Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-08-02
Editor Coleman's Duel.

A New York paper sQys: IL 10 not
generally known that William Coleman,
William Cullen Bryant's predecessor on
the Evening Post, was principal in
fatal and mysterious midnight duel,
which created great excitement in Jour-
nahstic and political circles here, seven
ty-fve years ago. At the beginning of
the century, party spirit burned at a
white heat, and newspaper controversies
were conducted with almost Incorporate
zeal. Uoleman's chief political opponent
was James Cheetham, of the american
Citizen, and the two were constantly at
war. Although the Evening Post editor
used violent language, as was the Gus
tom of the day, he was conscientiously
averse to dueling, and had often so ex-
pressed himself in his editorial columns.
Nevertheless, Cheetham, after a bitter
contest of words, challenged Coleman,
who accepted the challenge, as men of
his anti-dueling principles have often
done before and since. The meeting
did not take place, however, because
Judge Brockholst Livingston, in his Off
cial capacity, caused the arrest of the
principals. The arrest was interpreted
unfavorably to Coleman by his political
enemies, one of whom, Capt Thompson.
harbor master of this port, declared
publicly that the Post editor could not
be driven into fight; that he was an in
! famous poltroon. Such language could
not at that time be brooked; submission
to it involved loss of influence and social
caste. Consequently Coleman determin-
| ed, with the advice of his friends, to call
Thompson out, and did so, Washington
Morton acting for the journalist, and
Cheethman for the harbor master. No
| legal interference could be tolerated this
time, and the affair was managed with
the greatest secrecy. One summer
morning DIR. Mclean, a well known sur
| geon, received an anonymous letter to
the effect that at eleven o'clock of the
same evening he would find at the foot
of Broadway, on the south side of Bow
ling Green, horse and gig. He was
requested to drive with these to a spot
designated, on the road skirting Potter's
Field-the neighborhood of Washington
Square at present-where he would meet
some friends anxious to see him. He
followed the directions faithfully. Or
arrival he heard four pistol shots, an6
by the moonlight he observed, by look,
ing over the fence, one man supporting
another, and two other men at little
distance. The man supporting another
inquired, care you DR.. Mclean ?" Re
ceiving an affirmative reply, the mai
said, "This gentleman is wounded. III
needs your aid. Take charge of him
please, and carry him to his fir ends.
Then he gently laid the wounded man OF
the ground and went off with the others
The doctor recognized the gentleman
thus strangely consigned to him as Capt
Thompson, with whom he was intimate
ly acquainted. Thompson was severel.
hurt, having bullet hole in his side
and was leeding profusely. The doc
tor stanched the wound as we'll as h
could, and drove the patient to his resi-
dence, nearly two miles away. BE lief
Thompson at the door, rang the bell ant
hurried away. The embers of tn
family came; were terribly shocked t.
find the husband and father they hat
seen cheerful and vigorous few hour
before bleeding and helpless. The
took him to his chamber, and in tear
and distress, inquired the cause of hi
pitiable plight. He refused to say any
thing more than that he had fought
duel, and had been honorably treated
and begged that no effort should b
made to discover or punish his adversar
whose name he would not disclose
Though he had the best attention an
, the ablest surgeons, he died, after liz
l. L L. L.
unrevealed. His petition was religiousl
respected. Nobody tried to modest Cole
man, whose share in the duel necessaril
soon became known; no comment wa
made in the press; the editor of til
} Post returned to his desk, and so tn
2 strange tragedy ended.