, by such m,sera-
BILE rascals, with impunity.
A CUMBERLAND MAN.