Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-10-10
A MYSTERY SOLVED.

iain'y, we hare never read any fictitious Nara
i've more strange than The subjoioed, which we
copy from the Alexandria Gazette Of Monday.
rRoa rHr ALEXANDRIA oAzErrE, srrTisirrR 20
ruE -NORTH CAROLINA DUEL,
Ia accordance With . promise made
some time since. send the following
statement OF facts in relation 10 the re-.
ported duel between Messrs. JosrpH
SEAwELL JOINS. Of Shocco. North Caro-.
tlina. and IA WRIGHT WiLsoS. Of New
York, IN which IL has been reported. and
is still generally believed, that the latter
gentleman was MORALLY wounded.
About I2 o'clock NJ. on the day OF The
reported duel. whilst travelling from Eli
zabeth City TO Norfolk. I stopped at the
Dismal Swamp Hotel, on the boundary
hoe between Virginia and North Carolins,
Tor the purpose Of resting my horse and
taking some Refreshments. i had not
been seated many minutes. when observ-
ed Sir. Jones. of Shoceo. North Carolina,
enter under much spparent perturbation.
and evidently after hard and. long chase.
After some lev introductory prelimina-
RES. MIR. Jones asked me out. and imme-
diately informed me that he had Just
tough, . duel. about eight miles ahead,
with gentleman from New ioTk-ihai
he had killed his opponent at the first FIRE
was pursued TO the boundary line by
the officers who had received Intelligence
OF the fight, and that the unsettled state
OF has affairs compelled him 10 return 10
Norfolk. 10 aid him in reaching which
place, undiscovered by the police, he
solicited nv friendly assistance.
The reasons urged in behalf Of this re =
quest were Of such a nature as 20 decide
ne, at once. in rendering him any aid in
my power that might be likely To faeili-
tate his visit to. and escape from Norfolk,
and | accordingly agreed 10 his plan,
That ! should take his clothes and name,
and accompany him ts Norfolk (; and. ia
case OF arrest or danger. pass myself off as
as Mr.. Jones. until he was beyond the H.
mitS Of Virginia. Mr.. Jones then placed
IN my hands copies Of the letters which.
he said. had passed between the parties
all Of which | carefully and aueniively
Perused-which copies are now. il mis-.
take not, 10 the possession OF the Norfolk
Beacon, under the frank CT member OF
/ Congress from North Carolina. These
letters were AL indicted in the usual form
Of challenge ard acceptance and. to-
getber with disclosing the fact that Mr..
Jones bad pulled the nose Of his sniago-
ni,t at public meeting in Petersburg.
contained. as concerned in the duel, The
names Of several gentlemen distinguished
for their ,yalorous and literary achieve
ments. Although required no further
evidence of the unfortunate and fatal duel
than that above referred 70. thkpugh q
fear, perhaps. that | might beNa little
skepiicaL in the mates, Mr.. Jones con-
Quoted me first to The aneliing ground,
which ] found "lsirly and honoTably mea
sured," and stained in several places with
blood, and then directed me 10 proceed
to . house, some short distance from She
spot. and ask for handkerchief, which
woman. who had been brought 10 the
field by the report Of the pistols bad pickle d
up. aud which, he feared. might be used
as evidence against him. This did and.
after EsviBg received from a woman such
a handkerchief as Mr.. Jones had describs
ed. stiff aud red with blood, was further
informed by her that she saw the gentle.
man gallop away from the field after the
shots were fred, that they carried off q
! dead body in a sack, and that the whole
neighborhood was in a state Of the great
est excitement. OF course there could
nov exist no doubt in any reasonable
mind as 10 the fact Of fatal duel having
been fought; and it only remained for
me TO assist Mr.. Jones in carrying out the
plan he had devised for his visit to Nor
folk. Thi;her we arrived IN safety; and
as was TO De expected. found The whole
borough on the tip Toe Of excitement ADD
inquiry about the fatal duel.
I Mr.. Jones mansged 10 escape public
no,orieiy until about IL clock al night,
when. pursued from Norfolk to Posts-
mouth by a y hole troop OF officers, who.
he informed me. bad Just returned from
the duel gfoond--s distance Of shout D
mI,es-he called Al my lodgings in Ports
mouth and, having spent iew minutes
With me. set of Tor North Carolina on a
swift horse. which NY solioitode and sp.
prehension Of \ pursuit hsd already pro-
vided Tor his. depa.tute. started next
morning IN the North carolina Stage and
being dressed 10 Jones's clothes. felt no
slight apprehensions Cor my own safety.
when, sbou, eight miles from town. met
some nine or tea consiables. Uifh green
bags. and grave looking coroner. return.
ing after their ffuilless search soF the dead
body Of the unfortunate Wilson. They
passed me 81 however, and =, 81 eourse,
congratulated nyself oe ny happy -.
Iearc.
Mr. Jones and met some weeks snsr
--hs on his way 10 Texas. and 20 the
spot Of painful remembrance" where
THE duel took place, 10 remove some ais
givings " hich. " the lace Of ell The eva.
dence 10 the contrary. uefe daily arising
IN ny mind With fegsrd 20 the ny slefious
affair. reached the spot and there
found q foliisfy mourneT lsmeniinR the
| fate Of an unl0Ftunais PIG found = short
time before near the dusliing GROUND,
phoss mangled throat fully iodieaied
l whsnrs Az. tfood noaead ~ uhtrh fhe