The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-04-24


The New Orleans papers are mourning
over the death of Ari-tide Benvenu, a gen
tleman OF high standing and good family
in that city, who left town one morning
with party of twenty gentlemen, and re-
turned In the evening with the same party,
boxed up, dead. He was shot by Alfred
b. Phillips, another gentleman Of high
standing and good family, In the presence
OF the party of the twenty gentlemen, In
very genuemanly, orderly. decorous man
ner.
Honor was the subject of their story"
Their " code of honor" was not lawful,
however. Strange that il should not be
lawful To be honorable-that both these
honorable gentlemen in pursuit of honor
able distinction should be- willful and con-
fesscd malefactors, and have TO leave their
native State 10 do an honorable deed. The
field of honor was near Bay ST. Louis. in
Mississippi, very secluded, perfume
breathing, bird-singing spot, where, I'm
July. last year, X. Barnwell Rhett, Jr.,
indicated his honor by making corpse OF
Judge VIM. ii. Cooley. The place has a
most honorable record now.
A little over two weeks ago there was "A
trial in New Orleans court. Madame
Olympic claimed certain sum of money
from Mrs. Aristide Bienvenu as her due for
millinery and dressmaking and sued TO get
il. Madame Olympic engaged MIR. Alfred
Il. Phillips as her attorney, and he prose
cuted the case before the court. After the
close of the trial and the court, Mrs. Bien-
venu attacked Mr.. Phillips with her tongue,
and called him all the hard names she
knew threatening To see that he was horse
whipped for the part he had taken in the
fria Mr. 1.aI
sailant being a woman he could not resent
such insults. but would notify her hus-
band that he mast restrain his wife's
tongue in the future. At that moment Mr..
Bienvenu appeared and Phillips said
" \ our wife has grossly insulted me, and
desire you to prevent any repetition of
such conduct" Mr.. b. replied: - If my
wife has insulted you she has done just
right, and | will myself take occasion to
insult you still more" Then without an
other word Mr.. Phillips knocked Mr.. Bien-
venu down, and let him lay, doubled up
helpless. on the courthouse floor. Mrs.
Bienvenu. who had witnessed her hus-
hands discontinue. made rush TO attack
Phillips with her hands, but was prevented
by the spectators. Mr. Bienyenu recover
ing, took a sitting posture. and was APP
parently hunting through his pockets for
pistol. He was also restrained by by
ISLANDERS, and thus the first act ended.
Friends were called i'm by Bienvenu, and
challenge was written and sent 10 Phillips,
and he called in friends and responded i'm
an honorable manner. Unusual efforts
were made by the friends to stop further
proceedings TO no effect, and so all the
preliminaries for final settlement were
arranged. Phillips chose doIble-barreled
shOt-guns. 10 be loaded with balls. The
distance was fixed at forty PAGES, and the
place selected was Bay st. Louis-time
April 4. The place was reached at 10 a.
m. and before III a. m. the corpse was
there. Phillips won the choice of posi-
ton through tossing-up by the seconds,
and both men seemed to be made of iron.
They exhibited no more nervousness or
concern in the proceedings than If they
were preparing to shoot at an inanimate
mark. The idle spectators lounged around
IN groups on the grass As if they were en-
loving harmless picnic ramble.
The master OF ceremonies. after every
thing else was prepared and the men were
in position. briefly stated the terms of the
cartel-which stipulated that the combat
ants should stand in such manner that
the muzzles should be pointing to the
ground; that the words should be
Gentlemen, are you readyg' That 81
lence should be construed into consent.
when the words: Fire. one. two. three"
would he given; that they could raise
their weapons and fire after the word
" fire" and before the word = three"
The same duello official then gave the
manner in which the word was TO be Civ
en-. which was quite rapidly, with the
hope. evidently, that bloodshed might
even then be prevented, il the words were
uttered with as much rapidity as the cir
cumstances would permit.
Mr.. Phillips fired at the word "one.'
Bienvenu's discharge was perceptibly af-
terward, but before ''two." He fell A
bullet had entered his cheek and crashed
upward through his brain. He was dead
in few moments; the seconds agreed
that il was all fair and honorable, and
Phillips was allowed to leave his post and
the field; the surgeons were of no use, but
the skill Of carpenter was called into re-
QUESTION. Bienvenu's brother was there.
and his wife was awaiting the arrival OF
the box in New Orleans. At O'Clock D.
m. the party reached the city with their
work. Mrs. Bienvenu's carriage and
horses are attached, and that millinery bill
will have to be paid after all.-St. Louis
Republican.