The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-05
DESPERATE DUEL.
Rifles the Weapons Three Exchanges
of Shots,
One of the Parties severely Wounded

yesterday afternoon about O'Clock, while the
whole population of New Orleans were out enjoy.
ing the firemens festival. a drama was being
enacted few miles in the of the city, on the
hetsrie Ridge. back of the Halfway House,
where hundreds have met in past years to wash
out with blood real or imaginary injuries. A des.
perate duel was being fought.
The parties to the duel were Mr.. Leonard
Sewell, an ex-officer of the Hussar brigade in
India, aged about sixty, an Englishman by birth,
and Mr. Louis Lslsurie. of this city, from thirty.
five TO forty years old, and extensively known in
this community, and both holding high social po-
sitions here and elsewhere.
The cause OF the duel may be gained from the
following: Mr.. Lalaurie held note for sl2OO
drawn by the house Of R. NJ. Mitchell 4 Co.,
with which house Mr.. Sewel had held business
relations. The note fell due some time since,
and Mr. Lalaurie call on Mr.. Sewel, inquiring con-
cerDing the note, as be had failed to find Mr..
Mitchell. Mr.. Sewell declined to have anything
to do in the matter, stating that he had nothing
to do with the affairs of the makers of the bill. SO
matters went on till Tuesday last. when Mr..
Lalaurie again called on Mr.. Sewell, demand.
ing payment Of the note. Mr.. Sswell again
declined, reiteratng his former assertion, and
further explaining that the consideration tor
which the note was given was OF private nature,
and that even il the maker had been his partner
then, or even his partner now, the claim cold not
be avsilable in any court of justice. Thereupon
Mr. Lalaurie, in loud tone of voice, demanded
again and again the payment Of the note, saying
IL have your bill; want you to pay me;iwhyIdon't
you pay me " Mr.. Sewell immecistely replying,
81 owe you nothing why do you persist in claim.
ing from me this amount after have explained
that have no connection with it," The parties
then separated, but met again on the
street some ten minutes afterwards
1r. Lalaurie again repeating his demands. An
noyed and provoked, Mr.. SeWell retorted by tell.
ingMr. Lalsure that be was acting like madman,
and when he said he owed him money che lied and
knew that be lied," the dispute eliminating in the
reiterated assertion by Mr.. Lalaurie You owe
me this money !" to which Mr.. Sewell each time re-
piled, "you lie, you lie." They then separated,
and the following morning Mr.. Manuel Blasco and
Mr.. Charles Delasuze, friends of Mr.. Lallaurie,
called upon Mr. Sewel to demand from that gen.
tleman, on the part of Mr.. Lslsurie an explana.
ton. Mr.. Sewel first remarked "I presume you
gentlemen wait upon me with a hostile message
from Mr.. Lala1rie; before proceeding any further
| will state that accept" Then Mr.. SeWell ex
planned TO Messrs. Blasco and Delasuzs the ori.
gin of the difficulty, and again stated his immedi-
ate acceptance Of any cartel reserving of course,
choice of time, place and weapons. Preliminaries
were then dispensed with, as all parties thor.
oughly understood each other, and it was speedily
arranged that they were to meet the afternoon of
the following day at one o'clock-a day being
thus afforded Mr.. Sewell in which to arrange his
business affairs. The weapons chosen we're rifles;
the distance to be so yards; the place to be the
well known oaks near the Metaire course.
In accordance with these arrangements the
parties met yesterday, Hr. Lalanrie and friends
arriving at the Halfway House first and awaiting
the arrival OF Mr.. Sewell and friends, who made
their appearance few minutes before O'Clock.
The whole party then proceeded to the spot
selected for the mortal strife, which was just
beyond the Metairie track, in the bend. Arrived
on the ground Messrs. Manuel Blasco and Della
suze on the part ofsMr. Lslau lie, and Messrs. Bsr
naId Ayegno and John Hancock on the par. of
Mr.. Sewell, consulted apart to arrange final pre-
liminsries As we have said the weapons selec.
ted were ordinary hunting rifles. sEach one
had brought his own gun. Every pre-
paration having been completed the seconds
tossed for position. TIE choice fell to Mr..
Lalaurie, who necessarily selected the side to.
which direction the wind was blowing so heavily
that it was with difficulty the seconds could keep
on their hats. The sdversaries were placed in
position at the distance mentioned, both preserv.
ing self composure admirable to behold. The
final instructions were then given to the princi-
pals-being 10 fire between the words fire aud
three-the command to be given: Gentlemen, "
are you ready! Fire. one, two, three" The
-. 81
from the lips Of the second, and almost simulta-
neously with the word three Mr.. sswell fred,
missing his aim, Mr.. Lslsurie's gun not going off,
as it had not been cooked.
No evidences of any disposition towards a re-
conciIiation being manifested by Mr.. Lslaurie the
parties were placed again in position. The com.
mand given as before, Mr.. Lalaurie firing first and
Mr.. sewell Immediately after. As Mr.. Sewell
pulled the trigger of his deadly weapon gust of
wind struck him full in the face. blowing his eye.
glasses quite of his pose and over his head.
Without ado he quietly drew from his breast
pocket pair of gold-mounted spectacles which
he securely fixed over his eyes. Upon examine
tion by the seconds it was discovered that ur.
SeWell's trousers were perforated in the right
leg, Just below the knee. by Mr.. Lalaurie's ball,
which had however respected the skin.
No appearances of a reconciliation being at all
evident, this cool, deliberate, desperate conflict
reached its third stage. The rifles we're again
placed in the hands of the determined antagonists
Fire one, two, three, was solemenly repeated by
the second. fash crash and desthlike stiffness
ensued. For this time, at least, it could hardly be
possible that both had escaped unscsthed. Yet
there they stood unmoved and as frm as a rock
to the utter though pleasant astonishmens Of the
few present. Mr.. Sewel was, however, observed
10 raise his foot slightly and was approached by
friend, who asked him. "Are you hit ?" "Well, I
don't know. Yes, think am" answered Mr..
Sewell, whose surgeon, already near, pulled Of
his boot and after examining his foot found that
the last shot Of Mr.. LslaUrie had struck Mr.. Sc
wells right foot, the ball entering near the first
joint OF the great toe, coming out in the hollow of
the foot opposite the little toe.