Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-02
ESTABLISHED MARCH so. 1885. Joa9EG
oTHE CODE.
Fatal DueI near New orleans.

Ehtnl buOA AO1E NOW VEACeah5s
NEW ORLEANS, July la private dis
patch from Bay ST. Louis states that
duel was fought near Montgomery station
this A. NJ between ex-JEdge VIM. 81. Coo
ley and RIB. Rhett, Jr., of the PiCdyune, in
which Cooley was killed at the second shot.
The difficulty drew cut Of an article pub
lished in theI fotcdyatae headed aHawkins
Vensus Picdy,lf.e," and reply from Judge
Cooley published in the Times of the 9th.
Col. Rhett was not touched.
It is understood that Rhe.t was the chal-
leDging parry. They fought with double
barrel shot guns loaded with ball; distance
forty PAGES.
Particulars OF the Fight.
The Times special from M ontgomery
Station, Miss, via Bay st. Louis, July 1st,
SAYS: In theIHhett and Cooley duel, Judge
Cooley was Rkil ed at the second fire. The
parties arrived at this place on the same
train, at ten o'clock this morning. Mr..
Rhett was accompanied by Mr.. Charles Ro-
man aud DR.. Bruins, and Judge Cooley was
atten ed by Col. Geo. w. Car er and Mai.
McRoeselph. The weapons were double
barrelled shot-guns. one barrel loaded With
single ball distance fifty yards. The
ground was promptly selected, distance
measured and parties placed in position.
At the first fire Rhett's shot ranged high,
Cooly's 10 the right; Cooly delivered his
fire first. At the second fire, each fired
simultaneously, aud Cooley fell mortally
wounded by shot entering his left side
and passing apparently through his heart.
He expired in six minutes, without ap-
parent suffering, only speaking the words
to DR.. Holliday:
II am shot Through the Breast"
The gentlemen engaged in the affair ex-
changed the usual civilties after the second
fire, and separated with the expression Of
mutual respect and consideration.
The Place.
Montgomery Station, where the duel oc-
cured, 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, behind which is an open field.
Near by and on the line of the railroad is
small cottage, occupied by family; but
with this exception, there are no residents
nearer than three-fouTths of mile.
The Cause of the DimcuIsy.
This difficulty is one of the sad results of
the iniquitous Hawkins trial against the
Picdyune, of which Col Rhett is editor.
In bis speech for the prosecution Judge
Cooley made reflections upon that paper,
which called forth an editorial in its next
issue, denounciug them false. Judge
Cooley then addressed communication to
the editor calling for explanations, which
not being accorded, he followed it up by
publ. he'd card, assailing Col. Rhett. A
challenge promptly followed, and the result
is now before or readers.
The Unfortunate Victim.
Judge VIM. ii. Cooley was born in Point
Coupee, and was son of Judge Tho's j.
Cooley, bis mother being Ledoux, also of
Parish Point Coupee; he was educated and
graduated in the academic department of
Transylvania University of Kentucky in
1914, in the same year and at the same H.
stitution where Gov. Voorhies graduated in
law. lie was subsequently appointed Par
ish Judge of Point Coupee by Michael
Hshu. The first appearance Of Judge
Cooley before New Orleans as a represent
atiye from Point Coupee was in the recon-
struction convention which sat at Mechan-
ics' Institute, in which he took a leading
part.
When the reconstruction election took
place, Judge Coaley, having selected New
Orleans as his residence, was nominated by
the Democracy as s candidate for the
Judgeship Of the 9th District Court of the
city, to which posit. On be was elected and
which he maintained until the recent else
ton, when he declined submitting his name
before the convention. at the time OF his
death Judge Cooiey was about Al years old.
Judge Cooley was a widower, having mar
Rod Misc Dlanfirr1nro NuhO diod ahor1f
four years ago. HIS only child is now
sbout 10 or II years old. His father Thos.
j. Co ley and his two brothers James aud
Thomas are well known TO the legal fra
ternity snd officers of The court. He was
man of extraordinary natural abilities,
and what he knew either of law or Language
came to him as it were by intuition. His
mind, while 1t was easily warped
by passion or prejudice, was
exceedingly analytic, and III cases where
neither personal feeling nor party snimosi
ties interfered TO cloud his judgment, his
decisions were almost always critically cor
rect. With an inexhsustible fund Of
humor, a keen sense of the ridiculous, and
being an adept in the use of satire, be was
at once warm friend and bitter enemy.
This is not TIE first duel in which he has
been concerned. Some years before the
war be met DR.. Kaufman, one of his parish
toner's, upon the field of honor, and after
an exchange of shots an amicable adjust
ment Of the difficulty was made, aud there
after the parties became warm personal
friends. He had supreme contempt for
shams, and was fond of laun bing the ar
rows of wit and sarcasm against all man-
ner Of hypocrisy. He had religion and
code of morals peculiarly his OVID, and
with all his ecceDtricities was q man of
liberal ideas and warm impulses. His body
was brought to the city on the evening
train and lett al FGsenburgh Hospital. The
funeral takes place to morrow morning at
10 O'Clock from corner 7th and st. Charles
streets.
The EUening Herald has the following:
For several days past the community has
been much excited by an apprebended duel
between Col. r. B. Rhett, Jr., editor Of the
PicdyatIle and Judge VIM. ii. Cooley, lead
ing counsel in the case of Hawkins vs..
PicGyllae. The facts of controversy will
be hereafter ELECTED, we presume, in full.
Suffice it for the present 10 state, that on
last Friday Col. Rbett sent
PeremptOry Challenge
to Judge Cooley, which was accepted by
him. The meeting, however, to be post
poned until Tuesday, on account of Judge
Cooley's engagement to argue the rule for
new trial before Judge Hawkins, which
came up yesterday. During the course of
the argument, Judge Cooley, in opposing
the motion for continuance, remarked that
if the case went over until Wednesday he
,Nf ha 1.-Two tn hos