Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-08-01
DEspEpArE AND FATAL DUEL.
One OF the Parties slain and the other
Morteily woundod--A Woman the GAUGE.


One OF the Parties slain and the other
Morteny woundod--A Woman the GAUGE.
Correspondence ofthc Louisville Courier.
WELBY Posi- OFFICE, KY, July %.
! A deplorable tragedy was enacted
about mile from our quiet little village,
this morning at daylight, which resulted
In the death of n promising young man
and the mortal woundng of another
whose future was all brilliancy and
promise.
Littleton Wells and Sanford B. Roberts
were both young men nofuneXceptionable
character, and occupying enviable posi-
tions in society. Wells was about twen-
ty-two years old, and Roberts was proba-
bly, two years his senior. The former
was our Deputy Postmaster, while the
latterw was clerk in the store of. Roath &
Strother. For some time both had been
paying marked attention to an amiable
and beautiful young lady of the neigh
borhood, whose name withhold for obvi-
GUS reasons, and until within Il month
past were generous rivals, their relations
toward each other being OH the most
friendly footing.
Some three or four weeks ago Wells
visited the young ladya and made formal
proposal for her hand. His proposition
was respectfully but firmly declined, and
upon his pressing her for her reason for
her destinations, he indiscreetly informed
him that she had already accepted Il
similar proposal from young Roberts. -
Wells LETT the house mounted his horse,
and returned to the village. He first
went to the post Office and armed himself
with pistol, and saw his successful rival
at the store. Here an alteration ensued,
which would have had bloody terniina-
ton had not by-standcrs interiered and
put an end to the difficulty. From that
| time until Saturday they were as stran-
gers to each other. On that day they
both attended picnic, Roberts being
accompanied by his fdnce. AS soon as
| Wells saw them together, he seemed to
! be imbued with the very spirit of in
sanity. Approaching them, he grossly
/ insulted Roberts in the presence of the
whole assembly. The insulted man
/ sprang to his feet, and started toward his
insulter, evidently to resent the insult,
/ when gentlemen present prevented a col
lision. Roberts and his fair companion,
at the earnest solicitation of the latter,
Immediately left the ground and repaired
to her home, where she, fearing l1i-
Guilty between the parties underworld to
persuade him to spend the night. In
that she failed, but succeeded in extract
ing IL promise from him that he would
not return 90 the picnic ground.
Reaching the village, and brooding
over the gross outrage that had been put
upon him, he went to his room and
penned challenge to mortal combat,
which he intrusted to Il friend to be de-
livered into the hands of Wells. This
mission was accomplished that night
Next morning u friend of the challenged
party called upon the friend of Roberts
to arrange the preliminaries. This was
soon accomplished. The arrangement
was that the fight was to come Off in q
meadow, about one mile East of town
ut daylight on Monday, the weapons tc
he Colts revolvers.
At the appointed time principals and
seconds were on the chosen ground
The principals were placed ten feet apart
with instructions to fire between the
words "one" and three" and then adj
vance, firing us they advanced, such
challenged and not rejected ny the chal.
lenger. AT the word both parties fired
and so accurate was their aim that
Wells fell dead pierced through the
brain by his advcrsarics' ball. Roberts
received his opponents bullet in the
center of the breast, passing through his
body and lodging under the skin Just to
the left of the spine. At the moment
write he is not dead, though sinking sc
rapidly that the physicians say he can
not possibly live more than an hour.
This terrible affair it is needless to sny,
has given our entire community Il shocl;
such as never pervaded il before. Both
the young men were highly respected
conspicuous for their intelligence and so.
cial qualities. Wells leaves widowed
mother and two sisters to mourn his loss
Roberts leaves no family bcreft, while
the sad sad fate is mourned by all whC
knew them.