The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-12

actually incurrsi BY that Power may crush her
without sho~ being fired. She cannot bor-
row. She has used up her resources and a
forced loan involving bankruptcy means revo-
luton.
THE FATAa. DUEL BETWEEN MID.
SHIPMENkEY AND SHERBURNE.
STATEMENT OF sHERBURNEs SECOND.
Mr.. Thomas Mattingly, second of Midship.
man Sherburne, in the fatal duel of sherburne
with Midshipn an Daniel Key, publishes, in a
recent numbe: of the Memphis Avalanche. a
statement of sae duel, which has been much
talked of since.the death of Philip Barton Kew,
and which, fIE Mattingly says, has been
grossly misr presented, and great injustice
thereby done " ts Sherburne and himself. Mr..
Mathngly wriio9 over the date of Florence.
Alabama, April 3, 1859. His statement, which.
considering hs position, must of course be
taken as one ssde of the story, is a. follows:
In the white of 1856, Mr.. Daniel Kew and
Mr.. John She .surne-the former from MARY.
land, and the latter from New Hampshire
both midshipnen in the navy, came home from
the Pacific oce3n on one OF the naval vessels.
whose name do not now remember. Mr. s.
was attached I. this ship; Mr.. Key came as a
passenger uneer arrest for an act of insubord.
nation on boa n his ship, the frigate Brandy.
wine. a.
MIR. Sherbu.ne was of quiet, unobtrusive
character, but, from some caprice, Mr.. Kew had
conceived dislike for him, and, during the
passage, annoyed him With oeaseless insults. On
arriving at E,a.rPton Roads, Mr. Kew deter
mined to force. Mr.. Sherburne into duel The
latter, seeing &c alternative, (Mr, Key having
challenged hiy,l agreed to meet him. This
took place while Mr., 8. was at Hampton Roads
AS soon as he reached Norfolk, he was arrested
by the civil al horities, and placed under bond
to keep the pe~ce, This put a stop to the mat
ter at that tims.
Mr. Key shSrty after left Norfolk, and went
70 "ashington city, where his father, the late
Francis s. ker, resided. Mr. Sberburne went
year-l836. - ''-
After exam aation, Mr.. S. came TO Washing
ton, where his father also resided. Upon reach
ing this places&e learned that Mr.. Key from
the time they had separated at Norfolk up to
that day had suffered no opportunity to pass
without traduting his (Sherburne's character
IN the most uEsustifable manner, charging him
with cowardice in not meeting him Key at
Norfolk, wheA he well knew that Mr.. s. had
been prevented from doing so by civil arrest
During my first interview with Mr.. Sherburne,
lone or two dSys after he reached Washington,)
he mentioned the difficulty with Mr.. Key, and
asked me to act as his friend i'm its settlement
| consented t6do so. The next day, II think
the 18th or 9Th Of June, $780, about nine or
ten o'clock, A NJ, called on Mr.. Key He
was at his tattJr's residence in street, between
Third and FoF nth streets-the same, presume
in which the ate p. Barton Key resided. We
were alone in The room. at once mentioned
that had called, as the friend of Mr. Sherburne
to make arrangements to close the unsettled
difficulty between himself and Mr., S, He re,
piled, 90 there Was no difficulty between himself
and Mr.: S., and if so, how it had been settled p"
He then said, "Sherbume is u scoundrel, and
will not meet him."
thou observed that | was not there to dis
cuss Mr.. Sherburne's character, that / wanted
him to say at once, and finally, whether be
meant to meet Mr.. S. or no. He was very
much agitated at the time, aud asked me to
allow him few minutes TO collect himself"
Some four o. FIVE minutes having passed, he
said ne would fight Mr. s., provided it was
done Immediately" / then asked him if one
hour from that time would suit him. He re-
marked that he would "have to provide himself
with friend." / then named 6 o'clock p. NJ,
(same day. and it was so understood. | then
suggested Good Hope Tavern as the place for
the meeting, This point is about one aud a
half miles from the Navy Yard BRIDE across
the Eastern Branch, on the r"-.s leading from
Washington 70 Upper scarborough.
Mr., v.rne, accompanied by DR.. James
CO. - (who is still resident of Washington
and myself were first at the appointed place
Mr.. Key, accompanied by his friend, Mr.. R
West, of Prince George county, Nd, came uI
about half past six. As soon as the gentlemen
rode up, I took Mr.. West aside, and proposed
that we would try and settle the affair without
resort to arms Mr.. Key being at little dis
lance, but within hearing, remarked to Mr.
West that it was useless to waste time talking
about it." Mr. West then said, we have come
here to fight, not to talk, and the sooner 1t Is
over the better" / then said we would at once
select the ground, and proceeded to do so, in a
meadow field near by.
The distance item short spaces) was measured
off. Mr.. West had choice of pistols. l had
procured very fine pair of the Hon. Henry A
were loaded. Mr. Key and Mr.. Sherburne
took their stands. Mr.. West gave the word
Both fred 1.-THE same instant and both escaped
untouched.
AS soon as Mr.. Key saw that Mr.. Sherburne
was unhurt, he in loud and exciting manner
said, q where did my ball 60 to? G. d. it
load up quick, and let US have another shot"
now again proposed to MIR. West that We
should stop she fight, feeling satisfied that the
affair could be honorably adjusted without fur
ther resort to weapons. He made the same re
ply that was given to my first proposition to try
and avoid bloodshed, 1--WE are here to fight
and not to talk"
1t was now twilight. Pistols we're agar
loaded. Mr. Key and Mr.. Sherburne tool
their stands. gave the word. Both fired a
the same instant Mr.. Sherburne escaped un
hurt; Mr.. Key fell, shot through the lower par
of the chest, the ball entering the right ant
lodging under the skin Of the opposite side. HI
lived about twenty minutes, and died upon thu
spot where he fell.
The Investigating Committee appointed BY
the Senate 6f Illinois has concluded its session
for the prsseht, sdjournihg to meet in June
The time for The next meeting was extended, II
order 70 enable the Committee to examine tht
hooks of Tire State Transfer Office in this city
which have been closed, by order Of the Gov