Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-06-15
Com pdraiirs Statement Of the Uear and Break
age Of Roils from ESQ 10 ls5l. in1lasire.
From the New York Tribune, June H..
The shakespeare Club Duel


DR. Chctwood who returned on Saturday
evening from the scene of the late dnel, reports
that Mr. L. Leayenworh i in an encouraging
condition. The bullet still remains in his thigh,
aud no attempt has yet been nude either Ia eX-
tract it or set the broken limb Still his spirits
arc good, and it j. hoped that in due season the
operation will hn successfully performed. The
patient is visited by DR.. Hamilton of Buffalo,
and both his father and mother are in attendance
upon him.
We are at last enabled TO lay before the pub
lie perfectly authentic account Of the circum
stanee attending this duel, und in so doing we
can only express our regret that an attempt
should have been mhde to conceal fucts which.
from their nature. must, sooner or later. come To
I'm gseatcst publicity. The difficulty at the
"Shakespoaro' Club occurred Thursday the
3l~t, when the challenge vas substantially given
and the seconds named we have already stated.
y our readers are aware, Mr.. Breckenridge, the
person who gave the insult, is kentucklan, and
rs fan can Judge from our knowledge of the
circumstances. though we have no direct tcsti-
mnny upon tho point, Mr.. Leavenworth was an
mated throughout by sense of unwillingneSs to
suffer what he supposed TO he Kentucky system
oi hull wing northern mon.
However this may be. both parties were firm
throughout in the determination to settle the
quarrel at the pistols mn2ze. In the course of
III" preliminary communications between the
seconds there mnv have been overtures looking to
an amicabe settlement on that point have
no complete information. hut in the course OF our
inquiries we have not been ahlc to lern positively
that any such overtures made or suggested.
Friday, the Isl instant, was spent in correspon-
dence betwocen the seconds aud SO Satnr-
day.
Before noon on sunday the arrangements were
in every respect completed and the reud'2vou9 ot
the party fixed at Ma ara Falls the precise To-
a tlt,.1 e. l,1 tii4t
ing 10 circumstances after their arrival there
Breckenridge and Middleton. his second, left on
Monday morning, and Lcavrnworth and Prndle-
ton on Monday afternoon. II was then eSPec.
ted that the duel would take place on Tuesday
afternoons; but the train in which Leavenworth
and Pendeton travelled was thrown off the track
somewhere on the way by running over a COW;
and detained so long that they did not arrive in
season TO fight on that day.
As we have previously stated, the meeting
tually took place at T. o'clock ON Wednesday,
| The place selected for the purpose was Navy Is
land, which is within the Canadian territory, n.
! bout two miles above the Falls. and almos, on
tirely without inhabitants; the greater part Il 1t
| Icing covered by dense forest. This siani il
famous the scene of the protracted but uusuc
cessful patriot invasion of tho British domiuions
| by Mex enzie and Van Rensselaer,, in 1887. when
| the steamer Caroline was burned and the entire
frontier thrown into state of disturbance. For
the purpose of a duel NOR. ft.urBble spot could
| hardly he imagined, and thither the party repair
ed ON Wednesday forenoon. 1t is n rather sin
gular circumstance that they we're all taken across
in the same row boat, the principals then meet
ing for the first timr since the beginning OF the
quarrel.
After reachinc .he island and selecting the
precise locality Ter the combat, the distance, ten
pacos, WAS marked OF by Mr.. Middleton, the So.
cond oi the challenged party. As hc Is of small
statue his PAGES are short, which gave rise 10 the
original report that the distance was eight PAGES
only. Lots were drawn tor the choice of posi-
tions, whichfell to Middleton but as the men
placed with the sun between them this
choice gave no advantage. The word was given
by Pendletonin the usual manner: fire, one,
two, three" Both pistols discharged at the
word two 80 simultaneously that il seemed like
n single shot Leavenwurth immediately fell;
Breckenridge remained standing two or three
seconds and then fell also.
The surgeon approached breckenridge first
and asked 1t he was badly hunt. The answer was
in the negative, and that Leave4wor,h needed
his assistance more, for he feared he was serious
Iy injured. Both parties had Ia be carried from
the field. Breckenridge with hi, second was
brouA ht instantly to the American side, where
his wound was dressed after which he took the
first train of cars for New York We are told
that he could not bear his foot on the ground
This being the case. the report that he has been
seen in this city walking the street since the
duel must be erroneous.
The weapons used ordinary dueing PTS
tolls. carrying small bullets, bnt from experiences
or nadvertence on the part OF the seconds. they
were loaded with excessive charges of powder.
Otherwise it would have been impossible for one