The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-06
DIFFICULTY.

AS public curiosity is somewhat ex-
cited rs TO the cause Of the street alterca-
,l,n between JAMES GORDON BENNETT
OF the Herald and Mr.. FREDERIcK MAY,
the b,s,her of the affianced OF the former,
we give the history of it as related in the
New York World:
A very dlsagreesble incident yesterday
disturbed the usually tranquil current OF
lie in the Fifth avenue, near the Union
Club. Mr.. Fredrick May, a young gen.
tleman well known in this city, had
taken up a station on the sidewalk out
side the club and was observed after H.
tie to be evidently waiting for the exit o,
some one from that establishment. The
attention Of Mr.. James Gordon Bennett,
proprietor OF The New York Herald, who
was then lupching within the
club. with his sleigh in waiting at the
door, having been called to this fact,
Mr.. Bennett put on his grestcoat and
Immediately weEt out. Mr.. May at
once accosted him, and some words pass
ed between them, Mr.. Bennett sppsr'
emily attempting to quiet his interlocuter,
when Mr.. May suddenly seized him by
the front of the coat, and drawing what
sppeared TO be cowhide, struck him
violently over the back. Mr. Bennett is
a well-knit, muscular man, but his as
sailsnt is considerably over six feet in
height and we'll known athlete, and
AS It was evident that Mr.. Bennett
10
using violence with him, the lat
ter received several severe blows, one OF
which cut him across the face, and
wounded him severely. The struggle
lasted scarcely so long US this recital re.
quires in the writing, but Mr.. Bennett
was distinctly heard to say, in con.
temptuous, bitter tone: why don't
YOU kill me at once" No weapons,
however, were drawn on either SIDE.
The cowhide was either taken away by
MIR. Bennett or dropped by Mr.. May,
and the combatants closed, Mr.. Bennett
being thrown, and falling IN he snow
which blocked the street. By this time
Mr.. William p. Douglas and Mr.. John
Heckscher, who were in the club, came
out, and, with some difficulty, separated
the two. Mr.. Bennett was led by them
into the club, and shortly afterwards
drove home in his sleigh, Mr. May i'm
mediately afterwards walking away.
Such is the story as told by eye-wit-
nesses. OF course, rumor was at once on
the alert with invention as TO the origin
OF so unusual seer e. 1t has been known
for some time that an engagement ef
marriage existed between Mr.. Bennett
and Miss Carrie May, a sister OF Mr..
May. But though it has been whisper.
ed tor some time past that this engage
ment either hat been or seon would be
broken of, it was obviously improbable
that any man would wilfully draw pub
lie attention 10 the personal affairs O
young lady by street encounter q
that some more becoming cause Tor IN
difficulty had to be supposed; aad upon
inquiry among the friends o: the father
OF Mr.. May, DIR. William May, OF No.
A " lest Nineteenth street, our reporters
were informed that on Tuesday night
Mr.. Bennett called at the house and had
a most unpleasant alteration with DR.:
MAY, in the course of which ne used
language which Mr.. Frederic May, on
hearing of it yesterday morning, ieh
bound 10 resent it, as he did.
DIR. William May is brother OF
Colonel Charles May, one OF the heroes
of the Mexican war, who mar
ried Miss Law, of this
city, resided here long al the
New York Hotel, snd died here rs
Superintendent of the Eighth Avenue
Railway. He was also : brother OF
Mrs. Oclricbs OF this city. The family
are Bsltimoresns by origin, and are wen
and widely conaected. Ons of Dr.
William Mays daughters, Miss Edith
May, it will be remembered Ma. rescued
from the disaster Of the yacht Mohawk
last summer, in which Commodore Gar
ner and his wife SO unhappily perisned-
Mr.. Frederick May, the ssssilAnt IN
Yesterdays encounter, Is about twenty
four wears old, and Is connected with
large dry goods house down town. An
other brother, DR.. William May, jr, Is .
= D .,IAx