, 1873-07-06
THE NEW ORLEANS DUEL,
Tho Hlootlng Between tho Hon. W.
IL. Cooley and Col. J.
DarnWell nAGtt.
Judge Cooley Shot Through tho Body
and Almost Instantly Killed.
Tho Scene Described by IN Eye
Witness.

Tho Scene Described by IN Eye
Witness.
{. From tho Ntto Orleans Times, July 2.
At thAlf-past Ia o'oloclt yesterday the comulu-
nifty was startled with the report that two hours
beforo Judge William II. Cooley. in a duel with
COLI. Darnwol Rhett, Jr., fought at Mont
gomory Station, OH tho limo Of tho Now Orleans,
Mobile d Toxas Railroad, Ind beon shot through
tho body and almost inRtnntly Killed.
It is usoless to disguiso tho fact TINT hostile
meeting between those gent1smon Inns boon mp
prehondoa for soveral days. II we aro correctly
informed, stops we're takon TO prevent q conflict
within tho limits Of the State, but with tho bor-
dorR Of Mfssiesppi as It woro, but stop OF, an
roallzod TINT no judicial proceeding hoso could
gtny what seemed inevitable. From those who
appear conyersant with tho facts, no gloan tho
Intelligence that on Friday Inst 1t agreed be-
tween tho friends Of tho two gentlemen TINT thoy
would meet outaile tho limits OF tho 6tato ono
day during tho present week, tho weapons to DO
double-barrelod shot guns, ono barrel loadcd
with muskot ball. at q distance Of forty paoos.
Col George ". Carter and hfr. II. McRoa Solph
were SOLICITED as tho aoconds Of Judge Cooley,
Col. Rhett boing represented by Charles Roman,
his brothor-in-law, and DR.. BruuH, formerly Of
pharloston, s. q.
Wo hear, further, TINT on Sunday 1t was nut
DA! "o. os'4 s.1o 'es~4 ' 0 111So.
lng should talle place after the motion Tor no"
Trial in tho case Of Hawkins vs.. The Now Or
lcans Printing and Publishing Company bad
boon mado.
Judge Cooley, thoroughly engrosscd in his To-
gal business, md contrary, wo learn, to tho car
nest solicitation Of his seconds, made no prepara
lions ybateYer. Ho had boon suffering somo-
"t1"I ".sn ~ a.,tuaa u, ~ H., t;.,sa
lne 10 the samo story, required a11 o. tho 1nno
not necessarily devoted to business Tor rest.
Col Rhott, who ia represented ns m excellent
x;,o 1o.s;n,r ~ ~, t,11 aon,o oxcol1ont o1,o+o
s s,oe' maAl"8' We afo eolo' sono o1eoi'ont Snus1
LINUS Inc mastof progressed dufln8 tho lhtter
days OF last woek and tho earlier portion of tlia
found secret until Monday evening, but Visit
of ono OF tho partios to woll-lnown physician
created Suspicion. and during tho hight the
town was fllled with runors to the effect that
This proved to be unfoundod, but, boforo tho
Sumor was disproved, it was known positively
khnt tho contestants had takou tho O'Clock
Train which loft yestorday morning. Tho trip
md only tho seconds and . fow warm personal
friontls OF eaoh Of tho rrfncipals wore awaro OF
the object Of tho mission, Tne trnin roached
Montaomory Htation at 10 o'clock: at Twenty-Five
noirufea INST II thu Inst Rlhot ,TaY f}red: fpur
mlnutos and o half Tutor Judge Cooley WIS q
corpgu,
THE COMBAT
Those who Vowed the combat from Il distance
aimost incredible. II vas commenced, ondcd,
aud q bloeding body vas borno sorrowfully away
before thny eyen ronli2oi the torrible ora in
human experience thoy Ind come to witness.
Erom tho ottept II bccn1no npparent TINT the de-
tails had boon intrustci 10 not only a0lo but or
porionced men. Tho weapon usod BY Col. Ihctt,
6 Muntuu laminnled steel doublo-barrolel e,lu.
was loaded by Mr. Carson Nudge, the we'll
known gunsmith. Col. George W. Carter por-
FORMED that task for Judge Cooley. Both toolt
their positions promptly, and without discuss
sion,
Aftor the flrnt fire, Judge Cooloy ateppol
nway from tho line aud seated himself, but his
folded. It had boon partially agreed, wo hear,
that, should a third shot bo exchanged without
Injury being doup IN effort would bc made to
adjust the difllculty. Alas in l,ut brief spaeo
Of time the mattor was beyond all huuan uli1st-
mont. From wo'Lhnown gentleman, who was
present amoug tho spcctators wo lear tic fol-
lowing narration Of tho tragic nffair
STATEMENT or An EYEWITNESS.
to mo nc at Missiaaippi tity, that liz duel was to
take nIace concluded to intorcept the tr1itl.
and, It possible, accompany tho party. With this
object i left MiissigBippi City on tho morning
train, md mot the other on this side Of tho
RigoiotB, the usual meeting plnco.
Tho conductor informed mo that Meesra.
Rhett and Cooley, with their f,iondy, wore on
board, md at once took passage myself, aud
accompanied them. I found Judge Cooley eoat-
cd in chair in the bnggnge.car with his cont on.
His foot was disabled from n nail which grow
Into tho tlosh Of his too. He appeared to 10
most cheerful, and was talking in his usual
iocoBo yein, think with llr. Victor GerodiaB.
Col Rhett was seated in ono Of the passenger
coaches couyorsing with gentleman noar him.
Ne seemed quiet and most self.po,ssesaed' , but
The frioudB OF both gentemcn-I Cse tho word
not In its technical eense, but moan goutle1nen
1riendly to each-wero scattered throughout tho
train, but nothing In the manner Of any Of them
Indicated that anything unusual was about to
occur. From the general bearing Of the passo1,-
Kers-a although there wero not a great number
f1non the train-I wo,,]d sunnnRn fhem tn hnve