The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-22
THE FATAL DUEL.
The Origin and PARTICULARS of the Meet-
ing-FIve Shots E1changed-Fan OF
MIR. Ludlow Cohen-Inquest and Ver-
dict.

From the Savannah papers, of Saturday, VIZ
gather the following particulars of the due
which took place on the South Carolina shore
opposite that city. on Friday last, and the fata
result of which has already been announced:
The principals were Captain Richard F
Aiken, a gentleman well known in tue com
muuity, and Mr.. Ludlow Cohen. merchant o.
the city equally well known, ana b0tn @ OF tnen
highly esteemed and respected. We are I'm.
able to state the causes leading 10 tqls resorl
to the ''Code," except from universal report
which bases the difficulty upon private quar-.
rel between the two gentlemen, tSr0"lnS out
seems, be adjusted without resort to the
field. The guage of battle was thrown down by
| MI. Aiken, and readily accepted by MIR. Cohen.
| Between 6 and o'clock, Thursday even
| inc, the parties, accompanied by their re-
spectiye seconds, few friends, and TWO Sur
geons, proceeded to Dr.. Reeds plantation,
| i've miles from the. city, on the Augusta road,
ard at O'Clock yesterday morning they re-
paired to the field selected for the fight. The
ground was staEed of. the distance, twelve
PAGES, measured, and the principals ana sec
Onds took their respective places, the iatLer U;n
loading and placing Into the hands ol s,,ei sneh
principals the weapons, regular oia ssyle ,n luz
| three.fourth ounce ball. Four shots were nrea,
and Questions asked as to whether the parties
were satisfied, to which line answer was gissen,
;:No ~ at the fifth. shot Mr: Conen nreu ,N!
| Immediately at the word, ms aneason,S. C nS
as pa6 t6e W event proved, fatally ending
the onarrel. his Antagonist receiving wound
in the right side, which passed through the
abdomen, cutting the intestines. NIT: Cohen
gradually dropped his pistol arm to MS side
and sank upon the ground. DIS. Cnarlton ana
Duncan Immediately went to his assistance.
found that the wound was dangerous, and
placing him In carriage, brought him to his
residence In the city, where other medical aid
was summoned, but which proved unavailing;
he breathed his last at q quarter to O'CLOCK
P. n. His antagonist and friends also came to
the city, the former delivering himself, pre-
vious to the death of 3lr. Cohen, to Justice
Isaac u. March, who held him TO bail IN the
sum Of FIVE thousand dollars.
Coroner Harden having been notified OF the
death, Immediately summoned jury OF In
quest. consisting Of the following citizens:
Frederick Myers, foreman; F. r. Sweat, Daniel
Mcconnell, F. W. Cornwell, W. II. Bennett,
of deceased. and, in view Of the body, delibe-
rated on the case.
Dr.. T. ]. Charlton. NJ. D., sworn: was sent
tor on Thursday evening, between and
o'clock P. NJ, and requested to attend, protes-
sionally, an affair of honor between Mr.. Cohen
and Mr. Aiken. I compiled with the reqaes..,
and went on the field with the parties. ! was
present when the parties eXchansed hve sno5S,
at The fifth of which Mr.. Ludlow Cohen fell.
They fred with pistols. went up to him with
DR.. duncan; found that he was severely wound
ed, and put him in O carriage and brought him to
town. He died from the effects Of his wound at
his residenceat Mrs Hertz's, In the City Of ST.
vannah.
By the Jury: Was the shot which proved
= ~1Jc. .lNf,r Arof TUQs
Mr.. Cohen fired first. and 1t was after he naa
fired that he received his fatal wound.
Dr. william Duncan, sworn: was sent for
YESTERDAY, between six and seven o'clock p. M;
requested to attend on an affair of honor which
was to take place between Captain Richard +:
Aiken and Mr.. Ludlow Cohen. went ana
witnessed the difficulty between them. Mr.
Cohen received wound from the pistol shot
In the hands of Captain R. F. Aiken. Dr.
Charlton and myself repaired to him when he
was shot, and recognized that Mr.. Cohen mad
been severely wounded he was shortly AFTER
wards placed in carriage and brought TO TINS
city cannot swear positively that he died OF
the wound received, but swear to the best Oh
nv knowledge and belief.
Mr. Dwight Roberts, sworn: This morning,
about halt-past seven, Mr. Cohen and Mr.
Aiken were engaged in lighting duel. They
shot at each other i've times. At the fifth shot
Mr. Cohen received the wound from which his
death was caused. Dir. Cohen shot first on the
fifth round; the last 81 ;. was hred oy MT.
shot If Mr.. Cohen had not been wounded.
The coroner read the law from the Code OF
Georgia in relation to duelliD2. The jury haV-
Ing retired. after short absence returned
with the following verdict:
1--WE find that the deceased came to his death
from gun-shot wound received at the hands
OF Richard F. Aiken, whilst fighting duel,
ooptrorr m rho law of Ep0rpio y
The coroner has issued his warrants for the
arrest of the surviving principal and seconds
upon charge Of murder, according to the
Code of Georgia. The deceased was an esti-
mable young gentleman, and for several years
past was engaged In mercantile business IN
this city. His genial nature and high social
qualities attracted about him a number OF
friends, all of whom deplore his unttmely
death. Every possible attention was shown
him. and kindly ministrations Of loving friends
seemed to lessen the suffering as his llfe-blood
slowly ebbed away. The remains were placed
in neat burial casket, upon which was 10.
scribed Ludlow Cohen, aged g." and, as will
be seen by funeral notice elsewhere, they
will be taken from the house Of Mrs. Hertz, on
Orleans square. between Hull and McDonough
streets, Mr. Cohen's late residence, to the Sd
vannah and Charleston depot. at ten O'Clock
this morning. The funeral will take place In
the latter city. where the only near relative
ithe deceased, his sister. now resides. MI. Co.
hen was insured in the Piedmont and Arling-
ton Life Insurance Company for five thousand
dollars, and the policy will be paid.
The remains Of Mr.. Cohen having been
brought to the city. the funeral took place yes
terday morning, and was largely attended by
the friends Of the deceased. A gentleman from
Savannah, who claims to be conversant with
the circumstances Of the unfortunate difficulty,
furnished our reporter yesterday with the fol-
lowing statement OF the immediate cause of
the duel: 1t appears that recently, on the oc-
casion of boat race, Mr. Cohen accepted sew
eral wagers which were offered BY parties in-
terested in the race, and lost heavily, owing,
it was asserted, to some unfairness in the
placing Of the buoys or marks at the starting
point and goal. A day or two after the race,
party, speaking with Mr.. Cohen about the
race, mentioned Dir. Aiken, when Mr. Cohen
said, "Excuse me, we will not discuss the
matter further; do not consider Mr.. Aiken q
gentleman" The words reached Mr.. Aiken,
and the fatal challenge was Immediately
passed.
The UNION REFORM CLUBS of the city will
be complete in their organization when Ward
s-the workingmen's ward-steps gallantly to
the front tonight at o'clock.