The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-02
THE FIELD OF "H0NAH'
NOT so BLOODY AS ANTICIPATED.
Particulars of the Dael Between Elam and BeIrne,
Fought Near WaynesbOrO. ya.-The Former
Shot In the Thigh and the Latter Uu.
hurt-A Dstermiued Pair.

Cie hlCuuouo otdte, anu D1r. w. y. EIam,
editor of the Richmond Wing, occurred
two miles south of here this morning.
Promptly at 6 o'clock, the principals were
placed in position by their seconds. AT
the first fire Elam's ball pierced the skirt
of sack coat worn by his opponent, but
nothing was hurt. Mr.. Beirne, as the
challenging party, demanded another shot,
which was accorded. In that round Elam
was wounded in the right hip, the ball
passing through the heshy part Of the side,
and striking the left hip. The wound is
not regarded as dangerous. When Elan
was struck he said to his second, who
stood near by, 81 am struck"
fed, and raised his hat to his opponent,
and with his seconds entered his vehicle
and left the grounds.
Beirne was represented by Mr.. Frank
Wright, of Petersburg, and w. +. Chalk
ley, of Richmond. Elam's seeonds were
Shetfey Lewis, of Rockingham, a son of
the Lieutenant Governor and U. S. Attor-
ney for the West District of Virginia, and
John d. Smelling, well known local Goa
lition politician, of Richmond. The wea-
pons were Colts revolvers OF thirty-two
caliber, and the distance eight PAGES.
HIT IN THE SECOND FIRE.
At the word of command both men fred
promptly. The reports from their weapons
rang out upon the morning air almost sim
ultaneously. AS neither party was hurt,
Beirne asked fora renewal of the firing The
combatants again took positions, and the
command "One, two, three-fre!" was
given. Both weapons were again discharg-
ed, almost simultaneously. Beirne's shot
was well delivered, and struck his antago-
mist about where it was aimed. Eiam
missed his mark. Both men are represent
ed to have behaved with perfect colmness
and selt-possession throughout the long
and tedious delays incident to the affair,
as we'll as under the firing to-day.
Beirne is a powerfully-bu man, and
weighs over two hundred and twenty-five
pounds, while his antagonist does not
weigh more than one hundred and forty.
The difference in their sizes was OF course
greatly to the disadvantage of Beirne.
Elam's near-sig sightedness, it was asserted by
his friends, was an Offset to that disadvant-
age OF his opponent. DR.. Lewis Wheat, a
acted as surgeon for Elan. Bsirne had
no medical attendance. His friends
throughout the long delays always seemed
to be impressed with the conviction that
Beirne would come. out unhurt. So no
medical attendance was secured by him.
Alter DR.. Wheat gave Mr.. Elan sucn a.
tention on the ground as he could, he was
removed to L!uwood, the residence OF
Lieutenant Governor Lewis, twenty-five
miles of, where he will receive every pos.
sible attention. The object of selecting
the vicinity OF Waynesboro as the dueling
ground was because it was about midway
between Greenbrier couEty, West Viz
ginia, where Beirne was in conceQIment,
and Hanover county, where Elan lay hid
from the authorities.
The wounded editors wife was telegraph
ed for, and left this afternoon for his bed
side. The duel attracted widespread intel
est throughout the State. No event has
transpired since the war which has occu-
pied more public attention.
ROMANTIC FEATURES OF TIE DUEL.
The most romantic part of the duel is the
manner in which the two principals es,
capped the authorities, after they were in
terrupted at Hanover Junction, on June
%. Beirne escaped from the Sheriff there,
and fed to Greenbrier county, W. Va.
Page McCarty, his second, went to Rich
mond, and prepared new cartel, in which
Waynesboro was agreed on as the place OF
meeting. Beirne had safely PLACED himself
beyond the limits of the State, and the
question then arose, how were the parties
to get together. The difficulties were en-
hanced by the fact that all means Of com
munications were under espionage. De-
putty Sheritis all along the lines of the rail
road were on the outlook. The authorities
had drawn q complete network around the
parties. McCarty, Rayland and all the
no ri l,n off
watched by detectives. itlanl RaQ securely
hid near Richmond, but Bairne could NOT
move from West Virginia. Finally Mc
Carly resorted to a cipher dispatch. Mes
sengers were sent to Beirne, West Virginia.
one bearing a pair of navy revolyers, and
the other the key to the cipher. They went
by different routes. The cipher man was
chased by Deputy SherItf5, VITO suspected
hiE. He escaped by r"Gnjng through a
big cornield.
The railroad aHihoritits, who read, and
it. is Eail, gave away all tell grams that
passed over their lines in relation to this
affair, perused the dispatches concerning
brilliant tTArsaCtiOus III tobacco, anu rash
attempts to bull the wheat mPrGet, while
the chances ola brilliant season at the White
$ liphur Springs were discussed, while the
dispatch which appointed the piuce OF
meeting, discussed the maple sugar crop of
GfeeEOTltT county. ~ Doth ends oil the
line detectives w,re Eonpiusch hy means
OF the cipher. ThD cartel ard all HcaessHry
prelimIharleS were arranged. Ice cartel
provided that the meeting 4hond take
place at Waynesboro, at & this nroruing.
OH the old stage road. The password was
to be Number One"
\ NARROW ESCAPE
Biernc ielt Greepbrier County, Tuesday
night, i'll pouring raj and tnrned toward
this PLACE He was accompanied E;y his
second, Wright Chalklcy went on ahead,
and selected the grounds and made the
preliminary arrangements. line deternin-
cd duelist encountered many difficulties
on the journey. The wagon in which
Bicrne travelled was swept down Il noun-
tain stream, and its occupants barely es-
capped.
Elam and Smelling lett Richmond il a
double buggy WeHn' lay, and arrived
here last nignt. The distance travelled by
each was about two hundrei IniieR, over
mountains aud thFoJsn valleys, aqrcss
rivers and creekS. NJ better
evidence OF the determination OF
the Two mtn to meet could be
given than their willingness to en-
tbpGI. f1eF.riyat;I1- m, ,i,