The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-02
THE DUELLO IN LOUISIANA.
FAMOUS AND FATAL MEETINGS.


= p,ss Against the First American Cover
.or--Two High Onciais FiGhtine-How an
Exitsr Was Shot-Other Meetings
,sorrcspondence OF the Philadelphia Times.l
Nrw ORLEANS, july n. The late duel
An New Orleans between the editors OF tnc
two leading papers OF that ciiy--one OIL
whom held the Office OF State treasurer
6as called attention to the TACT that tne
duello still exists In one portion OF this
country at least, and Is the usual resort OF
gentlemen in settling their ditlcuitles.
No one Who has not lived In LOUISIANA,
and particularly in New Orleans, can
fully understand the hold that the
81 code /, has here. Before the War
ducls were frequent throughout the soutn'
especially in Virginia, South Caronna,
mississippi, and Kentucky, but tney
were never as common. and tne princiPles
Of the dueilo were never as iuny pe-
lieyed In, as in Louisiana. Inc eNpana.
lion Is easily found in the influence tna.
the Creole population, or those OF FRENCH u,
descent, have always exercised over a..
newcomers to this state. Ihev sc. .no
fashions and established the SOCIAL customs
md usages, and the Immigrants from the
other States never thought OF protesting
against these. Many Of the latter adop'ea
the French language, ana all OF mem clc ,,,
habits and ideas. The result was that " tne
s-cSIev became universal law; everybody
believed I'm it, from the highest 10 tne
lowest. In the "good old days IL IL
impossible 10 oyerestimate the number OF
serious and fatal meetings that occurred
An or around New Orleans-when every
body "fought" and fought well. To-day
4 Is somewhat changed, but not as much so
nc strangers would imagine. Probably not
= month passes without duel in New Or
leans: seldom year without fatal one.
The dueIo, it is true, is not quite as COM
mon as in ante-bellum times, and there are
actually some who will refuse challenge,
INT the great mass of the people sun De-
7ieve "the code Of honor" to be the only
rentlemanly'way Of settling disputes, ana
The man who fights and shows his GOODNESS
IN the field of .'honor" always receives
the sympathy, the goodwill, and the adml-
ration OF the community.
PLOT AGAINST A GOVERNOR.
When the Americans first rushed into
New Orleans they found the Creoles more
than unfriendly, very bitterly opposed 10
this immigration, and prepared to resist IL
In every possible way, but particularly
with the duello; for, being skilled win
the rapier, sword, pistol, and shotgun, they
were much more than match for the new
corners. 1t Is related that when the aiIies
occupied Paris, soon after the fall OF Ma
Doleon, a number OF ingenious young
Frenchmen hit upon the idea OF getting
rid of the allied army by challenging
and wounding or killing every Engilsn,
Russian, and German officer. The pro-
feet promised success, and large number
Of s.tbe enemies of France" were pinked,
until wellington and Butcher, finding that
their compatriots nearly all suffered on the
field Of honor, strictly forbid all officers
from accepting challenges. The Partisan
idea was evidently borrowed from New
Orleans, where this project for getting rid
of their unwelcome ncighbors, the Ameri-
cans. was first invented by some OF the Gre
pIes Of the city. Governor w. {. Z. Cial-
borne, the first American Governor OF
Louisiana, became highly Objectionable TO
the old Creoles of that State. Thoroughly
American in his ideas, Of strong will and
positive traits, he resented what, to one
OF his high position, seemed a. presump-
tuous attempt on the part OF the peo-
ME over whom he had been placed 10
impose upon him their ideas and customs
and TO change the manners and habits In
which he had been raised in our frontier
settlements. To crush him and drive him
from the State was the plot formed by
large number of fiery young Creoles. These
seized upon every indication-most OF them
imaginary--of the imputed hostility OF the
Governor to the old population to denounce
him in violent terms, far beyond the worst
billingsgate used to-day. ASSOCIATIONS,
clubs. and military companies were organ
lied whose chief end was war on the
Governor as the representative OF Ameri-
can ideas. The occasion seized by Clai-
borne's enemies for their final attack on
him was such as to properly cover
them with ignominy and to disgust
and horriiy the entire community.
On February 4, 1906, the Governor
lost his wife and only child on the same
day. The next morning the Orleans ia
zefte published an obituary notice OF the
deceased lady. one OF the most estlmaDlee,
amiable, and beautiful women in the Terri
tory, which was full Of the most offensive
and revolving illusions that diabolica
Imagination could coniure up. 1t was CON
sidered smart and proper In those tlmes
and the Governor had the resort OF tht
duello offered him to vindicate himself and
his wife's reputation. Fortunately, Cover
nor Claiborne was spared the disagreeabl'
necessity OF going from the funeral OF hi
wife to the battle-ground. The quarre
was taken up by Micaiah Green Lewis, hi
brother-in-aw and private secretary, ant
brother to the deceased and slandered Mrs
Claiborne.
A DEADLY DUEL.
Young Lewis was only twenty-five year
Of age. a modest, moral, highly-studiou
Young man Just from college. He knew
nothing whatever OF the duello, but fel
himself called on to vindicate his sister,
honor. He visited the Office Of the Gazette
found the author of the scurrillous and dis
reputable attack on his dead sister to be
young adyenturer and political partisan b
the name Of Robert SterTy, and imme
tiately challenged him. The meeting too
place In one Of the suburbs OF the city o
February l4th, Just ten days after Mrs
Claiborne's death, at fifteen PAGES, "whet
and shoot" On the first fire Levi
feel dead, shot through the heart. ii
was heard to say only two words 81 be
lleve-" The rest Of his dying word
were lost. In neglected corner OF the oil
st. Louis cemetery. In what Is known
~ tne uHcOnstcfhtcu efouius hoS INV w"
OF this unfortunate young man, whose fa'
really formed turning-point in the histoI
OF Louisiana, for his death brought about
strange and unexpected revulsion In Il
popular feeling. 1t was believed on O
sides that he had muttered Just before |
died, 81 believe that / am only the fir
victim OF this conspiracy" and it W,
shown or attempted TO be show
that regular organization existe
In New Orleans to drive Cove
nor Claiborne and his partisans froI
the State by challenging and killing all
them. The better class Of the Creoles wei
disguised at the attack on Mrs. Claiborn
and the Governor, from being we'll hate