Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-01
Desperate and Fatal DueI-One of
the Parties Slain and the Other
no NIOrtally WOunded-A Woman
the Cause. rr-.tft-I
Correspondence of the Louisville Courier.l

.ts- ,tCorrespondence of the louisville CourierI
f72i-s +" WELBY PosToFFICE KY, July %. /
A deplorable tragedy was enacted about
mile from our quiet little village, this
morning at daylight, which resulted in the
death of a promising young man and the
mortal wo1nding OF another whose future
was all brilliancy and promise.
Littleton Wells and Sanford B. Roberts
were both young men of unexceptionable
character, and occupyh g enviable posi-
tiops in our society .sWells was about
twenty-five years old, and Roberts was
Eprobably Two years his seniorSThe former
was our Deputy Postmaster, while the lat
ter was. clerk in the store OF, Roath 81
Strother. For some time both had been
paying marked attention to an amiable and
beautiful young lady of the neighborhoOd,
whose name 1 withhold for obvious rea4
sons, and until within month past were
generous rivals, their relations toward each
other being on the most friendly footing.
Some three or four weeks ago Wells vis4
tied the young lady and made formal
proposal for her hand. His proposition
was respectfully but firmly declined, and
n lOn his pressing her for herreason for
ler declination, she indiscreetly informed
Shitn that she had already accepted a similar
proposal from young Roberts. Wells left
the house, mounted his horse, and returned
to the village. He first went to the post
office and armed himself with pistol, and
then saw his successful rival at the store.
Here an alteration ensued. which would
have had bloody termination had not by
ISLANDERS interfered and put an end to the
difficulty. From that time until Satur-
day they were as strangers to each other.
On that day they both attended picnic,
Roberts being accompanied by his Jfance.
As soon as Wells saw them together, he
seemed to be imbued with the very spirit
ho -
lyfnsulted 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 gentle
men-present prevented a collision. Rob-
lerts and his fair companion, at the earnest
solicitation of the latter, Immediately lett
the ground and repaired to her home,
where she, fearing difficulty between the
parties, ehdeaYored to persuade him to
spend the night. In that she failed, but
succeeded in eXacting promise from him
that7he would not return to the picnic
groi1nd.A- :. - ~ - s<s'-s ---7s - -
Reaching the village, and brooding over
the gross outrage that had been put upon
him, he went to, his room and penned, a
chalIenge to mortal combat, which he in
trusted to a friend to be delivered into the
hands of Wells. This mission was accom-
plished that night. Next morning friend
of the challenged party called upon the
1r1enu OF hODeTGS 10 dTTalSe Inc prellInl-
naries. This was soon accomplished. The
arrangement was that the fight was to come
off in a meadow, about one mile east OF
town, at daylight on Monday, the weapons
to be 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 W ords
-s.onen and ssthree," and then advance, fir
ing as they advanced, such being the terms
Insisted upon by the challenger and not re-
jected by the challenger. At the word both
parties fired, and so accurate was their aim
that Wells fell dead, pierced through the
/! brain by his adVersary's ball. Roberts re-
ceived his opponents bullet in the center
ofithe breast, passing through his body and
lodging under the skin, just to the left OF
the spine. AT the moment write ne is not
dead, though sinking so rapidly that the
physicians say that he cannot possibly live
more than an hour.
,vsThis terrible affair, it is needless to say,
has given our entire community a shock
such AS has never pervaded it before. Both
lie young men were highly respected, con-
spicuous Tor their intelligence and sotial
qualities. Wells leaves a widowed mother
aud two sisters to mourn his loss. Roberts
i, ayes no family bereft, while the 8 ID, sad
tate is mourned by all who knew them.