The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-09-27
From the N, Y. Express,1

.. The Tragedy at the St. Nicholas
The st. Nicholas Hotel was, on Saturday evening,
18th, the scene of another frightfn encounter SINH
lar to that enacted about a year ago when Col.
Loring, Of Mississippi, lost his life. 1t appears
that shortly before o'clock on the evening named,
two of the boarders, Capt J. j. Wright, of Texas,
and Mr.. r. S. Dean, of Baltimore, were seen talking
together in an excited manner in the saloon, and
suddenly Capt. Wright drew from his pocket cow
hide, with which he struck Mr. Dean on the face -
Instantly the latter drew from sheath which he
carried under his vest, large bowie knife, the
blade Of which be plunged almost to the hilt in the
side Of his antagonist the wounded man Immediately
dropped the cowhide, and attempted to get away;
but, was followed by his antagonist, who again
wounded him in the abdomen. Lieutenant Stage,
of the Sth Ward police happened to be present,
and as Mt. Dean was in the act Of making another
thrust with his knife at his adversary, caught him
by the collar and prevented the further infection of
violence. Capt. Wright soon fell, exhausted from
the loss of blood to the floor and was conveyed to
his room, where he was attended by several ply,
scians, all of whom pronounce his wounds to be
mortal Mr. Dean, in making the third thrust with
the knife cut himself severely in the thigh and
also conducted to a room in the hotel, where the
wound was dressed. He, as well as a friend oil his
named Montgomery, who witnessed the ARRAY, are
under arrest, and will be kept in custody until an
examination shall take place. The whole ARRAY
occupied but few moments, and was conducted
so quietly that many who were in the saloon at the
time we're unaware OF its occurrence until it was
over; the news, however, spread rapidly, and soon
the halls and the saloon were crowded by the excl
ted inmates
The quarrel, it appears, grew out Of something
Dean had circulated rejecting upon the honor and
character of Capt Wright. They had had frequent
and bitter alterations in regard to the Objectionable
language, and on Saturday night met by previous
appointment, in the saloon of the st. Nicholas
Dean fearing violence the part of Capt. W., had
armed himself, and when the Captain struck him
with the cowhide, used bis weapon. The knife
with which Captain w. was STABBED, seven
inches in length, and entered the abdomen almost
up to ITS hiIt The physicians in attendance were
yesterday of the opinion that the blade had glanced
and not divided the intestines, and if such be the
case, the wound, though frightful may not prove
mortal.
Yesterday afternoon be appeared to suffer less
pain aud informed our reporter that the reason Of
his hostility to Mr., Dean was that the latter had
made statement that he (Capt. w. y had misap-
propriated some plate which was on board the
steamer Jewess, which lost at Sandy Hook in
October last, and which was owned BY him aud Mr.
Dean lie first heard Of the SANDER while he was
in Boston last week, and Immediately came on to
have it retracted. He bad several interviews with
Dean, who put him off from time to time, and on
tn ir meeting at the ST. Nicholas, he being again
refused, drew the cowhide, but immediaty held
by Mr. Montgomery. friend Of Dean, and had il
not been that lie was held, Capt. W. would not
have succeeded in stabbing him 20 severely.