The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-10

candidate for Office. -.~.,s S.- 49,.
Particulars OF the Fatal Duel between Col.
Rhett and Judge Cooley
NEW ORLEANS, July l.
Aprivate dispatch from Bay St. Louis states
that a duel was fought near Montgomery sta
ton, this morning, between eX-Judge Wm Il.
Cooley and r. B. Rhett, jr, editor. chief of
second shot. The difficulty grew out of an
article published in the Picaynne, and reply
from Judge Cooley, published in the Times, of
the 9th Col. Rhett was not touched. 1t is
understood that Rhett was the challenged
party.
A special dispatch to the Times, dated Mont
pomery Station, Mississippi via Bay st. Louis,
July i, says, in the Rhett and Cooley duel
Judge Cooley was killed at the second fire.
The parties arrived ut this place on the same
train at 10 o'clock this morning. MIR. Rhett
was accompanied by Messrs. Chas. Roman and
DR.. Burns and Judge Cooley was. attended by
Col. Geo. w. Carter and Maj. McRae. The
Weapons were double barrel shot guns-one
barrel was loaded with single ball. Distance,
forty yards. The ground was promptly select
ed. the distance measured, and. parties placed in
position. AT the first fire Rhett's shot ranged
high and Cooley's to the right. Cooley deiv-
ared his fire first. Al the second fire both fired
simultaneously and Cooley fell mortally woun-
ded by shot entering his left side and passing
apparently through his heart. He expired in
six minutes without apparent suffering, only
speaking the words to DR.. Holiday, II am
shot through the breast" The gentlemen en-
gagged in the affair exchanged the usual civili-
ties after the second fire, and separated with
the expression of mutual respect and conside-
ration
- u New ORLEANS, July l.
Hculars of the duel: For several days past
this community has been much excited by an
apprshended duel between Col. r. B. Rhett,
H., editor of the P;caylne, and Judge VIM. FL.
Cooley, leading counsel in the case of Haw-
kins VS.. the Picayune. Friday Col. Rhett sent
a peremptory challenge 70 Judge Cooley, which
was accepted--the meeting, however, to be
postponed until Tuesday, on account of Judge
Gooley's engagement to argue rule for new
arial before Judge Hawkins, which came up
yesterday. During the course of the argument
Tndge Cooley, in opposing motion for con-
tinnance, remarked that if the case went over
until Wednesday he might not be able to argue
it, andso it sadly turned out to-day.
O'Clock this a. M, arriving at Montgomery sta
ton about 10 a. m, where the party came off.
Montgomery station, where the duel occurred,
IS wild, sandy looking place, some four or
FIVE miles this side of Bay St. Louis, where the
road passes through wood of tall pines, be-
hindwhich is an open field. Near by, and on
the line Of the railroad, is a small cottage oc-
cupied by family, but with this exception
there are no residents nearer than three quar-
quarters of MILE This difficulty is one of
The sad results of the iniquitous Hawkins suit
against the Picayune, of which Col. Rhett is
editor. In his speech for the prosecution
Judge Cooley made reflections upon the paper,
which called forth an editorial in its next
issue. pronounciDg them false. Judge Cooley
Ghen addressed communication to the editor,
corded, he followed 1t up by publishing card
assailing COL Rhett. A challenge promptly
followed and the result is now before our
naaders.
This is not the first duel in which Judge
Cooley has been concerned. Some years before
the war he met DIR. kaufman, one of his par
Shioners, upon the field of honor, and after an
exchange of shots an amicable adjustment of
difficulties were made, and thereafter the par
ties became warm friends The body was
brought to the city this evening and left at
Buzeberg Hospital. The funeral will take
place tomorrow morning.
The following from the New Orleans Times
gives full history of the origin of the diff
Guilty:
Yesterday morning the Fcayu'e in an edi-
torial, assailed me on account of my argument
in the Hawkins Picayune libel suit. My state
ments to the jury were qualified as being "ma-
licious and wilfully false" AS soon as 1 read
the article addressed letter to Col. R. B..
Rhett, jr., the editor, which was handed to him
by friend. After reading it, COL Rhett
stated that he, within twenty-four hours, would
answer; and this time was granted To-day l
received mis- answer, and now put before the
people of New Orleans the two letters:
NEW ORLEANS, June 25, 1873.
r. b. Rhett jr., Editor of the Picayune-Sir:
In the PicayWne of this morning, under the
caption of Hawkins VS.. the Picayunc," you
take the liberty of commenting upon the Incl
dents of the trial of the libel suit against the
paper. So far as you deal in generalities, it is
not my purpose to ask you any explanation !;
but in referring to me, under my own name,
you have been guilty of what l consider di-
rect Misrepresentation. You refer to my con-
cuding argument for the plaintiff, and say that
L Ltraveled out of the record and misrepresented
facts because knew no one was to follow me
and show my mistakes, which you qualify as
not only wilfully but maliciously false. In
lnlS eOAnecIlOn YOU Slluue duu quoIe lIOnl my
argument as follows:
HThis canvass (of The Lynch returning board)
was made-this result proclaimed to the citi-
zens of the State of Louisiana on the twelfth
day December. What did the Picayune do?
Did the Picayune in the month of December
say one word about it? Nill-not word.
Then comes the month of January Did the
Picayune in the month of January say one
word about it? Not a syllable. Another
month 10 about To ernire On the tuontu third