Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-01-01
From the Atlanta Consti cutiGn.
The Lay Duel.
MOBILE. December oath. 1877.

MOBILE, December oath. 1874.
The shock to the community yes
terday on hearing the news of the
fatal duel at or near Grand Bay sta
ton was so great and SO sudden that
we refrained from comment IN the
evening edition until we Conld give a
statement OF facts. I hese We repro
duce below without comment, for
reasons obvious at this time. The
duel took place yesterday morning, at
l As. on the STATE Line. tie weapons
used being dueiiing pistols, aud the
distance fifteen PAGES. lie toss Tor
position was Won by Capt. P. L. Muir
ply for Col. Lay; the word by Col. j..
NJ Williams for Mr.. Tardy. At the
first fire. Mr.. Tardy fell, shot through
the right side on u line with the heart,
and died almost INSTANTLY. The origin
and details of the unhappy affair ex-
plain themselves sufficiently i'll the fol-
lowing
CORRESPONDENCE:
MOBILE, ALA, Dec. Dist, 1874.
I1Ir. 3. ID. Lay:
Sir-Your att, mpt 10 strike me this
morning demands such an apology OF
other satisfaction as is usual among
gentlemen. This will be handed to
you by my friend, Col. James NJ. Viii.
Hams, who will receive any commune
cation you may desire to make.
Tour obedient servant,
A. II. TARDY.
LAY TO TARDY.
MOBILE, Dec. 21-5 p. NJ.
lHr. 4. II. Tardy:
S1R:-Your note of this date, at 3:35
p. M, by Colonel j. NJ. Williams, is
before me. You state therein that
"your attempt to strike me this morn
ing, demands an apology, ETC. can
only say, sir, that my 'attempt" as
you are pleased to call it, was made
upon, what I conceived to be, most
excellent reasons, namely: L had
reason to believe, as do now believe,
that you were the author of the anon
ymous communication published! in
the December number of the Specta-
tor, and signed "Gulf City," which
article, L assure you, sir, caused me
great grief and chagrin, and which I
believe fully merited the punishment
I inflicted upon you If this explana-
ton should not prove satisfactory to
you, [ then refer you to my friend,
Captain p. U. Murphy, who will ar
range with your friend any further
preIiminaries which you may desire.
am sir, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
BENZ d. LAY.
Delivered by Captain Murphy, to
Colonel Williams, at $50 p. m.
TIE SECONDS.
MOBILE, Dec. 22-9:15 A. NJ.
Captain: Mr.. A. 81. Tardy has
placed in my hands a communication
from Col. Benz. ID. Lay, dated Dec,
81, 5 p. M, and received through you.
I observe, with regret, that instead Oh
rendering the frank apology expected
it is devoted to justification of the
assault which has brought on this cor
respondence. Permit me to call at
tention to the fact that a personal in
dignity cannot be justified among gen
tlemen. The excellent reason for Civ
ing a blow would necessarily be excel
lent reason upon the part of the gen
tleman assaulted to receive it without
resentment. So long, therefore, as
the afTront remains we cannot enter
upon discussion of the matters urged
ny SOI Lay liz pl1AntAOA Va INC az
sault.
Respectfully, your ob'd't se'v't,
JAMES Nj. WILLIAMS.
Captain P. .. Murphy.
THE TERMS OF MEETING.
MOBILE, ALA, Dec. %, 1874.
Colonel j. III. Williams:
SIR: The terms of meeting are as
follows: Grand Bay station, tomorrow
morning, 23d instant, after the arrival
Of the train at that pint. Weapons
to be duelling pistols. The distance
to be determined on after our arrival.
Most respectfully,
P. U. MURPHY,
sgree to the above.
JAMES NJ. WILLIAMS.
THE RESULT
was as stated above. The firing oc-
cured as noted in q former dispatch.
Lay firing at the word, and his antago-
mist falling dead without firing.
The cause of the
DIFFICULTY
was correctly stated in a previous dis
patch. Lay took affront at articles
published in the Insurance Monitor
and Spectator rejecting upon the
Changers and Heath Insurance Com
pany, with which Lay was connected.
ARRESTED AND BOUND oNER.
DIR. Lay, Col. Williams and Cap.
Murphy were arrested upon the re.
commentator of the coroners jury.
The two latter, the seconds in the
duel, waived an examination before a
magistrate to-day and were bound
over in a bond 1000 each to appear
before the Circuit Court. M,