The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-29
TRAGIC DUEL.
A FIGHTTO THE DEATH BETWEEN
.%-o.r. WOMEN. +"
JEALOUSY THE CAUSE. &,
REvOLTING DETAILS.

.-a JEALOUSY THE CAUSE.
-En REvoLTING DETAILS.
One of the most extraordinary murders
that it has ever fallen to the lot of Virginia
journalists to chronicle was committed in
IIcnrico county On Sunday last. 1t was a
duel in which two negro women were the
belligerent parties, and Of which jealousy
was the moving cause. ~
TWAS ABOUT MAN.
There was a man in the case. He was
one George Gills, n gay and festive field
hand, who, though possessing dark skin,
rcjoices in the reputation of n Lothnria of
the first water. Uutil n few months ago
Julia Ann Gills, who lives on neighbor-
ing plantation, was the happy posscssor 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 relation, until
one black day when the shining star of
Ella Woodson arose upon Georges horizon,
and this sable beauty won his heart, and
he-a naughty man-fung t'other ones
away. a... .....~..t
THE GREENFIELD MONSTER. r
. To cut sad story short, Georges anna
torial 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 backbit each other, they sneered, they
"jawed," they quarrellcd, they threatened,
and. finally, they fought it out on o line
rather new in the history of female pugi-
listic encounters. .t. -...
A CHALLENGE PASSED.
On Sunday morning Julia's wrath boiled
over, and, no longer able to restrain her
temper, she went over to the "ncgro quar-
tcrs' on Colonel Knights place, and, stand
ing at the door, boldly challenged her rival
to fair fight, with nobody to interfere.
Ella promptly took the gauntlet up, and
together they went to the dullling ground,
without the seconds or surgeons who gene
rally accompany more civilized persons en-
gagged upon such murderous, erands.
a THE FIGHT BEGINS.
The spot chosen was deep ravine, a long
distance from any dwelling house, and
completely hidden from the view of persons
who travelled by the ordinary country
roads. Each woman had n good stout walk
ing stick with which they were to fight,
though the use Of teeth, fists, feet and finger
nails, was not interdicted by their Code
Side by side they walked into the glade,
and then, without moments parlcy tc
agree upon distance and signals, they flew
Mt one other with the fury of enragcd wild
cats. Sticks were soon abandoned az un-
wieldy and requiring too long range to be
of use, and then the combatants closed in
armed only with the weapons God had given
them for defence.
HORRIBLE.
They wrcstled moment in silcncc-onc
woman with all the hate of an outraged
wife bubbling to her finger ends, and the
other burning with jealousy and fighting fol
life itself. Presently they fell to the ground
Ella, though the stoutcst and strongest, was
beneath. BY some means one finger of hel
antagonists hand got between her teeth
and she bit it to the bone.
DEATH, AND WHAT FOLLOWED.
Then came the death struggle. With he1
other hand, which was free, Julia, as sh'
admits, managed, in spite of all resistance
to choke her antagonist until the breath left
her body. This done. she relinquishcd hcl
hold, and her dusky rival lay dead at hel
feet.
The murdercss enjoyed but for momen
the wicked sweetness of revenge. A sens'
of her crime and dread of punishment in
duccd her to give the PROSTATE form ont
last blow, to make sure that no tales woult
he told by those icy lips, and then sh'
dragged it toward the ditch, hoping to hide
it from human sight. But this design wal
frustrated by negro, who, happening t.
take short cut through the woods on hi
way to church, was horror struck by th'
sight of a Withholding woman dragging ;
corpse through the briery underground il
the rayine below him. He gave the alarm
at once, and upon his information the ne
gross who committed the murder was speed
lily arrested.
BROUGHT TO JUsf1CE.
A jury of inquest, summoned by orde
of Justice Woodworth, viewed the body OF
yesterday morning. julia made her ap
pcarance before the coroner and acknow
lodged the commission of the bloody deed
and an account Of the circumstances at
tending it, but claimed that it was perpe
trated in self-defence. The jury foun,
that the deceased, Ella Woodson, came t
her death from wounds and bruises re
ceived at the hands of Julia Ann Gills.
The accused was brought to town an
lodged in cell at the Jail, where she viii
remain until next Saturday, when her cas-
will be fully investigated by u court of ma
gistratcs. The deceased has been decent,
buried.