The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1877-02-03

krom SUNDAY Mercury
Dover, Del, Jan. ls.-Governor
Cochran has refused to issue a
requisilion for the bodies Of Ben
nett aud May. The reason for this
is that the investigation made by
Secretary Of State Grubb has de-
monstrated the fact that no duel
has been fought in Delaware. The
State authorities are reticent as to
the news they had learned about
the duel; but it is pretty certain
from expressions that have drop
ped, that the whole thing is re-
garded as . joke. The suppositon
is corrobarated by facts in the
knowledge of your correspondent,
On the afternoon when Mr.. Ben.
nett was attacked in front of the
Union Club In New York your
correspondent was visiting the
Press Club rooms in New York
Newspaper men came in with the
news saying Bennett was whip
ped. Next thing heard was the
mysterious visit of some Of Ben
nets friends to the Lapierrc House
in Philadelphia, and the next re-
ports of this duel. The result Of
the inquiry made by the State Of.
iicials Of Delaware prove, as l
am able to ;uform you. upon the
highest authority not only that
no duel was fought in this State
but that none was fought at all.
The real fact is that Mr.. Bennett
sent the challenge that Mr.. May
accepted it, not knowing the con-
dition Of the challenge, and that
the principals came down to Mary
dell Station. When they arrived
at the allotted ground, It was
agreed that "honor" should be
satisfied by the discharge Of blank
cartridges. Tho young men from
Union Club consulted, and there
the duel was finished without a
! scratch or blemish. Mr.. May would
not shake hands afterwards, but
went away with a Baltimore gen.
| tlenan.
This account, which may be de.
pended upou as thoroughly relia.
bio will account for Mr.. Benefits
anxiety about his friends opinion
the rcticcncc Of tho young gentle.
man who desired to shield Bennett
from further ridiculc, and the per.
picking contradictions concerning
a battle that never took place.
1t IL now reported by telegraph
| that Bcnnctt sailed for Europe this
afternoon BY the Saturday Cunard
steamer. 1t is probable that judg.
ing from what Is known here, that
he and all his party will cvacuate
New York, not to escape punish.
mcnt for fighting, but to avoid
outlaws for their escape from fight.
New York, Jan. 49, A New
York Daily Of to day gives the
following version Of the Bennett
May affair:
Many persons have been wonder.
ing during the last four or five days
why the gentlemen who recent,
made an armed incursion into tht
peaceful States of Maryland and
Delaware should persist in main
tanning such a guarded silence IN
reference to the affair. Those bcs
informed, however, held the opin
| ion that sooner or later, some ont
Of those on the ground would tel
the whole truth in regard to thu
matter. The justice Of such ,
belief has now been verified. Th
statement that no blood was she,
need not, aud pr obably will not
excite any surprise. The storic
to the effect that the principal
were men Of undoubted courage
and were bound to have each other
blood, and that each was a "dcs'
shot," and that both of ther
meant business" are apparentl
sheer fabrications. The so-calle
duel was o farce from the begin
ming, and 1t Il Idle for the friend
of either party to attempt to pu
a different aspect upon II. Ha
either Of the principals shot th
, other the fact would have bee
known In less than twenty-fou
hour After the occurrence, and n
one would have been % quick I
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