The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-07-12
NEW ORLEANS:
MORNING, JULY 4

First District Court - The Late Duel ana
Death Of Mr.. Frost-We copy the following from
the Evening Picayune of yesterday:
On the opening Of the First District Court thi.
morning, visible depression seemed to weigh
upon the minds Of all present, as if great public
calamity had occurred, and men talked to one
another in subdued voices of the fatal duel OF yes
terday of an event deeply to be deplored.
When the grand jury were assembled, Judge
Larue addressed them as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Grand Juyy-Iti is wise pro.
vision of our law that are so humble that il
does not recognize their rights, and none too ele-
waited to be exempt from its operation. When the
law has been violated, it is my duty as Judge,
and yours as jurors to inquire into that violation
We cannot shut our ears to what we hear on every
corner and in every street. We cannot shut our
eyes to what we see spread before in the daily
papers.
Gentlemen, high crime has been committed in
the Parish of Orleans, and however respectable the
gentlemen may be who were engaged in it, how
ever high their position in society, however eminent
their personal reputation, however much we may
respect them, however much we may admire their
private characters, and however much we may
sympathze with them in their political feelings, it
is our duty to investigate the matter, and will not
shrink from it. 1t is well known, from general
port and from the public press, that fatal duel took
place yesterday and we all know the names of the
parties engaged in it. 1t is your duty to inquire
into the case to send for witnesses; and if you
find that crime has been committed, to bring in a
bill accordingly. Let read the law to you,
which is this:
If any person shall voluntarily engage in duel with
GUS weapon, hazard Of LIFE should snsue,
s Gd up non cCnyson snt death and all
and shall be duly eohvic,ed shall be punished
Ifany person shall voluntarily engage duel with
ps 90 small sS {" .t a
thereon and il any person shall BY word
when duel shall fouE thereon every such offender
and who shall knowingly be second agent or
SAID ss sCsoS.
prsonment not exceeding two years.
had hoped, gentlemen, that the barbarous prac-
ace Of duelling had been effectually exterminated
by the wise provisions of our new constitution. 1t
seems, however, that il is not the case. Gentle
men who hold high position among us, who can
give lone to society and affect the opinions of
others, have violated the law in this respect If
you punish James Brown or John Smith for an of.
fence, and permit men who hold an eminent posi-.
ton to go unpunished, it is wrong and an oppres-
sion. All should he treated alike.
have been Informed, by the public papers and
by general report, that duel yesterday fought
between John w. Frost and Dr. Thomas Hunt
which resulted in The de ath of Mr.. Frost. am in
formed of the names of Others who aided and
abeted, and also of the names of gentlemen who
Were present as Spectators and who may be sent
for as Witnesses. l have given those names to the
District Attorney
The grand jury retired, and will probably report
In the course of The day.
T. Sat half past IL o'clock the grand Jury
returned into court, and at their suggestion the
District Attorney moved and the Judge ordered
that cap'as he issued for the arrest of Dr. r.
Hunt and other parties to the duel. The capids
was accordingly issued, and witnesses were sum-
mnned to testify before the grand jury.
Coroner's Inquest on the body of j. W. Frost,
Esq.-The City Coroner Capt. Spedden, held an
Inquest yesterday the body of J. w. Frost,
Esq, at the house Of Daniel Monroe, Undertaken,
200 Camp street.
DR.. Landreaux made an examination OF the
wound and extracted the ball, which weighed from
entered the left breast the arm passed through
the lungs, broke the right shoulder blade, and
lodged under the skin in the shoulder on the oppo-
site side OF the body from where it entered 1t was
much flattened and disfgured, and the right Shout
derb blade much shattered.
John Orchard, being examined, testified that he
was present at a duel which took place yesterday,
about o'clock, p. M, in the rear of the U. s. Bar
racks below the city. The duel wa. between DR..
Thomas Hunt and the deceased weapons, double
barreled shot guns, loaded with ball. The distance
was forty PAGES. At the second fire Mr.. Frost fell
from wound received from the hands of DR.. Hunt.
He was removed to in the barracks, and
died in about fifteen minutes after receiving the
wound.
The jury returned verdict in accordance with
the above facts.