The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-06-29
Pistol and Coffee Phi1o,onhv

uuei nas come OF III earnest, we lear
between couple of members of III
oHAKsPEARE CLUB" of this city-Messr
l Leavenworth and Breckenridge, in whic
tne former was mortally, and the latte
shghtly wounded. The particulars are di
hcult to be obtained, even from tho friend
and relatives of the parties. We unde,
stand that the family of Mr.. Leaveuwort
} had heard nothing of the result of the or
; counter until they read the premature re
porc Tt OF hls death in yesterdays Mirror.
The facts of the unhappy affair, as nea
as we can gather them from the friends O
the combatants, are these Mr. Brecken
rldge Is a young Kentuckian, engaged il
the practice of law in this city, and a nenh
ew OF the Hon. Mr.. Breckenridge of Ken
tuck!y, who had the difficulty with Mr. Cut
ting, during the last session of Con
gress. Mr.. Leavenworth is Young man
about town, respectfully connected. but oI
idle and dissipated habits They are botl,
single men, and members of the aSb.k.
speare Club"
This Club has been recently established
It's head quarters are in Broadway, nearly
opposite the New York Hotel. The Club
IS not as ITS name might indicate, an asso.
clat'on tor literary purposes; but is rather
OF SOCIAL and sumptuary character. 1t is
composed of large number of highly re-
spectacle gentlemen, with liberal sprink-
ing OF the theatrical profession and pre-.
sided over in its organic institution by MIR.
James Dc Pyster O Ogden, one of our most
est,maole and accomplished citizens.
Like all other associations of the kind
the members of the shakespeare" are gov,
erned by certain rules of the club-which
are or always should be, literally and rig
ldiy observed. Among these established
rules OF government, the first in importance
70 the exclusiveness of the association. is
the rule prohibiting the introduction of non
members to the society or the suppers of the
club. This point, as we understand the
matter, was under discussion on Saturday
evening last, when Breckenridge insisted
upon the rigor Of the excluding rule; while
Leayenworth, who has been in the habit of
vulgafly, but expressively called 'suckers,;t
took the opposite ground, advocating the
opening of the doors, not only to the out
OF town acquaintance, as is usual, but also
to the city friends Of the members. In the
course Of the discussion, Breckenridge re-
marked to Leavenworth, that he 'had better
pay up his arrears to the Club before taking
thatside of the question:" whereupon the lat
ter waxed exceeding wroth and called Brock
cnrldge "a damned liar" who, in reply,
threw his glove in the face of Leavenwerth.
1t was then decided by tho friends Of
Lcavenworth that the insult he had received
demanded challenge to "mortal combat; :"
and MIR. James NJ. Pendleton volunteered
to act as bearer of the missive, and to be-
come the second of his friend. Mr.. Breck-
enrldge, as chivalrous Kentuckian, born
and bred under the "codo of honor" ac-
cepted tho invitation to Canada, and invi-
ted his friend Mr.. Middleton, of South Car
olina, to accompany him. The seconds
then selected DR.. Alfred Grimes, a medical
neophyte, to attend them in his professional
capacity.
For the rest, all We have heard, is that
the parties met on Tuesday, somewhere up
on the Canadian border, settled the prelim-
inaries and fired pistols at each other at
thirty PAGES that Leavenworth is mortally
wounded by shot through the head; and
that Breckenridge is slightly hurt.
This latest "affair of honor" is, of course
the town talk of the day. All the parties
implicated in the duel are we'll known, and
widely and respectfully connected in their
family and social relations. The probable
death of Leavenworth, and the liability of
all engaged in the affair to indictment and
imprisonment, under the stringent laws of
the State, cause good deal Of excitement
in the upper circles of this city where the
parties are best known.
We hear severe denunciations of princi-
pals and seconds to this unfortunate quarrel,
some taking one side in the dispute and
some the other; while "the moral sense of
the community" is, as usual, terribly shocked
at the stern exactions of that '4aw among
gentlemen" which demands the settlement
Of an insult at the risk of double death.
But we are not disposed to censure the par
ties to this affair, nor to lament unavailing-
ly over the result. -
No doubt the difficulty might, and
should have been adjusted, without resort
to the use of deadly weapons. sstBut 80 long
as all Christendom applauds a Christian
nation for going to war, to settle its fdis:
putes, we do not understand why tho indt
yidual citizen should be denounced fof %:
dopting the same sargulnents." The quss
tion of self-destruction in. the duel, (which
is regarded as sort Of compound Grim.
ofmurder and suicide Is no more certain
than the1isk Of theabattle field; and, il j
bshonor, glory and immortality 70 talk
life, nd.to expose oae'a ife,s fighting tn
battles Of kingsapd despots, in which w
have no interest, we do not zee why itis o