The daily gazette., 1877-01-10
FIRST EDITION!
The Bennett-May Duel.
MR.. MAY WOUNDED IN THE FORE
ARM, NEAR THE ELBOW.
A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING ON
THE MARYLAND LINE.


Mr.. James Gordon Bennett left Phila-
delphia on the midnight train for New
York, accompanied by his valet and Mr..
Biddle, and will he at home again this |
morning. The Worlds special advices |
from Baltimore say that Mr.. Frederick |
May was wounded, but not seriously, in |
the forearm near the shoulder and is
now at the residence of rel atiye DR.. De |
Courcy, near the scene of the encounter |
The parties met at a point about mils |
from Marydell, Delaware, having evil |
IDENTITY carefully arranged all the prelimi-
naries beforehand and after one shot Mr.. |
May received the wound which conclud-
ed the duel. Mr.. Bennett then proceed
ed TO Clayton, where he telegraphed to
wilmington for a special train. An an
swer was returned him naming the price
to which he replied that the cost did not
matter. and an engine and one car was
sent him. He and his friends then came
on to Philadelphia, where they remained
| until last night.
On Wednesday morning last, after the
assault in front Of the Union Club Mr.
| Bennett called his friends together ut his
home and it was determined that he
must fight. He then sent for his legal
adviser, Mr. Townsend, ard settled his
private affairs. Thursday morning he
started for Boston, and it is believed, at
Hartford he met Mr.. Charles Longfellow
| the son of the poet who accompanied
him in the Dauntless from Europe, in his
| race with the Cambria. Mr.. Bennett re-
manned in Hartford, while Mr.. Longfel-
low came TO New York to arrange affairs,
The intention was then to fghtin Canada
the Mays, however, expressed desire
that the duel should take place in Mary
land and 1t was so agreed. The Mays re-
NAMED here until Friday, as already
stated in the WORLD, having been in
close consultation with their cousin from
| Baltimore at the GIedham Hotel On
Friday evening Mr.. Frederick May, ac-
companied by his :cousin, left the city.
They were afterwards met by DIR Thigh
man, of Baltimore.
On Sunday Mr. Bennett, accompanied
by Mr.. Longfellow, who was nearby but
not actually on the field, and by Mr..
Howland Robbins, his second, and DIR.
Charles Phelps, his surgeon, repaired to
Slaughter Gap and thence went to Navy
dell on Monday, the point arranged for
the meeting, and which is exactly on the
line between Marylan and Delaware.
At2 o'clock Monday afternoon, with
no'soul except members of the party in
: signed, and no house within a quarter of
mile, the principals took their places,
each on one side of the State hne. Mr..
May took his position first, covering his
side with his pistol arm, his elbow on his
, hip, Mr. Bennett gave full front, which
exposed him to more danger, but enabled
g him to take better.
At the word both fired, and Mr.. May
. received Mr.. Benefits ball in his p:sto
y arm, near, but below the shoulder. Mr.
0 May was then examined by his surgeon
who pronounced his wound as disabling
him from further service at that time, ,anC
the parties at once separated. They did
4 not shake hands as stated, nor did any
:, words pass between them. Mr.. Bennett
: announced his intention of remaining il
: n. Y, and asserted that he would not
:. under any circumstances, 90 abroad a
present.
From various dispatches received al
this office, the following further accoun
II Of the duel is gathered
The meeting took place one mile soutl
OF Marydell, Md, at O'Clock MONDAY
Afternoon The party carried blankets
oycrcoats,tw two cases ofpistols and surgica
d instruments. They represented them
- selves as railroad officials, May sayin;
that he was a director of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company, and Bennett
$, giving his name Daniel Drew of New
20 York, and stating that his mission wa
&c the purchase of the Maryland and Della
ware Railroad. They had with then
maps of the Peninsula, and to severa
parties they reported themselves as hun
tiers on cunning expedition. Such wa
the privacy of the whole affair that thes
statements were believed in the neighbor
, hood. Mr.. Benefits face showed sea
, which was much swollen, probably by
the cold.
The party paid literally for all service
- rendered them, and also for silence.
10 is believed both men are satisfied, an
that there will be no further hostile meet
y ing.
1t is understood that the proposals 70
Dt an amicable adjustment or the difficultie
proceeded from Mr.. Bennett, who, Will
on the road to Clayton, asked his com
- panions several times if they thought tha
he had committed any error in maxim
% the proposals that he did, to which ans
wer was promptly made that he had don
right, and that both he and Mr.. Ma
would be the better esteemed for the It
suit. The spot where the duel took plac
was evidently selected before hand, as
was admirably situated for the purpose
4, and the parties interested seemed to b
r. perfectly familiar with the route. Will
ne at Clayton one of the Bennett party drol
I'd ped case which contained his pistols
u which the driver wanted to carry for hin
ID but was promptly told to leave it alone.