Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-02-05
ROMANCE OF THE DUELLO.

hUMANU1 VI I'LL UUl44Us
AvENGING THE DEATH OF BROTHER
WHO WAS HUNG AS A SPY-ATTEMPTED
SUICIDE OF ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS
ON THE FIELD.
&c. &c. &c.
A very romantic duel is detailed in the
San Francisco papers. 1t took place by
the Ocean House near that city on the Goth
ult., between Paul Zecchi, formerly of
Georgia, and Northern man named Ives,
temporarily residing in San Francisco.
The parties had met for the first time only
three weeks before. The s'Chronicle''
gives the following account Of the duel
and the causes leading to it:
The incident which led to the duel grew
out of the war of the rebellion. Zecchi
was commissioned officer in the COnfed-
crate service, and Ives mad a brother serv-
ing in the ranks of the Union army under
Sherman. This brother had volunteered
to do duty as Federal spy, and while thus
engaged was captured by the Confederates.
He was tried by a drum head court martial,
sentenced to death, and ANONYMOUSLY
hanged the morning after his arrest. Zecchl
also played prominent part in the ex-
ecution of the youthful spy. The surviv-
ing brother remembered Zecchi's name
with detestation and hatred, and upon &C
cidenta]ly meeting him in ball room in
this city accused him of the murder Of his
younger brother. He called him an assass-
in, murderer, and by other oppr0brious
terms. Zecchi retalated by calling him
All infamous carget- Dagger. Friends IL
terfered and prevented them from coming
to blows.
THE CHALLENGE.
They met again on an Oakland ferry
boat Il few days ago. when abusive epithets
were once more exchanged. Ives finally.
tourished a pistol. but he was seized by
his friends and the weapon taken from him.
Ives determined that he would have the
satisfaction that one gentleman demands
from another. So he penned a challenge
to mortal combat and sent the same by the
hand of friend to Zecchi. The challenge
was at once accepted; Colts navy revolvers
fixed upon as the weapons, and a secluded
part of the beach near the Ocean House
determined upon as the place Of the meet
ing, which was appointed for O'Clock
yesterday morning.
|. The principals, attended by their seconds,
were promptly on hand at the hour and
place designated. They were driven to
the locality in close carriages, and the pre-
liminaries were promptly arranged OF. the
ground. Colonel John Breckenridge Off
ciated as Zecchi's second and a gentleman
| named Williams acted in the same capacity
for Ives. Ten PAGES We're measured off.
the weapons examined and loaded, and
Zecchi and Ives took their respective po-
sitions. A third gentleman in the party
WAS to give the command to fire, and he
,4,4o l..
Ives and Zecchi could see and hear him.
THE DUEL.
Both principals are slender-built, small
sized men, and appeared cool and collected
Not a tremor could be seen in either At
ter they had stood a few seconds waiting
| for the word, the gentleman before mem
toned said:
care you ready, gentlemen"
1--WE are,'' firmly replied Ives and Zec-
! Chi together, both speaking in clear, firm
| tones.
|. sOne.''
| Both men raised their arms to aim.
s'Two.''
The outstretched arms of the two men
were as steady as a rock, and the weapons
were directly aimed at each others breasts
"Three."
The seconds held their breath. :
A little puff of white smoke curled up
wards from Ives revolver as the report of
his shot was heard. Zecchi had received
the bullet in the fieshy part Of the left arm
| Immediately below the shoulder, but he
gave no sign that he was hurt. Ives drop
ped his arm after firing. Zecchi slowly
raised his revolver while the muzzle point
ed upwards, when he discharged it's con-
tents into the air To the surprise of those
present Zecchi demanded II second fire
The revolyers were reloaded, but Ives de-
clined to fire again, and Zecchi's second
labored to dissuade his principal from pro-
ceeding further, intreating him to retire
from the field SO that his wound could be
dressed.
THE WOUNDED MAN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
Zecchi stubbornly insisted upon another
shot, and finding himself unaccommodated
to the horror of all present, placed the muz-
gle OF his revolver against his own breast
over the region of the heart and pulled the
trigger. The cap fortunately missed fire,
and just as he had re-cocked his weapon
| his second diSarmed him and prevented
| him from committing suicide The two
| parties thereupon returned to their car
rage and were driven back to town,
! DIR. ID. b. Richard, of 512 Sixth street,
also Southern gentleman, who was to
have joined the party as Zeccni's surgeon,
but who did not reach the ground in time,
| proved to be very slight one. though the
bullet was firmly imbeded in the soft part
Of the flesh. Zecchi was afterwards driven
to his lodgings in Oakland. The duel ex-
ted much comment yesterday in those
circles in the city frequented by Southern
gentlemen.
| ZECCHI'S STRANGE CONDUCT
in firing into the air the first time, and SUBJ
| sequently demanding a second Shot-fail-
J ing in which, he attempted to- shoot him
| self-shoWs that he really desired to die
| yesterday. He had been very detected for
long time past, and had. it is believed,
grown weary of life. The opportunity
which the duel afforded him Of escaping
1.-THE ills that flesh is heir to'' by dying by
the hands Of another, he gladly and readily
sought. Zecchi comes from one of the
prondest families in Georgia. He lost all
his property in the war, and since its close
he has been pennilesS Wanderer all over
the world.
STRONG DRINK Is RAGING-A young
gentleman of highly respectable connec-
lions in Augusta, who has been for some
time past patient in an asylum for ine-
brlateS in Baltimore, escaped from the in
stitution last week, and on Tuesday last
hoped in Charlottesville in condition
OF most deplorable intoxication. lie was
NOISY and turbulent to such a degree that
our police officers were compelled to take
charge of him. Capt. Walstrum kindly
furnished him with private apartments iii
the Jail building, where he remained until
Wednesday, by which time he had sutfi-
GENTLY recovered from his excessive pota-
tions to take the train and return home
Charlottesville Chronicle.
A. A. Hunnicut, clerk of Shiloh Baptist
Church, (colored) of Harrisonburg, says
they have no charges against Rev. William
Hill. Henry johnson. treasurer, states
that the Reverend gentleman never had
any OF the funds of the Chufch.