The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-01
DUEL EXTRAORDINARY
A Fight 70 tho Death Between Women
-Jealousy the Cause-Reveiting De.
tails.

One Of the most extraordinary murders, says
the Richmond Dispatch, that it has ever fallen
to the lot Of Virginia journalists to chronicle,
was committed in Henrico County on Sunday
last. It was duel in which two negro women
were the belligerent parties, and OF which jeal-
ousy was the moving cause.
TWAS ABOUT NAN.
There was man IN the case. he was one
George Gills, gay ard festive field hand. who,
reputation Of Jotha1o OF the first water.
Until few months ago julia Ann Gills, who
lives on neighboring plantation. was the hap
py possessor of his affections, and although
never united by the parson. they were LIVING
together. in the slavery fashion, as man and
wife. Like most married people, they were
supposed to be happy IN the connubial rela-
tion. until one black dav when the shining s:ar
Of Ella Woodson arose upon Georges horizon.
and this sable beauty won his heart, and he-a
naughty man-fung t'other ones away.
THE GREEN. EYED MONSTER.
To cut a sad story short, Georges amatorial
advances eliminated in the desertion Of Julia,
his first love, and his taking up with Ella,
whose heart he soon had gained. Jealousy
WAS rife between the two women. They back
bit each other, they sneered, they 'jawed,"
they quarrelled, they threatened, and finally.
they fought it cut on q line rather new in the
history Of female pugilistlc encounters.
cHALLENaE PASSED.
On Sunday morning JuIia's wrath boiled
over, and, no longer able to restrain her tenn
Colonel Knights place, and, standing at the
door, boldly CHALLENGED her rival to o fair fight,
with nobody 20 interfere. Ella promptly took
the gauntlet up, and together they went to
the duelling ground. without the seconds or
surgeons who generally accompany more civil
ICED persons engaged upon such murderous
errands.
THE FIGHT BEGINS.
The spot chosen was deep ravine, long
distance from any dwelling house, and COM
pletely hidden from the view OF persons who
travelled by the ordinary country roads. Each
woman had good stout walking stick with
which they were to fight, though the use OF
teeth, fists. feet and finger nails was not inter-
dlcted by their code. Side by side they walked
into the glade, and then. without moments
parley to agree upon distance and signals,
they few at oae another with the fury CT en-
ragged wildcats. Sticks we're soon abandoned
as unwieldy and requiring too long range to
be Of use, and then the combatants closed in,
armed only with thu weapons God had given
them for defence.
They wrestied q moment 10 silenee-one
woman with sll the hate Of an outraged wife
bubbling to her finger ends, and the other
burning with jealousy and fighting for life IT.
self. Presently they fell to the ground. Ella,
though the stoutest and strongest: was be-
meath. By some means one finger OF her an
tagonsi's hand got between her teeth, and she
bit it to the tone.
DEATH, AND WHAT FOLLOWED.
Than cQma the death struQpl6. With her
other hand, which was free. Julia, as she ad-
mits, managed in spite OF oil resis ance. to
choke her antagonist until the breath left her
body. This done, she relinqushed her hold
and her dusky rival lay dead at her feet. The
murderess enjoved but fer moment the wick.
ed sweetness OF revenge. A sense Of her CRIME
and dread OF punishment induced her to give
tho prostrate form one last blow, to make sure
that DO tales would be told by those icy lips,
and then she dragged it towards the ditch.
hoping to hid, it from human sight. But this
design was frustrated by negro, who hap
pening to take short cut through the WOO q
on his way to ehu 'ch was horror struck BY the
sight of q Wild looking woman dragging,
corpse through the briery underground in the
ravine below him. he gave the alarm at once,
aid upon his Information the negress who
committed the murder was speedily arrested.
BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
A jury OF inquest, summoned by order OF
Justice Woodwo1th viewed the body on yes
terday morning. Julia made her appearance
before the Coroner and acknowledged the com.
mission Of the bloody deed, and an account OF
the circumstances attending it. but claimed
that it was perpetrated in self.defence. The
iury found that the deceased. Ella Woodsou.
came to death from wounds and bruises re-
celyed at the hands of Julia Ann Gis. The
accused wac brought to town and lodged in
cell at the Jail, where she will rem lin until
next Saturday. when her case will be fully in-
vesrigated by court of magistrates. The de-
oooood hoo hoan docpptIv huried