Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-01-12
TIE DUEL or THE DAY.


Impartial Statement OF
Ihe Cauhes TNat Led 10 it-luter-
eNttug Personal Sketches Hf the
wgy Family.
New York special to Cincinnati Commercial,
January 8
A friend Of all parties concerned
furnishes the following version Of
the facts:
IT was during the summer Of
1875 that Mr.. Bennett began to
pay marked attention to Miss May.
She had the seat of honor on the
box Of his coach. She was the
honored guest on board his yacht.
The ensuing winter they were seen
much together, out driving, at the
theater, at receptions, at dinner
parties, at the opera, and soon it
was rumored that they were en-
gagged to be married. The match
was regarded as Il brilliant one, by
the young lady's friends especially,
as the young people seemed devoted
to each other. The friends Of Mr..
Bennett aud his illustrious father
were equally pleased, though some
we're aware that the young gentle
man had an cratic, impulsiye, un-
fortunate temperament, and had
been several times engaged, had
their fearS. 1t was promised, how
ever, that Mr.. Bennett was really
most devoted to Miss May, who is
"a very charming Young lady, and
they hoped for the best. 1t was
rumored that date in May had
been fixed for the nuptials. Sud.
denly, as these events always occur,
and just as he had 50 often done
before, the prospective groom went
off on one Of his unfortunate sprees,
and the preparations for the we'd
ding were promptly suspended.
The spree over, and the unfortu-
nate mau once more IN foil posses
sion Of his really splendid faculties,
was the picture of remorse, His
fance wrote offering to release him.
lie wrote, frankly acknowledging
that he did not think himself
worthy Of her, saying that once
married her influence over him
would be all powerful. OF course
she relented.
After last summers stas0n Of
polo at Jerome Park Mr.. Bennett
went to Newport and started the
game there. His betrothed, her
brother and other members of the
family were his honered guests
Throughout the season at Newport
With the rei4rp to town in the
autumn came rumors ef the arrival
from Paris of the Wedding tr0Gs-
seau on which custom officials were
said to have demanded duty to the
amount Of $4,000, The nuptials
we're to be pFiga'e
One day there gathered in the
Nav mansion o small bqt select
circle Of relatives and friends, and
there was q fair young bride, ,arfayed
in her spotless white, and there was
tho clergyman to make the twain
ono, but there Was 10 bridegroom.
Another letter and another forgive
ness, The indignant father woaia
consent only on condition that the
groom should make a marriage
settlement The groom objected;
that the laws Of the State
made sufficient provision. The
parental consent was finally given
TO the selection of another
date, and u wedding tour on
the Continent was decided on.
The evening before The day the old
unhappy story was repeated, with
aqgrayating circumstances when
Mr.. Bennett left the house, the
ladies were in tears; one Of the
brothers came in, found them cry
ing, and asked the cause. What
followed is now history.
A LITTLE or THE NAY FAMILg HIS
TORY
The May family lived in Wash
ington a quarter Of d eentqry
They are now in the third and
fourth generations, since moving
from Massachusetts, to Washington.
DIR. May established himself on
Capitol Hill in a large and peculiar
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