The National tribune., 1883-07-05
THEIR "HONAH" SAVED.
The Richmond Editors Settle Their Differences
With The Pistol.


The long-expeeted duel between Richard f.
Beirne, editor of the Richmond, Va, State, and
VIM. c. Elan, of the Richmond Wing, as a re-
suit of an editorial controversy, took place on
Saturday morning last at Waynesboro, Va,
and resulted at the second fire in the wound
ing of Elan, the challenged party, i'll the right
thigh Beirne escaping unhurt The parties
had been trying to arrange a meeting Tor over
a week, but their intentions had been frus-
trated by the vigilance of the authorities. One
of Beirne's seconds gives the following account
of the meeting:
When the meeting at Hanover Junction had
been frustrated one of Mr.. Beirne's friends
went back to Richmond to communicate with
Mr.. Elams friends. We communicated with
our friend in cipher kilograms, and on Tuesday
while we were at Ronceyerte we got a tele-
gram advising us that a meeting had been ar
ranged to take place at Waynesboro Saturday
morning. We left Roneeverte, W. Va, Tuesday
at D. m. and drove all the way to Waynes-
boro', 125 miles Mr.. Chockley, of our party,
went ahead by rail- looking out for us, and he
was in Wavnesboro' Friday night. Mr.. Beirne
and the rest of US got to Waynesboro' at
o'clock Saturday morning We did not go into
town, but hid in piece of woods till daylight,
when one of us went into Waynesboro' and
learned exactly where the meeting was
TO take place. We got to the place little
before g. and found Mr.. Elan and his
friends on the ground. There were present in
Mr. Beirne's party, his seconds, Frank NJ.
Wright of Petersburg, and W. Z. Chockley, Of
Richmond, and also his brother Andrew Beirne,
of Lewisburg, aud II. II. Smith, Jr., of Rich
mond. Mr. EIana's seconds, were Mr.. Shefrey
Lewis of Roekinghay4@t county, and DR.. Lewis
Wheat of Rehpacsfd. A few other friends of
his were tieS.S among them Mr.. John Smelling,
! of Riebs40ld. Mr.. Wright and Mr.. Lewis tossed
! for choice of positions and as to who should
[ I Lilo u
! MIR. Elam fronting to the northwest The two
/ were eight PAGES apart, and the weapons used
/ were Colts iye-chamber revolvers, thirty-one
calber. The agreement was that the men were
/ to fire between the words one and three. Mr..
Lewis called out Fire one !-twoLthree ~
| Both fired simultaneously as soon as the word
| one was out. Mr.. Elan's bullet struck the
! skirt of Mr.. Beirne's coat, close to where Mr..
Elan was shot in the next fire. AS soon as the
pistols were discharged the second time Mr.
Elan said: " I'm struck" He did not fall,
/ Dr. Wheat running up and supporting him
His wound was in the right hip, apparently
right over the thigh bone. He remarked to
| DR. Wheat that he had felt the ball go through
| his right hip and into his left hip Mr.. Wright
| said that his principal was satisfied and we at
once left the field, driving five miles to Grim
ora on the Shenandoah Valley road, where We
took the train for Baltimore.
Beirne and his party returned to Richmond
on Sunday. Elan was taken TO the house OF
| Lieutenant Governor Lewis, near Harrison,
burg, and the bali was cut out of the inner side
| of Mr. Elam's left hip. Unless blood poisoning
occurs Mr. Elan will recover"
| 4 dispatch from Richmond, Va, says:
"There is growing sentiment in this STATE
| against resort to the code for the settlement o
differences, and the affair is generally deplored
The Beirne-E lam duel was the second on'
which has been fought since the enactment b.
the Legislature, in 1882 of the law requiring tn,
oath of all State and local officers that they had
not since the passage of that act fought a due
or accepted q challenge, nor acted as second il
duel. Elan, who was one of the principal
in the affair recently, was elected Secretary o
the Commonwealth after the passage of the law
and consequently was not required to subscribe
as provided Hereunder Recognizing probabl.
the fact that he was under moral obligation
not TO participate in duel while an officer 0
the State, he handed in his resignation of tn
Office before he accepted Beirnes challenge
No arrests except that of the eolored man VIII
drove Mr.. Beirne from WestVirginia to Waynes
boro have yet been made. 1t is stated tina
| the Commonwealth's attorney of Augusta, tn
county in which the Beirne and Elan fight oC
CURED, will prosecute the case against them.