The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-14
THE HUGHES CAMERON DUEL.
The Article that Provoked the Fight.
Arrangements for q Meeting-The Po-
lice Interfere--The Second Meeting and
its Result.


its Result.
Tho Richmond Dispatch gives the following
particulars in regard to the affair OF honor be-
tween Captain William E. Cameron, Of the Pc
tersburg Index, we'll known and ably edited
Conservative journal, and Robert W. Hughes,
ESQ.,, who is reputed to be editorially connec:-
ed with the Richmond State Journal (Radical:)
TIE SUPPOSED CAUSE.
The difficulty is said to have grown out Of q
leading article in tho Index OF Morday last,
which we herewith publish:
.Ihere is an article In the Friday evenings State
Journsl which, in its vlleness and vtulence betrays
it's parentage. He'll has no fury like woman
scorned, perhaps but humanity knows no haired 30
bitter 90 reckless unreentin2, that the traitor
feels towards those whom he has betrayed. None
but renegade virgniaD, smarting under ihe sense
Of bis own shameless treachery, and brimming with
enmity TO all that is better and truer than ttmsfn-
an arnold seek to cloak his oaseness by alander OF
the cause he has sold-could have penned su'
language IN regard to Virginia gentlemen es th.t
which we qlole:
"Tf names could typ.fy the meaning of worIs,
the mene. tekel npharstn, which oloody ana
destructive history has pronounced pon the sec
to Ia party that has 80 long ruled Aud ruined III
Virginia, Is especially expressed in such names as
Bocock, Douglas and Aylett these are but types
OF he class who have gone forth to reinVoke The pto
pe TO cou ses of treason 1t is well for tho cause OF
loyalty reconstruction and State re enernton, thst
class of parricides go motor ous, with the mark OF
CAN on their foreheads and the quit OF CAIN upon
their ,onsciences. have gone out as the champions
of disconnected. remonstrant and incorrgibe sec.
lionaiism Tbey know that the ascepdency OF na-
tional ideas and loyal sentiments must conslgn tntm
to fixed and brat ded obecurty and. In the spirit OF
Deelzebub, better to rule In hell than to terve IN
Heaven they are ready to drag down the Common
wealth into q deeper damnat On than that In which
she already writhes and perish g.
harm IA 4
at the same time sufficiently capable as writer a.
utterly degraded enough In cha acter to nave ndct
ed those lines he Is QUE OF those VINO lent Tucn-
lence and almost lnhuman bitterness to the Rich
mod Examiner during the war-the man upon
whom Jonn II. Daniel chiefly relied for hts strongest
appeals to the wor passions Of our people, De sat
all that was good in the lessons OF bis master, but
seized upon he bad with the instinct OF patrral de.
praviy, cul1vating and dev looping 1t urtl be has
SUNK to depth which Peter In nus aenial y, never never
himself with the dirtiest Of all the poisonous sheets
uh .ch have disgraced W. gnia since 64-the Rich
mond Repubic-and his undeniaole yefsauliy as
writer was there employed to brand as infamous
oil that be had advocated for six years 'Ie-
vious Since then he has played part which
is, thank God, stranger to virginia Jour
nalism His venal pee has been sold 10 the highest
bidder to bolster up any and every cause whose d.
rectors were willing to buy hi' aims. He has
said that his articles were merchandise, and that
II sufficiently remunerated he would ieel warrant
ed In arguing for poygamy: Ana me tlms ,las came
We're words which The public knew were bought
and sold like herr1ngs IN The market ceased 10 re.
memoer his talent IN the presence OF his want OF
principe. $50
"Be is now contributing editorially to the Rich
mond Stats Journal which has lost thereby four
ffths Of its previous claim to respectaoiiity. Tbe
people Of Virginia want no tlonger evidence OF un-
Reliability 10 public print than TO know that lis sem
timents flow from the purchased pen OF ROBERT W.
Hughes"
A CHALLENGE.
On the appearance of this article it was un-
derstood that Mr.. Ernest Wilt, the local editor
of the Journal, Immediately left Richmond
eron, in the nature OF o peremptory challenge,
and requesting the latter, as the phrase goes,
10 name friend"
THE RESPONSE.
CAPTAIN Cameron Is said to have promptly
avowed bis responsibility for all that appears
in his editorial columns, and named MIR.
Ernest Lagarde, the local editor Of the Peters
burg Express, as friend TO whom the COM
munications Of Mr. Hughes could be address,
ed. or tue correspondence that ensued be-
tween Messrs. WIl;z and Lagarde nothing posi-
tive can be stated. It is rumored, however,
tnat MIR. Wlltz demanded on behalf OF his
friend full and public retractlon, accompa-
med oy generous and chiyalous expression
OF Mr.. Cameron's regret at the publication OF
the offensive article. This was positively de-
clined by Mr.. LaSarde and this d aration lett
no alternative bur meeting according to Tho
Code" There Is report that delay was ask
ed by Captain Cameron OF day or two. ON
account OF the delicate health of his wife, but
OF the exact nature OF this request we are not
advised.
HOSTILE MEETING.
Certain it is that hostile meeting was
agreed upon, and on Thursday evening the
seconds" were to meet in Richmond and ar
range the usual preliminaries about time, place
and Weapons. This plan, however, was trus-
trated by an unexpected move on the part OF
some one who got wind OF the affair, and DEEM
ed it his duty to apprise Mayor Chahoon OF the
fact that duel was on the tapis.
OFFICIAL INTERFERENCE.
This Official ut once brought matters to O.
temporary stand-stil by arrcstlng MIR. Witt
and plac1ne him under bopds to keep the peace.
He also teIegraphed to Mayor Newberry, OF
Petersburg to arrest the parties residing IN
that city. The order reached Petersburg too
late however; tor when twas received Captain
Cameron and Mr.. Lagarde we're not to be
found. In the meantime Mr.. Witt was ro-
leasec on bail, and lett town on Thursday night
or Friday morning.
ON THE FIELD.
MIR. Witt Yesterday morning made bis ap
pearance 10 the village Of Ches er, on the Pc
iersburg Railroad, about fourteen miles from
Richmond, and not far from the spot designe-
ted by rumor as the Battle-Ground. Finding
that his purpose was suspected by the resi-
dent magistrates, he secreed himself and at
the FIRST opportunity made sally in the
direction OF the field. On his way b, met
c plain Cameron, who was accompanied
by his seconds MIR. Lagarde and Cap
tain Rogers, and also by General Malone,
MIR. Hughe, and his friend, Colonel Q ark
son, were momentarily expected. and every
| thug looked fav ,rab!e to au exchange OF fire,
| when the sudden appearance OF Justice
Lindsey, Of Chesterfield, and q spe 'ial con-
stable, caused q sensation. Efforts were, OF
course, made to eacape the clutches OF the
officers, but they we're unsuccessful, except as
| to MIR. Cameron, who is saId to have made good
his retreat. The whole party, consisting OF
Mir. Hughes, Colonel Clarksoo, Captain
Rogers, and MIR. Lagarde, were then placed
under bonds to keep The peace.
GONE SOUTH.
This ls the story as it was received here last
night but as none Of the par ties have returned
to the city, it cannot be considered entirely re-
| liable. l. was stated, and generally believed.
| that the duellists have repaired to'North Caro-
| lima, q reconstructed state. in which they can
have out their '.llttle difference" without the
molestation of officers OF the peace.
The .fn7ze Of the difficulty is announced in
our telegraphic news,