The New York herald., 1872-12-21

Good evening gentlemen" !" And 30 saying ne bowed
But Mr.. Lee, it seems did not learn caution
from the severe lesson given him. and since then !
tempted against his peace Of mind The tive prin.
cipals In this last joke, which might have involved
caused torrents OF human gore to be shed, were
Mr. f. A. Sothern and Mr.. William J. Florence, the
Downing who is himself most terrible
practical joker, into their inmost confidence,
carrying out the joke which was to be perpetrated
on Mr.. Philip Lee. Judge Bowling. nothing lOthe.
consented, but fearing Mr.. Lee was being made the
butt OF heartless wits, he determined to assist Lee
and turn the tables upon Messrs. Florence and
sotnern, while In the meantime he pretended to be
in which he entreated His Honor to have MI.
It was rumored that duel was about to take place
between that gentleman and Mr.. Florence, and
promsed comnance az sae with the modess re"ues
and, like the "heathen Chinee,n kept exceedingly
dark. In the meantime Mr.. Florence wrote
mortal combat in Canada, Trinity churchyard or
elsewhere. The challenge. which purports to
cmanate from Mr.. Lee, Is as fOllOws:-
ARcADIAs GIys S2 usIos PLAcr,}
,%s
ssS q I gn and insult
When on late OCCASION you insisted upon my eating
ai s tsw M two in the and
proud spirit rebellel charllaby forbose meet
cred your then condition but when you undertook to
my With sSd SSd's s naSRs
oiled the works Of watch with tomato catsup and
ana nn 70 which shall s Y oms
all day on The ae5 of Trinity spre and shall
rep ss BE- IN Dn S e saS
\" and o 70 ae"an
md a obe lirn SCI
NB.-I do not object to cotton hooks
Judge Bowling, however, did not arrest Mr.. Lee,
as the twln conspirators fondly anticipated, but
instead Issued subpBndS ad testidcd7idun COM
manding William J. Florence and Il. A. Sothern,
that, laying all business and excuses aside, they
be and appear In their proper persons at the
Tombs Police Court at the hour OF half.past seven
on the morning OF the Goth inst. yesterday. These
missiyes were placed in the hands OF Sergeant
Quinn for service
Thursday morning that offcer proceeded to the
Filth Avenue Hotel, where Mr.. Florence resides,
The comedian was then enjoying the luxury OF
bath, but the officer would not be denied. He
event for'' the comedian, who In pu1'iS ndt,adt-
0us was splashing anu plnnglng alter tue manner
i 1t was forty minutes past eleven O'Clock pre-
cisely when Sergeant Quinn thurst the document
into the soapy hands Of the bather, who wildly
exclaimed as he shifted the bar rom one hand
to another ana CLAN ced aJ the pOrtentOus instru-
ment, "In Gods name, what does this meanY Go
away, man go away, manW
| Sergeant Quinn--"lt means nothing; only I've
got to see that you are personally served. II you
don't come, why must come and fetch YOU; that's
all VIII you acknowledge the personal service,n
yelled Sergeant Quinn at the enraged actor
| 'oh yes !" screamed the latter, 'I'll acknowl-
down to s the Bar ru and Y get drink, and tell them
II viii, by Heavngs,, said the Sergeant, and he
| left the bathroom With promptness and alacrity. W
/ AT twenty minutes past twelve he presented him
self ut Waack,s Theatre for the purpose of serving
! Mr.. Sothern He asked Mr.. Theodore Moss where
Mr.. SOthcrn could be found.
| The Sergeant, it may be here stated was In full
i ifnrn Qhi rnQn Tnn md .fnf1
Mr. Moss eyed him suspiciously but blandly, and
"What do you want Mr. sothern for 2n
law.
rear OF the theatre to the stage. Here Mr.. Sothern
IN the midst Of the company, was engaged In the
M The hs sa
pGna, thursting 1t violently up the sleeve OF
Brother SAM VINO !, resoiled coil q, in dismay
sergeant QUINN (gruhly)-"Why. that ere is
suSsE%na.n !s{ysna a. w.n, ,v,., .n,nmn.,,
| Sothern.
"You are served, acknowledge the service" re.
sp0nded the Sergeant, BY this time the actor had
recovered his equanimity, and he simply remarked
interrogatively, -, smoke ~
OF the law, and Immediately left the theatre to re-
sumo his duty at the Tombs
During the afternoon the two comedians began
to repent them OF their illtimed pleasantly, and
they heartily wished that they had not participated
In the joke which had brought such unpleasant
4
/ day afternoon, Justice bowling, accompanied by
Mr.. John X. Brady, was passing up Broadway, in
| the neighborhood OF the Metropolitan HOTEL when
| Billy Florence rushed wildly across, lodging the
| stages with reckless indifference. AS he ap-
preached the two Judges he waved his subpoena ut
Judge Bowling eXcitedSy.
what is the matterY SAID Judge Bowling, in a
..why, said Florence s.you have served me with
subpoena TO 30 down there to that nasty rombs,
al seven O'Clock In the morning, Is 1t a joke, or,
ior Gods sake. are you in earnesty"
Judge BOWLING with cold and dignihed man
nerl-Slr, am the most earnest man you ever
saw; keep away from me, sir.
Billy FLORENCE more excited than before)-
Judge, can never tell when you are IN earnest or
fun; but this Is carrying joke too lar.
Judge Downing tsoemnlyl-Sr, you will find that
this is no joke. A law OF the State enjons upon
me the duty OF preserving the public peace, ana
shedding OF human gore. You must also permit
me 10 tell you that should not be talking
Affair." | shall lock you and Mr.. SOthern up as a
pair OF madmen. You should both be put under
restraint. Good day. sir and beware OF the law.
Here Judge bowling bowed coldly aud passed ON,
leaving Mr.. Florence hall stupened.
ON THURSDAY evening reporter OF the HERALD
called Messrs Florence and Sothern, at the Filth
Avenue and Gramercy Park Hotels, ior the purpose
OF Intervening them In regard to the approaching
duel, which was reported TO take place at Long
Point, Canada. Botn were thrown into consterna-
ton on learning that the omniscient HERALD had
become possessed OF the facts IN rela lion to the
AFFAIR. Later in the evening Mr. Sothern might have
been seen In iu practice IN the well known shooting
gallery under Lafayette Hall, in Broadway. While
the performance going on at Wallack's .pun-
ureary" evinced unusual nervousness as If
haunted by visions OF premature taking on,n |
and was particularly careful not TO drop his glove,
the dreaded gage vi mortal combat. At nine
O'Clock Justice bowling entered the theatre, and
was cordially greeted by Mr.. Theodore Moss VINO
asked him II the whole thing was not joke.
The Judge assured the former that IL was not
and added that he feared Mr.. Philip Lee had cs.
caped the clutches OF the law. lie also added that
he thought Mr.. Sothern did not wish 10 fight, but
nevertheless every precaution had been taken and
faithful and yigilant officers were on the track.
Mr.. Florence aud Mr.. sothcrn slept together that
night at the Gramercy and sought to console each
other. MIR. Sothern remarking TO his mate that
he thought this was blasted country" Florence
said, "Oh, go 10 sleep, sothern, and let alone.
We have to be up at six O'Clock tomorrow. aud
haven't been up for three years before eleven
O'Clock in tile day. At six O'Clock yesterday MON.
ing the two gentlemen arose and valny groped lof
a match to illumne the thick darkness Deprived
OF the gas, they made their toilet with diiiculty
and then emerged into the binding snow and rain