Litchfield enquirer., 1846-03-05
FATAL DUFL!
Deafh of Col. Peasants by the HANDS o
Thomas Richie, Jr.


by the Southern mail have contained ru-
mors of a hostile meeting between Coi.
Peasants, editor of the Richmond Mhie'
and Thomas Richie, Jr., editor ofthe Rich
mond Enquirer. 1t would seem fIom the
varinus accounts that for some months
bitter newspaper war had been carried on
between the two parties, and atlength Ritch-
ie posted Peasants as sconSummasez Cow
ord' The fatal result is thus detailed by a
correspondent of the Baltimore Patriots
WAsAMeToN, Feb. "a, 1876.
John Hampden Ptrasatnts is diIad !He
died this morning at 2uclock, OF the
wounds inflicted upon his person by-
Thomas Richie, Jr., in their recent re-
contre. -.-' 81.
learn the facts 10 he substantially as
follows: The quarrel had gone on in their
newspapers to such an extent that Mr.
Pleasa,ts thought himself call, d upon to
bring the matter to "a crisis. He there
fnre sent u request to Mr.. Richie TO meet
him at specified place and hour across
the river from Richmond with SIDE arms.
| Mr.. Richie sent word back that he could
not consent to settle the affair in that
way. Mr.. Peasants sent him word that
the matter must be settled, and in that
wav. ~ rt,t j..-s. s.f, :.
Mr.. Richie then prep'red himself with
| a revolver of six barrels, two dueIilng
pistols, and a hors"man's short sword,
aud repaired to the place designated, at
the time namfd. "a .FEgr.ryy
Mr.. Pleasa41tS, who had not arrived,
wiihtwo Tor four-therc is no doubt about
,his) common pistols and SWORD cane. A
friend of Mr.. Peasants approached MIR.
Richie, and said to him, that he thought
the difficulty might be SETTLED if the lat.
ter would do one thing. and that was, to r
acknowledge that he believed Mr. Pleas
ants t. he n brave man. Mr.. Richie re-.
pliei that once he could have done this:
hu, now, Mr.. Pleasans having called
him there, and not appearing himself,
he could not make such an Acknowledge
mrnt Mr.. Fleasants' fritz nd then in
iOrm,1! him that he presumed he would
have to fight Mr.. Richie replied, very
we'll, he had come there to meet Mr.. 4
Pleusans. The friend Of the hitter left ,
the spot and went 10 his principal who
was not far off. Soon after this. Mr..
Peasants appeared approaching Mr..
Richie, considerably in advance Of the
two friends who had acc mpanicd him 10
the spot. As he approached AT rapid
pace, Mr.. Richie fred successfully his
Two duelling pistols, resting each on his
left arm, drawn up in an angle for that
purpose. Hc-then presented his revolver
aud fired either four or five uf IFS barrels.
After he bad fired frs, upon Mr.. Pleas
ants, the latter drew aud fired thrice
without effect, all the time rushing up
to MI. Richie, and when near enough
hr struck him with his sword cane, when
'he s'abbard few off, ard Mr.. Richie
struck up III" blade or spear with his
short SworG---in DUNG which he received
the point Of Ar PlraSan,s' spear in the
corner Of his mouth, Cutting upwWd
slight gush. %A%& H." " var
Mr. Peasants then fill, having received
tive wounds, from The pistol shuts of hiss
antagonist. it moi one from his short
sword. One ball rak"d across the back
If his lett hand, carrying away all The "
m uscltS ~ t,I cors l'ddirg 10 Nc fin
&c rs T"'ttr nsst d ,h,t ugh Ire ft>Ely
part Of his lett arm, huli way HIt fofn
The sEou'dtI-;rtlh trttltd the lett
breast and ranged round under ,Arearm-
II fourth entered The, lcfl groin ard
| prove d mortal. Th,' fin wou,d w;is iT
| the right thigh either by II tall or a.
| thrust from the SHIRT Sword, above al
'udcd to. II is thought to have been frem
thu latter. y
The Washington Union of Feb 81 no.
tees The death and says:-
| " Bui il is too ,ruch 10 ask n suspension
OF public opinion until tho circumsinn-
crs in he case shall! have been fully de-
vcIoprd." s... p. 49,. -,
Of Mr.. Peasants the editor of tho
Union, Che father OF Mr.. Rhchir,) snys:
"Mr. Pleas nts had edited the Lunch.
hurgh VirginiaI, for styerh years, until
The. winter uf 1924, whom hG,. es,abs
Iish"d the Richmond Wing" one Of
the strongest papers in The South.
He left tina, j"urllnl aft.w. WEEKS Since,
when he associated himsa!fn The pdiipr-7
shipof the "Richmond Star" lie wits
II gentleman of brilliant ialents-one If
the best writers in Virginia, and all ex-
perienced and ardent Politician" ,y
AFrLIcTEG.-The funeral Of Mr.. John
Kohltr and his young wife, who perish
ed in the wreck of The John Miniurn,
took place nj New York on Sunday AFTER
noon. 1t was attended bva lage num-
Der OF people. The N. W York Express
says:
"Mr. K0hler was a naiive of New
York, where he has n mother and sisserss
He left the city several months ,ago, a
particular friend received letter from,
him week or two before the lare dre,id'
full gale, stating that he was coming home
in the John w. Min.nrr, that he had
been married 10 young lady, and in
tended TO bring his wife home with him;
at the SHINE time intmat1g to him not
To tell his mother or any Of his folks. ms
he meant to surprise them They both
persisted in the wreck, and the, surprise
was truly heart-rending one, pariicu.
larry TO his aged mother,,f whom he
was the only son. He and bis young
bride were Yesterday Feb. 81 laid Side
by side in. the same grave, aff,rding a
sad reflection as 10 the fullucy of human