The daily gazette., 1882-05-06
ADUEL MANY YEARSAGO
THE BELMONT AND HAYWARD
MEETING NEAR DELAWARE.
THE REMINEsCENOE OF ELKTON.
Horrible Encounter on Grhy's Hill In
Which the Hebrew Banker was Wounded
by the south Carolina Politician.

The Cecil Wig of to-day contains the fol-
lowing timely and interesting local reminis-
cence:
The recent verbal encounter at Washing
ton between Mr.. Blaine and Mr. Belmont,
In which the latter was so seriously worsted,
recalls somewhat more sanguinary affair,
which happened near this town nearly Al
years ago, in which the father of Belmont,
the well-known banker and Democratic
politician, August Belmont, was one of the
prominent participants.
On Wednesday evening, August 25th,
lS4l, two parties of men, in carriages, drove
up to the two hotels of the town. There
was, says the chroniclar of the day, ian
apparent strangeness in their actions" and
the wiseacres of the town were at their wits
end to determine the object of their visit.
About twelve O'Clock that night, confer
ence was held between representatives of
the two parties, numerous inquiries in the
meantime having been made, as to the
distance to the Delaware line, and other
questions asked, indicating that duel or at
least some hostile encounter, was in con-
temptation between these mysterious gentry.
Late in the night or rather early IN morn
ing, they left the town driving directly cast.
They were followed by some citizens of the
village, whose curiosity had induced them to
watch their movements, but were not over
taken, and no one it seems, resident in Elk
ton, was an eye witness of the duel, which
occurred at an early hour on the morning of
the 10Th, on Grey's Hill, about one mile east
of the town. As it afterwards proved, the
principals in the affair had taken assumed
names, one of them being addressed as
Moore, the other as Goldsmith. In reality,
however, they were Mr. August Belmont of
New York, the American agent Of the
nfh nd hc haa
prominently as New York Democratic
politician, and Mr.. William Hayward,
of South Carolina. They had been together
residents of the American Hotel, In New
York, and the quarrel seems to have origi-
mated in "love affair" Hayward's brother
stated ut the time that Belmont's intimacy
with lady had been resented by Hayward,
and the former having spoken of the latter
In terms not particularly complimentary
Hayward had struck Belmont, whcreupon
the latter had challenged him to mortal
combat. Intent upon blood they had
arranged duel, to be fought upon the
classic soil of Delaware, and for that pur
pose had taken carriages at Wilmington
and driven to Elkton, intending to meet upon
the field of honor by sunrise just over the
Delaware line.
THE HOSTILE ENCOUNTER.
AS IL turned out, however, they uld mol
drive far enough east, and the soil of Grey't
Hill, in Cecil county, was Redeemed with The
blood of the Hebrew banker, and which IL
later years, the execution of Swift, the mur
derer Of Kilhour, rendered more notorious
A gentleman named Lake acted as seconC
for Belmont, and Mr.. Purdy served Hay
ward in a similar capacity. Arriving upol
the ground, the principals were placed b,
their seconds, and upon the first round Mr.
Belmont was shot in the hip. One fire i
seems was sufficient to appease the wounded
honors of these chivalorous gentlemen, anC
Mr.. Belmont was borne bleeding to his car
riage. At the time, it was supposed that HI
was mortally wounded.
Taking to their carriages, the sanguinary
southerner and the Hebrew were driven tc
Wilmington, Elkton, not then, nor since, so
far as we know, having been honored by the
presence of either of these barbaric gentle.
men. What was at the time thought to be
serious wound, proved however, only a
painful one, but Belmont soon recovered
| his powers of lOcomotion, the only evidence
of his having made target Of himself being
graceful ''limp' which he has since carried
through life.