Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-03-28
STATEMENT

The Hon. Jonathan Cilley, late
member Of the House Of Representa-
tives, fell in duel with the Hon. w.
j. Graves, fairly fought between th@
hours of 3 7. NJ. aud A p. NJ. Satur.
day, the oath day OF February, 1888,
the challenge Of which he freely acoep.
ted, and the terms OF which, rs to time,
place, weapons. and distance, ho him.
self, or his friends for him, preacri.
bed.
As to the causes which led 10 this
duel, am not the competent witness.
| presume that the Hon. W. j. Graves
himself eau inform the committee bet
ter than any one else, from the naturo
OF the case, Of the facts and influences
which operated on him TO call Nj. Gil.
ley TO the field.
was wholly ignorant Of the fact
that Mr.. Graves bore, or WINS about to
bear, note from Col Webb to Mr..
Clliey. lneyer saw the note until the
26th OF February, Two days alier the
duel. On the @isl OF February, Mr..
/ Graves Informed me that he had
borne a note to Mr.. Cllley from Col.
Webb, calling for explanation. | re-
buked him for having done so, upon
the ground that his own previous rela.
lions with Col. Webb did not justify
the latter in imposing upon him such
an office and It's responsibilities. lie
replied, that Mr.. Cilley had taken time
to give him an answer, and we
separated after very short inter.
view.
Afterwards, Mr.. Graves called me
out from my seat IN the House, and
informed me that he bad seen Mr..
Cllley again, aud then, for the first
time, detailed TO me what Mr.. Cilley
had said in substance, verbally, during
their interviews: That, ain decIi.
ming to receive the note, he hoped il
would not be thought disrcspectiul to
him, (Mr. Graves that he declined
on the ground that he could not con-
sent to be involved in personal Difficult
ties with conductors oil public journals
for what he had thought proper to say
in debate upon the floor and that he
did not decline upor any personal OBJ
iectlons to Col. Webb as gentleman"
AIR. Graves asked whether ! thought
that answer satisi actoryf replied,
that ii certainly was satisfactory that
no more could be asked and that all
he had to do was, 10 return the note 70
Col. Webb, with this answer Of MIR.
Cllley. He SAID Mr.. Cilley's answer
was verbal, merely that TO prevent
any error in stating 1t to Col. Webb,
and to avoid all controversy with Mr.
Cilley, in regard TO its substance or
terms, he would get him to put il in
writing. And he left me, as thought,
for the purpose of obtaining from MIR.
Cilley written answer. | returned
to my seat, and neither saw nor heard
any of the interviews between Mr..
Cilley and Mr.. Graves, nor do know
when or where they occurred, or what
transpired at them, except what have
since been told by Mr.. Graves. On
the morning Of the 22d, Mr.. Graves
informed me that he had called on Mr..
Cilley and requested him TO put his
answer in writing; that Mr.. Cllley |
had requested him first to address him
(Mr. Cilley) note, inquirng Of him
what he had said that he had written
TO him a note, 1.-THE first in their cor
respondence,) and handed il TO him in
person; and that for answer he had |
received the first note of Mr.. Cilley,
which he then exhibited 10 me. Mr..
Graves was highly incensed at the
tenor of this note, and | confess that
it greatly surprised me, after what |
Mr.. Graves told me he had said ver-
bally IN their interviews. Mr. Graves
regarded the nots--