Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-02
A BALT1M ORE-DUEL.
Baltimore Special, Dec. 20. |


One of the most desperate and murderous
duels at short range ever recorded occurred
about II o'clock this morning between two
members of the Fifth Maryland regiment.
Thirteen shots were exchanged and both
men riddled with bullets and seriously if not
mortally wounded. The sanguinary encoun-
ter occurred in the basement of Moore g.
Bros wholesale cloth house, in the business
center of the city. The principals were
Wood Kinds and WIN. M. James, and the
motive that prompted the attack was the
alleged seduction of James sister by
Kinds. James entered Kinds place of bust
ness and was directed to the packing depart
ment below. Upon meeting him James ut
tered an offensive epithet, and at once be-
gan firing. Kinds returned the fire, and
both men emptied every barrel, and were
covered with blood from numerous wounds.
James then dragged himself towards Kinds,
and was in the act of striking him with the
butt end of his pistol, when some of the
clerks inferfered and separated the combat
ants. The wounds of the men were dressed,
and they were removed to their respective
homes in the West end. Kinds denies
positively the charge of seduction.
Hrnds, it is stated, frequently visited Miss
James, the sister of VIM. NJ. James, but dur
ing the past year he has not been to the
house. James, it is stated, charged Kinds
with having ruined his sister. This, how
ever, Kinds strenuously denies. James in
sisted that Kinds should marry his sister,
which the latter refusing, deadly hatred
James, it is stated, frequently of late threat
ended to kill Kinds. Having been appraised
of James declared intention of killing him,
he prepared himself for an attack. 1t came,
however, when he least expected it. About
IL o'clock to day James entered the store of
Moore & Co., and asked to sec Wood, the
name by which he is familiarly known.
The people in the establishment, knowing
James to be friend of Kinds, told him that
the latter was down stairs. Kinds had a few
moments previous to James entrance gone
down into the basement to get drink of
water, and when near table at the bottom
of the stairway on his return, was con-
fronted by James, who at once drew re-
revolver, and after calling Kinds an insult
ing name, commenced firing at him. Tue
young men we're not more than five fee
apart when the firing commenced. After
receiving the first bullet in the right side of
the temple. Kinds at once drew seven bar
relied revolver and returned the fire. At
this point bloody duel commenced. Both
men continued firing at each other until
every load in James pistol had been ex-
hausted, when James exclaimed: "My pis-
tol is empty. I have had enough" and
rushed in upon Kinds and attempted to brain
him with the butt end of the weapon. Kinds,
who had one more load in his revolver,
struggled desperately with his maddened an
tagonist, and pressing his revolver close to
James cheek, was about to fire final shot,
which would doubtless have killed him in
stantly, when they were separated by clerks
in the store. The deadly conflict attracted
the attention of all in the establishment
many of whom ran to the scene, to find
Kinds and James covered with blood and
seated on bench. In answer to question
propounded to James as to how the affair
occurred, he said, 'Ask Wood" The hoo1
| where the conflict occurred was covered with
blood, while both of the young men were
bleeding in the face and body. Neither Of
them appeared to suffer much from tneil
wounds, but bore the pain with remarkable
coolness. James was shot four times, one
ball passing near his heart Kinds received
three wounds, two in the head. -
Miss James, who, it is charged, IIinde-se-
duced, appealed to Kinds, who, she charges
is the father of her unborn child, to marry
her, and he refused. She then informed hel
brother, who made a similar demand, and
upon meeting with similar refusal, de-
termined to kill the betrayer of his sister
The affair has created the most intense ex-
element among all classes.