Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-03-28
Melancholy RencOntre i'm
RICHMOND, Virginia.

Melancholy ReDCOntre i'm
richmond, Virginia.
Washington correspondent fur
aishes the following particulars of a
melancholy rencontre:
Correspondence Of the Baltimore Patriot.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 81, 1916.
John Rampden Peasants is dead
He died this morning at 2 O'Clock, OF
the wounds inflicted upon his person
by Thomas Richie, Jr., in the recent
rencontre.
learn the facts to be substantially
as follows: The quarrel had gone on
in their newspapers to such an extent
that Mr.. Peasants thought himself
called upon to bring the matter to
crisis. He therefore sent request 10
Mr.. Richie to meet him at special
place and hour across the river from
Richmond, with side-arms. Mr.. Richie
sent word back that he could not con-
sent to settle the affair in that way
Mr.. Peasants then sent him word that
the matter must be settled, and in that
way.
Mr.. Richie then prepared himself
with revolver of six barrels, two duel
ling pistols, and a horseman's short
sword, and repaired to the place de-
signated. at the time named.
Mr.. Peasants, who had not arrived,
with two Tor four - there is doubt
about this) common pistols and sword
cane. A friend of Mr.. peasants APP
preached Mr.. Richie, and said to him,
that he thought the difficulty might be
settled if the latter would do one thing,
and that was, to acknowledge that he
believed Mr. Peasants to be brave
man. Mr.. Richie replied that once
he could have done this but now Mr..
Peasants having called hin there, and
not appearing himself, he could not
make such an acknowledgement. Mr..
Peasants friend then informed him
that he presumed he would have to
fight. Mr.. Richie replied, very well,
he had come there to meet Mr.. Pleas
ants. The friend of the latter left the
spot and went to his principal. who was
not far of. Soon after this, Mr.. Pleas
ants appeared approaching Mr.. Richie,
considerably in advance of the two
friends who accompanied him to the
spot. As he approached at a rapid
pace, Mr.. Richie fired SUCCESSFULLY
his two duelling pistols, resting each OF
them on his left arm, drawn up in an
angle for that purpose. He then pre-
scented his revolver and fred either four
or five of its barrels. After he had
fired first upon Mr.. Pleasants, the latter
drew and fired thrice without effect, all
the time rushing up to Mr.. Richie, and
when near enough he struck him with
his sword cane, when the scabbard
flew off, and Mr.. Richie struck up the
blade or spear with his short sword
in doing which he received the point
of Mr.. Peasants spear in the corner
Of his mouth, cutting upward a slight
cash.
Mr.. Peasants then fell, having re-
ceived five wounds from the pistol shots
of his antagonist. if not one from his
short sword One ball raked across
TIE back Of his left hand, carrying away
all the muscles and tendons leading TO
the fngers-another passed through
the fleshy part of his left arm, half way
up from the elbow to the shoulder
another entered the breast and ranged
round under the arm-a fourth entered
the left groin and proved mortal. The
fifth wound was in the right thigh,
either by ball or a thrust from the
short sword, above alluded TO. 1t is
thought to have been from the latter.
So has ended the earthly career of
the gifted. the high-minded, the gen.
erous, whole-souled, John Hampden
Peasants His loss to the community
in which he moved, to the editorial
fraternity of which he was ever a
sparkling, brilliant member, and to the
thousands of his ever delighted and in
structed readers, will be most deeply
felt, as ms sanguinary exit will be sad
ly mourned For many years he has
been one Of the most vigorous, orr ginal
and brilliant political writers in the
country. He was man of strong i'm
pulse, and in the excitement Of the mo-
ment sometimes committed editorial
errors. or did his opponents injustice.
n