The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-07
DUEL BETWEEN BOYS IN ENGLAND.
fErom the London Mercury. I


The boy Burn was tried on March II, al
the Lincoln Assizes, for shooting his school
mate Seagrave, in a duel on March H.
The prisoner who is only fourteen years
of age, is Il scholar in the school kept by the
Rev. Mr.. Smith, in the city of Lincoln. The
pistol was one of those ordinarily sold at
toy-shops for siXpence, and had cork with
a string attached to it, and was meant to be
used with caps only as a pop-gun. 1t APP
peared to be made of some brass material
and had trigger. On one side was written
the word .'Depose," and on the other
| Paris" 1t was difficult to conceive that
any one should attempt to load it with pow :
der and ball.
| William Seagrave said: l am at school at
Mr.. Swift's and was Is in August. There
We're twelve boys at the school. On Thurs
day, the 5th of March, there was a quarrel
between my brother and Burn. On Satur-
day we have a half holiday, and we went to
the side of the river; nine of us went. We
went past Washngborough The seconds
loaded the pistols. Dawson and Green
were the seconds. l knew what was going
to occur. Burn was with us. think he
saw the pistols loaded One Of the seconds
measured ont Ii steps or PAGES. A peg was
placed in the ground My brother and Burn
went one to one peg and one to the other.
They both aimed. Dawson counted three
and dropped handkerchief. and they fired.
My brothers pistol burst in his hand. He
called ont he was hit, and it was drawing
blood. We were all sitting in row looking
on.
We tied handkerchiefs around the leg, and
carried him home all the way to Lincoln
(three miles) saw Burn making, before
that, bullets in mould. | have seen him
use the pistol before, firing it at post He
hit tha nnSt / said tn Rurn If oil har rot
hurt it would make it very serious matter.
l can't remember what he said; / think he
said, at wouldn't matter" He said as to
my brother not accepting the challenge, that
The was a coward and showed IL cOwardly
spirit" He said he wouldn't give him an
other chance for his honor"
Cross-examined: didn't think they would
hurt. The toy shop was Poppleton's. Burn
helped to carry my brother. In the tirst !!
duel the gentleman who cleared his honor
was:ten years old. We had all been'.acting to
be men," We had trial A boy called
Norris was judge. Burn was counsel. We
tried a prisoner. He had refused to sell
and was tried for it. Burn was
for the prosecution. Some one made a carl |
cature of tie judge. Burn stuck it up some
where, and it was pulled down by Seagrave
and that was the cause of the quarrel
The evidence was cOrrObOrated by Will
liam Fieldsend. Henry Slavely Banks,
another boy of ten years of age, stated that
a week before this duel he had fought
luel with Dawson, at which Burn was
present. The bullet grazed his hand. They
did not think the pistols would hurt, but
thought they would hit. When Burn shot
at the post the bullet went half an inch in
to the wood, but he was only two yards and
a half from the post.
The surgeon stated that he found wound
in the leg three inches above the ankle. A
portion Of the bullet was iound in the leg,
The remainder being supposed to be left in
the leg, and have splintered small bone.
The boy has been in some danger from the
wound. He was unable to be in court but
The surgeon stated thai he would get well of
the wound.
Considerable laughter was caused in court
by the youthful appearance Of the wit
lesSeS.
The jury returned verdict of "Not
yuilty"