The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-16
THE HARLEY rIsHBrRvE DUEL,
Insuitins Words that Led to n Peremptory
Challenge with n Fatal Result.

Mr.. Robert Fshburne, accompanied by some
friends. left here on Friday for Savannah.
whittier W. s. Harley either preceded or closely
followed him.
Last night Mr.. Fishburne returned homo and
the report soon spread that he had Killed his
antagonist. The difficulty has been pending
for somo time. probably fifteen months. The
immediate cause however, is stated to have
been an insulting remark made to Mr.. Fish
burne by Mr.. Harley and repeated. dis
avowal was formally asked the next morning.
Ii is charged that this insult was aggravated by
the fact of its being n elimination OF long
course Of bitter abuse Of Mr.. Fishburnc 10y Mr.
Harley. The disavowal asked for being re-
fused n correspondence ensued.
The arrangements were consummatcd In
Georgia and were rs follows Time Of meeting
half past II o'clock L. NJ. Saturday. Jan. u;
place of meeting. about one-fOurth of n mile
above the intersection of tho Atlantic and Gulf
and Savannah and Charleston Railroads in
pine grove; distance. ten PAGES weapons duel
ling pistols 10 fire at the words fire, one. two.
th,se. halt or stop. between hre AM three;
They were regulation du"lling weapons. but
were found to be unequal in s.ize. weight. AMI
bore. In consequence oi this Nr. Fi-hhurnr's
friend claimed the privilege ~ taking his
choice Of the two as they had h"en furnished
uy ihG OPPOSITE party, TO winch Mr., Harley con
he had. hut he did not intend to allow any loop
hole for cs'npv. MIR. Fi-hhurne's friend re-
nan. at about c'cIook A. M.' ana at about 10
the party started for the ground reaching 1t at
On the ground il was ascortained that the pis-
tol chosen hy Mr.. Fishhurne's friend was
chokei up with some hard substance. probably
an old load. After repeated Efforts by Mr. Fish
hurne's friend 10 remove the obstruction. Mr..
Harley was informed Of the fact. Mr. Fish
hurnc's friend had in his possession a Colts
navy revolver. 1t was suggested that Ibis ana
the duellinS pistol thn, Mr.. Harley had be
placed together. and the choice a. be- tossed for
Mr. Harley declined acceding TO this. and pro-
posed instead that Mr.. Fishburne u-c the re-
yolyer that his friend had while he would use a
Smith 4 Wesson revolver that his friend &ad.
This was agreed TO. 4 half hour was spent IN
making these arrangements. At this Junrturc
disintcrestcd gentleman present. who lad
preached Mr.. fishburne and inquired
h1na,e T. t9e matter fiqulft not ,, be aPic9sy
any arrangement that would bo salts.
factoryto TO his friends would be- satisfactory 10
Harley replied that he had cursed Mr.. Fish
ne had com. 10 Georgia either 10 prove him
a - coward or leave his bones on the soil
Finling his endenyors trgtless The mediator
the information that hs Efforts were iruitlcss.
AT o'clock the principals took their places
ten PAGES apart. no one else being then present
eNcept their friends and surgeons. II fell to
Mr., iishbnrnes friend 70 give the word. The
gusss,i95n9, s,i59, wRRss wRRs asked Gentlemen are y9u
Fishhurne replied. Ready Both principais
were cool and collected. Mr.. Fishburne's friend
Gentlemen. take warning am about TO give
the word. but before doing so will repeat it,. 1t
are TO fire between the words fire and three. Il"
He then stepped back and gavethe word: Gen
ilemen1.,, are you ready? Fire! One. two,
leaving Little interval between the last two
bStN between m the Words onc and two Mr Fish.
iss @ Fl. sa hnS Sassns sn
y5r M 2 hesd f@STSaStss nt after
left the ground. leaving the surgeons and Mr.
War Mar Tfbe tho N arse 4s, s n% MT HS5
ed tha, ''fr the surgeonn pronounee MIR Harley ;
wound mortal one and suggested his removal
| 10 a Il Ouse IL the neighbUrhOOd
| Fop, n. Siru,snh TssvraHL
After the usual prcliminaries for the combat.
| the ground was marked on. the distance
Ge,s GpeIns ten ten pices r, The weapons % used w%Hre %
| Rivers, and the compatants discharged their
pistols almost simultaneously. MIR. Harley
had elevated his weapon, ana his shot passed
| harmlessl ~ over his antagonists head. As II
was dis"hrrGed he fen 70 the ground. and his
second fastening to him discovered that be had
received wound in tho right side. the bail
! lodging In the liver and abdomen. The doctor
whH was win the Other party saye casual eN-
wound was mortal Mr. lshhurne and his
| party, together with the physician. Immediately
Mr. Harley and Nj Fishburno are Of the snme
political faith, both being Jealous Dcmoerni-.
but some harl feeling had .,n rngendered on
account Of "a q put. cun frrnin.s the recent mu-
| niciual election IN Multerhorn' on the 7th inst .
| Harley having csp Jus i tAe cuusr TO which
| lishbGrne WAS 1ll -. tn. ehul .ngr WAS tho
| result Of offensive words u-ei &, lishhurne in
! his office hy Harley IN the eyrnln.. o. the etii
burne addrcssei a n6it to Mr. llnfley.' rcforring
| to the ObletlOnNhir lun- lago used 10 him an |
| requesting retration or wtl lrawal Oi the same.
| In reply 10 this Mr.. Harley dis lAIn4ei re'o.le'
| iion Qf having used tho nnsuaA" Quot "a. and
added, What d.d mean g. say w.l-. that YOU
| and WI. Fl7hburne are weak and cheap copies
oi the khctt family. without their brains or
| courage, and must positively and rmphatically
| decline to witldmw anything that I san on
| that OCCASION This Was followed Is other
corro-ponl nlence. in which Mr.. Flshhurno cx-
pressed The desire - know when nnd whcr.
| be concluded. Mr.. Harley reJOinlur was that
| h regretted he could not Immediately name
| so at the very earliest moment that circuni-
stan res would permit. adding. II II would not
seriously, interfere with your plans, would
suggest that this matter be settled in Cpll'ion.
as W. could apprchend no diffruty from such
an carrangement II = Is managed guilty.
on bs m M l2Tf1 H rS Gy NIIeFb2bry Fbbayrge ge"as
concluded as follows: demand that you meet
me at the junction Of Tn" Gulf and savannah
| and Charleston Railroads tomorrow Sat
urdayl. the l2th instant. at half past u
o'giotk, TO ,slye ne s4ti,uiaetiSn ior ibe ia
who will hand you TINS. will arrange all
| details. This challenge was accepted and
| the parties mulo arrangements tp come TO Sh-
| Nannah. Mr.. Harley and his friend. Mr.. Far
| mer left Waterford on Thursday night AT |
| o'clock for Green Pond station. on the savannah
and Charleston Railroad. and took the fast mail
| train. which passes the station shortly aiter
| dlybreak reaching Savannah at O'Clock Fri
| day morning. Mr. fishburne. with his friends
came by the accommodation train, which ar
riyes here NJ 3 50.
Mr. Farmer informs us that after reaching tho
ground selected for the combat. and before the
| meeting took place. Mr.. Harley wrote few
words 10 his wife on the leaf OF his menoran-
| dun book. Of which tho following Is copy:
| My DAnusG WIZ mn about 10 meet fi-hhurne.
w not widow ,.audla, ior dO not lnehd 1. shoot Al
| him. W , II.
Mr. Harley was considered at a late hour last
| night 10 be in AN extremely critical condition
| and IT was thought that he would die before
| morning The ball entered the right side. and
! II is supposed cut some OF the intcstlnes and
| lodged IN the abdomen. go
| SAyANNAH. Ga. Jan. l5.-W. S. Harley, Ia,
| duclll-t. died this morning, An inquest War
| held uunn the body and the CorOners Jury r'-
| turned a verdict that the deceased CANE lo hls
| deuih from gunHhot wound inflicted by sOmt
| person unknown 10 the Jury.
Twenty Years In state Prison.
| William Merritt. the jury have found yor
put, and ihe Court sentences you 60 twenty year, a.
nard ahor DO sing sing Prison Judge sutherland sni,
N..terf.y m t a of the nttentut L. murder George