The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-14
A Challenge nv TELEGRAPH.
THE SENSATION CAUSED BY A FLIGHTY Y0UN'
MAN OF NEW HAVEN.

n
MAN OF NEW HAVEN.
Although now II Is hardly thought th,t
the occurrence Will have tragic termlna-
ton. there was considerable anxiety In New
Haven. Conn, on Saturday, lest Dir. Enos
Hale, assistant postmaster Of that city, and
Mr.. Charles +. Alvord, Young gentleman
OF fortune well known there. should meet
each other under the requirements OF the
code.
Mr. Hale was the administrator Of the
estate OF q man named Dale. who Tor MANY
years WIS q well-known attacbe OF the New
Haven posi.oflice, in the conduct OF which
Mr.. n. ID. Sperry and Mr.. Hale have won a
wide reputation. Mr.. Dale nominalIy was
only letter-carrier In the town, but ne was
a man who enjoyed in high degree the
confidence and esteem OF his superors, ana
who was possessed OF considerable local IN
fuence. He died short time ago. waeb,
az said, Mr. Hale became the administrator
OF his estate. which was considerable. Mr..
Dale left a daughter. an attractive girl. TO
her Mr.. Ayord was attracted, and he paid
her definite attentions.
The reasocs are not very well known,
but for some reason, after he had long paid
her attentions, GOODNESS sprang up be-
der the advice OF Mr.. Hale the young lady
brought a suit against her lover for breach
OF promise, claiming $4,000, and Mr.. Hale
caused an attachment TO be levied IN Sc
curlty OF this sum upon the property Of the
defendant. Perhaps 1t is not altogether
singular that the indignation which Mr.. Al
word felt at this prOcee ding was directed,
not against the young woman, his sweet
heart, but against the advisory admini>ira-
tor, Mr.. Hale. Nothing, however. came OF
the matter for little time.
But on THURSDAY last. rs he was attending
10 his customary duties in the post'oihce,
Mr. Hale received the following message,
brought in bv a uniformed boy and written
upon one OF the ordinary blanks OF the
Western Union Telegraph Company:
"MrLFORD. July S-Mr. EnoS HG[e,
Post Office. Nelc Hqren Sir,-Meet me at
Charley Bradley's TO fight at s O'Clock.
Which do you prefer, pistols or swordST
"CHARLEs +. ALv0RD.
"P. S.-I mean business
The telegram was undoubtedly authentic,
ana Mr.. Hale was astonishcd. He did not
make complaint to the authorities, and what
his intentions were is not known. II hap
pened, however, that he spoke Of the mes
sagc, and even exhibited it 10 several OF bis
friends, and TO this action on his part i, due,
doubtless, the elimination OF the affair * II
turned out.
That afternoon Mr.. Ayord had driven
out 10 Milford with Miss Dale. Woman
like. she mad forgiven him when he present
ed himself TO her. In Milford, as they came
TO tavern, Mr.. AlyOrd asked the young
lady to mold The reinS while he went inside.
Miss Dale, though she thought her escort
had already been inside sufficiently long,
held the reln> according to his Request;
but rs hall and then three quarters OF an
hour passed and he did not return, she be-
came piqucd, and drove away by herself 10
the railroad station. determined To take the
first train back to New Haven. There was
no train for fifteen or twenty minutes,
and she waited, having hitchcd the horse to
post. and entered the station. Mean tlme
Mr.. AlVOrd. coming out OF the tavern ana
perceving that his sweetheart had driven
away, was in great excitement and alarm
He instantly attributed the disappearance OF
Mis- Dale t. the Influence OF the adminiStra-
tor OF her fathers estate. and being seized
with sudden frenzy 81 rage towards Mr.
Hale, he at once rushed TO the telegraph
office, determined upon issuing mottal
challenge to that gentleman. The teie-
graph.Otiicc at Milford Is IN the ran
road station, and Miss Dale, who was
.tiIl waiting for the train. saw her lover
coming. She was frightened at the en-
preston on his face, and still, also. piqued
ut his behavior, and she hid herself behind
the door, so that he did not see her rs he
entered. Probably on account OF bis rage,
he failed al o 10 notice his horse and buggy
tied to the post outside. He fairly SpraDS
into the station ard obtaining a blank from
the operator. without reflection or hcsitancy,
he dashed of the hostile message that l.
given above. When he had signed his name
to the telegram he dashed the pen to the
floor, and in a flenZed manner exclaimed:
Z" His life shall atone for it" three times in
succession. lie then discovered Miss Dale,
ard calming her agitation the two drove
back to New Haven. where the challenger
was arrested and held to bail.