Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-10-25
From the Richmond State. October 18th.
To the Public.


IA, inquiry was made at The State Office
for the responsible editor of the paper
Some misinfOrmed person at The State
office told the gentleman making the
inquiry that both the editors were out
of the city and would not return until the
next dag. The fact was that the senior
editor of the paper was at his home In
this city and the junior editor was at hif
home in Ashland. This much by way
of explanation as to how the junior
editor, Mr. R. F. Beirne, received the
letter copied below Col. - carried
the following letter to Ashland and
handed it to Mr.. Beirne at the latter'a
residence about or little after
o'clock P. M:
"RICHMoND, VA. October II, 1881.
ITO the responsible Editor of The State
'.Sir,-The editorial in your paper Of
this evening is of such tone and char
,acter in relation to me that am con
strained to request that you will refer
my friend, the bearer of this, to some
gentleman who will represent you in
such further proceedings as to them may
seem proper. Respectfully,
III. 81. RIDDLEBERGER."
Mr.. Beirne's reply was written at
once and handed to Col. -, who re-
turned to Richmond the same night.
The reply was as follows:
"AsHLAND, VA, October IA, 1881.
II. II. Riddse6erger, Esq:
s'Sir,-The editorial to which you re-
fer and which appeared in The State
of this evening was written by me and
I am responsible for the same. I have
the honor to refer you to William Ryan.
Esq, Richmond. Mr.. Ryan's address
can be found by simple inquiry at The
State Office, or at Capt. John Hampden
Chamberlayne's residence.
Your obedient servant,
RICHARD f. BEIRNE."
About - o'clock (midnightl Friday.
upon reaching home, found q card left
by Mr.. - with the request that I
should call at snce at Snelling's. I inc
mediately went to Snellings, where I
found Mr.. who handed me Mr..
Beirne's reply to Mr.. Riddlebergeri This
was about 1890 o'clock. read the let.
ter, and then told Mr.. -- thatI would
return in the course of half or three
quarters of an boar. When returned
Mr.. - gave me to understand that
the matter was peremptory. He asked
me to name place of meeting, and In
response to this request wrote q mem
orandum and handed 1t to Mr.. -.
The following is copy OF the memo
randum:
81 will have Mr.. Beirne on the Tele-
graph road about half way between
Richmond and Ashland. I will leave
Ashland about daylight; the other par
ty to leave Richmond about daylight !;
both parties to drive till they meet.
NV. RYAN.
"Richnao,sd, October 15th-2:15 A. NJ"
A little after daylight Mr.. Beirne and
I left Ashland in u carriage and drove
down the Telegraph road toward Rich
mond. About five miles from Ashland
we met a carriage containing the par
ties. Mr.. - and aiighted from our
respective carriages and approached
each other. I told him that q friend
and referee would meet me about half
way between Richmond and Ashland.
and asked him if he had any objection
to my driving down the road little
way to find him. Mr.. said he had
no objection that he would wait where
he was (about five miles from Ashland).
After driving about mile Mr. Beirne
insisted on returning to the place of
meeting. We returned to- the place
where we had left Mr.. Riddleberger's
party, not having found the referee. 1t
was now about $50 A. M. saturday..
Mr.. - and / proceeded to arrange q
meeting of the principals. Mr.. Beirne
being the challenged party, was to fur
nish weapons, unlocked the satchel
in which were the pair Of dueJihg pistols
and ammunition for the same. The Sec
onds had agreed thatgthe dqelshould be
fought at ten PAGES, and that they should
fnoa for fha Rxo al nv1f 4