The Placer herald., 1859-09-24
Inquest on the body Of Hon. D. c. Broder'
lex

AAYuOSV VA VA" WV -
On Saturday afternoon, Sept, 18th, the Coron-
er of San Francisco held an inquest upon the
body of Hon. d. G. Broderck The first witness
was
Hon. J. c. .1fcRibben.-1 witnessed duel on
the morning of the 18th inst 1t took place in
San Mateo, near the dividing line, near the
South end of Lake MERGED. 1t took place about
o'clock the principals in that duel were Sena-
tor D. G. Broderick and Chief Justice u. D
Terry; the distance was ten PAGES; the weapons
duell ng pistols; the friends of d. 5. Terry mad
the choice of weapons; the choice WAS determined
by throwing up halfdolar, and calling heads
and tails The parties after declaring themselves
ready, were given the word, which was FIRE
one-two;" they were to fire between tn words
'.fre" and "two"; saw the pistols loaded with
leaden bullets, in the presence OF both seconds,
and friends of both parties; they were accepted
as satisfactory; the principals took the positions
assigned them at distance OF ten PAGES; their
eyes were at right angle to the line dividing
them; after taking their position, the weapons
were taken up by the seconds and cooked in each
others presence; each proceeded then to his
principal and delivered the weapon; the seconds
then retreated some distance out of the line, the
word thereupon given by second or Mr.. Brod-
erick, ''Fire-- one-two;" as near as l could
Judge, Mr.. B. discharged his pistol between the
words ''fre' and "one," about one second inter-
pistol was subsequent. but with very slight in
terval Mr. Broderick appeared to look down
with surprise at the course which his ball took;
was about twelve feet from him, midway be-
tween the parties; Mr.. 3. then seemed to gradu-
ally wheel and droop; he lowered himself easily
upon the ground; ran up to him and tried to as
sst DR.. Loehr in opening his garments; saw the
wound The blood was net flowing freely; there
were no other shots fired; the ball from Mr.. Ter
rvs pistol wounded Mr.. Broderick; DR.. Loehr
then proceeded to examine the wound, and While
doing so the services of Dr. Hammond were ten
dered and accepted; the physicians gave him all
the relief possible, and in three-quarters of an
hour he was taken up and carried to the residence
of Leonidas Haskell. Esq; was with him up to
the time of his death which occurred yesterday,
at 20 minutes past o'clock; D. s. Terry chal-
enged Mr.. Broderick; the pistols used | presume
to belong to DR.. Aylett; they were lighter than
the ordinary duelling pistols they were near
alike; | looked ut them, tried the springs, and
found them alike as near as | could Judge; there
was party on the ground more CONVEX ant
with weapons than myself, and asked him to ex-
anime them; he did so and pronounced them cor
rect; the pistols were loaded alike; Mr. Broder-
lex was born in the district of Columbia, on the
4th of February, 1919; the duel occurred about
two miles from the line; do not know on whose
property; were not aware OF any difference
in the pistols on the ground, and know nothing
to the contrary at present; we had person on
the ground for the express purpose of loading the
pistols.
Leontdas Haskell S,corn-I was on The ground
of the duel did not the firing, but heard the
reports of two pistols; saw Mr.. Brodt rick fall
there were but two shots ired | do not know OF
any difference in the pistols; Mr.. Broderck was
taken to my house; l can tell no more than Mr.
McKibben relative to the duel; his statement is |
correct
James ". StHlman, SU0rR.--l was on the |
ground when the duel occurred; after reaching |
the ground the principals walking t. and
fro; saw them placed in positions; saw the pis-
tolls loaded saw them shoot, and saw Mr. Brod
erick fall Mr. MeKibbeu and Mr.. Cotton were
the seconds of Mr.. Broderick, and Mr. Benham |
and Mr.. Brooks for Terry. Mr.. Thomas Hayes |
appeared to act for Mr. Terry, but was not q sec
ond there were but two shots fired upon the |
ground.
Bernard Lagarde. s,corn.-I am gunsmith; |
live at 205 Washington street, | on the |
ground at the duel; | went on an order from
friends of Mr. Broderick to take pistols. powder |
and balls. and to examine the pistols to be used
end see that they were properly loaded; | loaded |
the pistol which fired by Mr.. Broderick; |
id not load Mr.. Terry's pistol; a tall gentleman,
whose name do not know loaded it; | saw 1t
loaded; it was properly loaded with the same
quantity of powder as the other; the pistol OF
Mr.. Terry was loaded first, and the implements
handed to me, when proceeded to load the 9TH
err. Mr. Broderick used the finest trigger; know |
ben. who gave it to Mr.. Broderck; ] told Mr.. |
Frederick that they were light; both pistols were
very delicate to the touch, but one more than the |
other: | saw the firing there were but two shots
fired; was asked if the pistols were in good Or
der and after applying in the affirmative. asked
Mr.. McKibben why he did not force his princi-
pal to use my pistols; he replied that Mr.. Terry |
had won the choice: the pistols used were brought |
by the seconds of Mr. Terry; | had never seen |
them before but have since; do not know where
they are at present; J. did not notice whether |
there was any mark by which they could be dis
tinguished one from the other; they could be dis
charged by sudden jar or jerk; simply raising
them would not cause an explosion; said that the |
weapons too light in presence Of all the
seconds; told one Of the seconds of Terry that
the pistol which l held was lighter than the
other.
Henry Fritz Scorn.-I was at the place of
the duel l saw the gentlemen take their posi-
tions, saw the shots fired. and saw Mr., Broder
lex fall; there were but two shots fred the diff |
of time was very slight between the two
reports.
Stilhaon, recaHed.-Mr. S. H. Brooks loaded |
one pistol.
Nc Ki6ben, recaUed.-The armorer loaded the !
pistol which Mr. Broderck used
This closed the testimony, and after consulting
a few moments, the Jury brought in the follow
ing verdict:
We, the undersigned Jurors convened to in
qure into the cause of the death of David G.
Frederick, who died in the city of San Francisco
on the 10th of September 1859, do find that the
deceased was born in The District of Columbia,
aged 40 years, and that he came to his death
from wound inflicted by pistol ball fired from
pistol. intentionally, by David S. Terry on the
morning Of September 18TH 1859.
VIM. A. KEITH, o. DICKINSON, JR.,
G. A. FISHER, CHARLES MAIN,
THOS. FORDON j. W. GILMORE,
GEO. G. SHREVE.
The GUNsMITH's TEsTMoNY.-Tha the gun
smith did not tell the truth before the Coron-