New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-04

| in his pockets and ruminstiuR whether h(
should try game Of chance once moro o!
|. put ON the arm Of vietu0uD revolution and
keep aloof II b won be coald - back "a
his wife in.Nsw Orleans, pay his debte like
| . man and resume business with his friend
but then, again. if he l6st-ah, there VA
the difficulty! While ponderiDg In this way
he reached the corner of Pond street, where
two or three men happened to be standing,
engaged in conversation. AZ he was brush.
| ing past, one Of them lifted his hat.
"Ah, Colonel" said he, lyon here, chi
Glad to see You. It's some time since We
met"
"Reslly, my dear sir" 'sf
''You don't know me, eh?' interrupted the
stranger. aay Tsss..s
~ have some vague recollection of you, "
returned CronaD, ''but can't place You just
at this moment" 81
"Let me aid your memory" observed the
stranger. "Do You remember the Wilder
ness!"
II should think so, replied Cronan, still
cudgeling his brains.
"Do you remember the one-armed man
you wanted to have shot as . Union spyV'
sleeve in the others face.
Certainly, cir, certainly" returned Gro.
nan, quickly. but without the change of
muscle. "You are the nan I believe.
Your name is Smith, if don't forget"
"YOu don't forget. That's my name.
And now, my dear Colonel, since y0u re-
member my name you must also remember
that you owe me q reckoning"
Anything you wiah," returned Cronan,
promptly.
"Well, then" resumed Smith, II chal-
lenge you to mortal combat. 1t is moon
light, and We must meet tonight, ~ have
urgent business which calls me elsewhere"
That evening at eight o'clock the parties
met three blocks to the north of Laurel
Hill Cemetery. Cronan went alone, the
only friend in whom he could confide being
absent from the city. Revolvers were the
weapons, and Cronan fell at the first ex-
change of shots. The blood oozed from his
side, and he was apparently dangerously,
if not fatally, wounded. Smith and his
friends thought him hopelessly injured, and
to conceal the deed, wipe ont all traces Of
the encounter, and thus prevent tedious
and unpleasant investigation, they carried
him to Meigg's wharf and threw him in and
left him. The friend, on returning to the
city and missing Cronan. acquainted six or
seven mutual friends of the circumstance
that Cronan had left him . note in his
room announcing that he was about to fight
duel. Not doubling that he was killed,
they made diligent search for his remains,
but to NO purpose They were anxious to
recover the body in order to give it decent
interment, but the search was fruitless.
Fifteen months aftetward . respectable
painter in this city-the friend already
alluded to a. being absent from the city at
the time of the hostile meeting-received q
letter from our adventurer, detailing
among the other things the circumstances
of the duel; he fell slightly wounded; how
he feigned insensibility for fear Of being
assaseinated, and how the parties bore HIM
to Meiggs' wharf and threw him into the
water, where the shock from the cold water
revived him. and he SWAN out when his
enemies were ct short distance; and
finally how he left California ae cook on
who, he had no doubt, would pursue him
like q sleuth-hound if he remained in the
country. It remains to tell the post mark
of this extraordinary letter, and the more
extraordinary announcement with which
il was concluded. The versatile Cronan
dates his letters from Cairo, and makes the
astonishing revelation that he is an officer
in high command in the Khedive's service!
No later than six weeks ago . entleman in
this CITY received letter from Mrs Cronan,
in New Orleans, inquiring about her hus-
band, stating that as she had never heard
from him since he left she must conclude he
was dead, and in that event her interests
prompted her to listen to the addresses OF
his former partner in business and get mar
ried. But if, on the other hand, he was still
living and would return ell would be forgot,
ten and forgiven. and they might spend
their DAYS in content and happiness
Smiths Whereabouts have lately been dis
covered, and the last heard Of him is that
he is living with an Indian wife in the Black
Hills-San Francisco Chronicle.