Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-02-13
Ghaifs aNisesllaau.
Hunted TO Death.
by WILLIAM DoLToN.

In the latter part OF the year 184-s
duel was fought In the neighborhood oi
London, between u Lieutenant Belfont
and the head of mercantile house
named Gray lfor obvious reasons the
names are iiotitious), in which the lat.
ter was shot through the heart, and as
upon the examination of the seconds
before the police magistrate, foul play
had been allcdged on the part of the
victor, our yiLtuOus town rang with in
dignaLion. The seconds were committed
afterward tried at the Old Bailey, and
believe sentenced to death for murder
although that sentence was afterward
commuted to Il heightened imprisonment
with hard labor. AS for the lieutenant,
Notwithstanding the government Of
fered large reward for his capture, he
managed to escape, and fortunate it was
for him for had he been taken such was
the Indignation of the public, there can
be little doubt but That his fate woul d
have been an ignominlous death.
Some days aitcrthe trial of the seconds,
and while the metropolis still ieasted up
on tho tragic topic, 1 dined with my
friend Crawford, NJ. D., formerly of the
British Auxiliary Legion, but then liv-
ing In the immediate neighborhood of
Blackfriars Bridge, where by advice gratis
between 10 and A, the appointment of
parish doctor, and indcfatigable attempt
to establish general practice, he was
endeavoring to gat her sufficient crumbs
TO supply the daily wants ofa very lady
like Crawford, and some half dozen
smaller Crawfords, rising in hight from
TWO to four and II half feet. One item
OF his practice ,ando one which bears more
particularly upon my tale, was the re-
covery of those half-drowned persons so
frequently dragged from the filthy warer,
to whom, when taken to the "George, -
water-side public house, were the drugs
are kept, II was my friends duty TO at
tend.
Now, rs the duelist, Belfont, had serv-
Ell IN Spain at the same time with my
friend, the conversation after dinner
very naturaE turned upon the lata trag-
edy, upon every point of which, being
well coached up" by the newspapers
and holding the general opinion of foul
play, | modestly asserted that Belfont
was n murderous rascal, and hoped lie
would soon be taken. 10 my surprise
Crawford, with Indignant countenance,
exclaimed, ut is lie, u base lie. 1t is
the old story, Give dog an i'll name
and hang him.. >"
"You speak warmly. said 7.
II do-and / mean warmly, for there
isnot quieter or -more gentlemanly
fellow upon Gods earth than poor Bel
font.
"You know him, then?"
DO. We were In the same regiment,
indeed we are fellow townsmen.
Ills, then, must have been strange
history. 1T is not often that men of the
character you describe are confirmed.
nay, professional duelists. 4"
"It Is a strange history, but listen and
you will also admit that II is both cruel
and sad. u
George Belfont (said my friend), being
the orphan son of "a distinguished Pom
insular officer, had from his childhood
, been led 10 expect u commission In the
British service, without purchase. As
however there were hundreds awaiting
the same position who, If without equal
claims, possessed superior interest, poor
George at twenty-one years OF age re-
manned still an eXpectant.
Dlsgusted, therefore, with dancing at
tendance at the Military Secretary's le-
wees, George, like many other men lam
gushing for employment, rejoiced ut
the chances OF active military life offer
ed by the British Legion, then fighting
inSpain for constitutional government.
and as 10 WAS to me he was Indebted for
the Introduction which led TO his obtain-
Ing a commission, upon his arrival at
the depot at Santander, he applied, and
got himself attached TO "ours.h
For the first twelve months, as You
are aware, the duels between the English
officers became so frequent, that "Who's
been out ~ formed certain item In the
morning greeting. In our regiment, for
some time, q aduel had been a rarity this
was, owing 10 our fellows. who were the
mast gentiemaniy, dashing fellows In
tlIe Legion, for having the commander
jn-chief for full colonelwe were consid-
cred u crack corps. afssdfs 'RrV
In one action, however, both officers
and men were SO fearfully. hit that ii
soon became necessary to incorporate
another regiment with our poor, decima-
tod corps, and thsn came change. We
had q new colonel, an Irishmai, OF the
name Of O'Dragon fire-eating, brave
old boy he was, but tyranical, and given
tn pets, one Of whom was his own son.
q short. stout. bull-headed, red-haired
boy, WHO from beneath the tails' OF his
fafhefss coat buflied the whole regiment.