Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-01
From the N. o. Delta Aug. IS.
Serious Shooting ARRAY. DIR. Il.
Chopin Dangerously w ounded by
DIR. > ohm Foster. IN

Chopin Dangerously w ounded by
Dr. ; ohm Foster.
At a quarter past twelve o'clock yesterday
afternoon, difficulty occurred at the gate of
the Charity Hospital, between two of our
prominent New Orleans physicians, Drs. E.
Chopin and ]. Foster, during which five
shots were exchanged, and the former was
dangerously wounded. The unfortunate af
fair soon became noised throughout the city,
ard, D assing from mouth to mouth the report
assumed numerous exaggerated phases, some
of them to the injustice of one or the other
of the parties. 1t is principally owing to this
fact that we give so full and comprehensive
report of every circumstance connected with
the difficulty. collected from reliable authori-
ties and witnesses, SO that the public may not
be led astray by false rumors, even as to the
lesser particularities.
A feud, or at least strong animosity, has
| existed between these gentlemen for upwards
of two years. One of the fir.t incidents of it
is said to have been as follows: Nearly two
years since, a young man named Weems, of
Rapidss parish, was fatally shot in an aiiray
in this city, and was carried to the Charity
| Hospital. Doctors Foster and Chopin were
| both practicing there at the time, and by
| some regulation of the Hospital the former
had the right to attend young Weems. The
| wounded man was, however, a student under
CuOpplu III Tue fIueuICdl COlleSey anu, as d
| consequence, he determined TO attend him,
| and did so. When DR.. Foster came in and
learned of the fact, he met DIR. Chopin, and
| they had a severe list encounter in one OF the
| rooms OF the Hospital. This not proving
satisfactory to either party, hostile meeting
was arranged for the next day. Shots were
| exchanged without effect, when the seconds
interfered and refused TO allow matters to go
| any further.
| ha6 nth ar of
| such their both running for the office of
| House Surgeon at the Hospital. Up to the
| last election, DIR. Chopin was holding this
| position, aud at the election DIR. Foster was
chosen over him. There have also been differ
| ences of opinion between them on political
subjects, both having been Delegates to the
| State Democratic Convention held in May
last, from the same Ward. DIR. Chopin,
being OF the party known as the New-Liners,
and DR.. Foster, of the party called the Old
| Liners.
| There are four visiting surgeons for the
Charity Hospital, Doctors Stone, Hunt, Mott,
and Chopin, who perform all operations OF a
| surgical nature The two former being out
Of the city, their departments were in charge
| of other surgeons, TIE latter of the two being
| Dr. Dirmeyer. A man was brought to the
| Hospital q short time since suffering from a
| severe aneurism in the left shoulder. He
was placed in Ward No. 2, which is under
the immediate charge of DIR. Sprague, one of
| the students and is in DIR. Stones surgical
| department After consultation and gen
| eral examination, it was agreed that the man
| could lOt live unless the artery which sup
| piled the ancurism was taken up. All were
| of opinion at the time that this was the sub
| clavian artery, one of the most important in
| the body. and to tie which would be more
dangerous operation than tying the carotid;
| in fact, it would only give the patient one
| chance in three or four of life over the certain
| death which the aneurism would cause if I'M
| checked
Among professional men, as matter of
| course, the more difficult an operation Is the
more anxious IA skillful surgeon is to obtain
| the honor of performing it. The operation
| belonged. bv right TO the surgeon acting in
place of DR.. Stone; but he passed it over TO
Dr. Dirmeyer. A week passed by, aud the
| operation had not been performed, though
the longer it was delayed the more Danger
Gus it became to the patient. The sufferer s
| wifi, desired to have DIR. Stones service, but,
AS he was out OF the city, she said she want
| ed the next best surgeon in New Orleans.
| In the meantime, however, it was discovered
that it would not be necessary to take up the
| subclavian artery, as the aXillary artery
would be sufficient for the purpose. This
| lesseued the danger one-hal; but still 1t
| would require great skill and nicely with tue
| knife. in consequence Of the danger of sew
ering some other vital portion in reaching
the aXilary through network of arteries,
veins and nerves.
The patients wife heard yesterday that
Dr. Chopin was very anxioXs to perform the
operation, and on calling upon him, it is said
| he offered TO keep the man i'll his lutrmary,
on Carondelet street, free of charge, until
the result OF the operation, for the privilege
| of performing which he would pay him fifty
] dollars. An agreement was then made thai
the man should go to DR.. Choppin's Infrmary
yesterday morning. DIR. Dirmeyer, hearing
OF this, requested DIR. Foster, House Surgeon,
and DR.. Smith, Assistant House Surgeon, not
| to discharge the man IRON the Hospital, and
| they agreed not TO do II. 1t is claimed that
| all persons who go TO the Charity Hospital
| without paying, place themselves under the
| control of the institution, aud the doctors
can retain them until they are cured or dead.
Yesterday morning, about 10 O'Clock, the
mans wife came for him, and he dressed him
self aud went out to the gate, thinking there
would be no-dliiiculty about his leaving. The
woman asked Tor u discharge from the clerk,
| but be had received orders not 10 give one
She then went to DIR. Sprague, but be, being
a student, had no authority To sign one. She
next went To DIR. Smith, and he also refused.
Ii seemed the man would not be allowed TO
leave, but he sat out by the gate until DR..
Chopin came in his buggy, at about noon,
To visit the wounded men in his department.
As soon as he found the man was detained
he went into the Office aud asked MIR. Jules
Lombard, Deputy Clerk, for discharge. Mr..
l.. told him he could not do against orders.
Dr. Chopin then said he would make out the
discharge himself on his authority as visit
ing surgeon, and did 30, giving il to the man,
aud telling him he could leave. well, Doc
tor" said SIR. Lombard, las this is against
my orders, il Is my duty TO immediately in
form DIR. Foster Ut the fact" Certainly said
DIR. Chopin, that is your duty, and will
wait unIil you have done So"
DR.. Chopin stood IN the banquette, In
front of his buggy, and within five or six feet
OF the gate where DE-. Foster came out. The
latter Immediately reprimanded Mr.. Lombard
for permitting the man to leave in defiance
of his orders to the contrary. Mr.. l.. replied
that he could not have prevented it without
having a difficulty with DIR. Chopin, which he
would not have. DIR. Foster then stood ia
the gateway and gexed txvdiy at DR. Chopin.
Doctor Chopin raid: ARE you looking at
me. STRIP Doctor Foster answered: Yes,
sir. am looking ut yon." And what do
yOu think OF ncgn Continued Doctor Chop
pin II think you are a Cd id scoun.
drei," said Doctor Foster. Instantly upon
this remark, and simultaneously, as near a,
We learn fiom tnose who saw any thing OF il
both genliencn drew their pistols
Doctor Foster carried "a sei-coeking, I've
barreled revolver. Dr. Choppin carried n
single-barreled DerriDg ia each pants peck
e, aud bowie katie Ia one OF has coat tall
pockets.
While Doctor Foster bad but to raise bis
weapon and pull tue trigger, DIR. Chopin
had 10 cock his. While he was doing SO. DR..
Foster fired aud shot his antagonist through
the l,fs side Of The neck, the ball passing
completely through and cutting 10 tao the
exterior jaguiar eia in ils course. This par
siyz d ijr. cloppln's right arm for sscond,
and BIS pis,ol aenI "a. the bill making a
slight woand 10 his owa left hand. The frce
Of DIR. Fosters hrsi ball staggered DIR. Chop
pin back some eight or ten feet sloug the