The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-03


When Mr.. Beirne and his companions
had returned from their drive to the park
iast evening Dir. Beirne received several OF
MS friends In his room. Mr.. Beirne en-
tertained his friends with one continuous
round OF his good wit and humor. His
companions appeared to heartily enjoy the
Jokes they had practiced on folks in the
country through which they had passed
while on the way to Waynesboro'. AS they
were travelling incog., they frequently
talked with persons about the duel
and other matters, the people little think
Ing they were one OF the duelling parties.
AT one farmhouse where they stopped
overnight, and were entertained in the
most bospitable manner. one OF the seconds
asked the trim little housewife the news.
She remarked there was not much, but she
had heard Of two Richmond editors who
had started off to tight duel, but one OF
them had been arrested, and the affair
would not amount TO anything. She
guessed they had arranged beforehand to
have one OF the party arrested to prevent
the duel.
AS she said this she looked toward Mr..
Beirne and his friends, and il required
some desperate efforts at contracting the
muscles OF their faces to-. preserve their
gravity. eve disliked very much to de-
ceive the good people, but it had to be
DONE" said one Of the party. The only
man injured in Beirne's party was one Of
his friends, who will not get over the
effects Of a two days. iolting on horseback
for some time to come.
NEW ACCOUNT OF THE DUEL.
The following, given by one OF Mr..
Beirne's seconds to reporter OF the Balti-
more Sun, has some new points concerning
the duel, and corrects some misstatements
heretofore made:
The meeting had been originally arranged
for last Friday week at Hanover junction,
but the police got wind OF it, and were on
the ground in time. Elan escaped arrest; /;
but Beirne was actually arrested, but after
wards made his escape on the cars. awe
got q carriage" said the gentleman who
told the story, "and drove to a private
hotel at Dry Creek. about half mile from
White Sulphur Springs. There we spent
the next day Saturday. At 10 z. NJ. we
drove to Lewisburg, W. Va, nine miles
away, and stayed there until Monday at
III O'Clock, when, hearing that warrants
had been gotten out at White Sui
phur Springs, we took 20 the woods, and
spent the rest OF the day on top OF the
mountain in the woods, and at night we
went to Ronceverte, w. Va. When the
meeting at Hanover Junction had been
frustrated, one OF Mr.. Beirne's friends
went back to Richmond TO communicate
with Mr.. Elam's friends. We commune
Gated with our friend in cipher telegrams,
and on Tuesday while we were at ROnce-
verte we got telegram advising us that
meeting had been arranged to take place at
Waynesboro' Saturday morning. We left
Ronceverte Tuesday at PIP. NJ, and drove
all the way to Waynesboro', smiles. Mr..
Chockley, Of our party, went ahead by rail,
looking out for us, and he was in WayneS-
boro' Friday hight. Mr.. Beirne and the
rest of us got TO Waynesb0r0' at l O'Clock
Saturday morning. We did not 90 into
town, bet hid in piece OF woods TIL day
light, when one Of us went into Waynes-
boro' and learned exactly where the meet
ing was to take place. We got to the place
a little before 6, and found Mr.. Elan and
his friends on the ground. There were
present in Mr.-Beirne party his seconds,
Frank VI. Wright, OF Petersburg, and W.
Il. Chockley, OF Richmond, and also his
brother, Andrew Beirne, OF Lewisburg,
and II. NJ. Smith, Jr., Of Richmond. Mr..
Elam's seconds were Mr.. Shelley Lewis, OF
Rockingham county, and DR.. Lewis Wheat,
OF Richmond. A few other friends OF
his were there, among them Mr.. John Smell
ling, Of Richmond. Mr.. Wright and Mr..
Lewis tossed for choice OF positions and as
to who should give the word. Mr.. Lewis
won both, and placed Mr.. Elam fronting
TO the northwest. The two were eight
PAGES apart. and the weapons used were
Colts fve-chamber reyoIvers, thirty-one
calibre. The agreement was that the men
were to fire between the words one and
three. Mr.. Lewis called out, Fire! !!
ne-two-three.' Both fred simutane-
ously as soon as the word 'one' was
out. Mr. Eam's bullet struck the skirt OF
Mr.. Beirne's coat, close to where Mr.. Elam
was shot in the next fire. As scon as the
pistols were discharged the secon4 time Mr..
EIam said. I'm struck He di / not fall,
DIR. Wheat running up and supporting
him. His wound was in the light hip, ap-
parently right over the thigh bone. lie re-
marked to DR.. Wheat that he had felt the
ball 90 through his right hip and into his
left hip. Mr.. Wright said that his princi-
nal was satisfied, and we at once left the
field, driving five miles TO CTim0ra, on the
Shenandoah Valley road, where we took
the train for Baltimore"
THEIR FIRST MEETING.
A dispatch to the New York Times says
that. strange as it may seem, the principals ;
in the present affair were unacquainted
with each other. Mr.. Beirne has been on
the Richmond press for the past six years,
but never during that time met Mr.. Elan.
The latter is very much OF a recluse, and
rarely appears in public. He was seldom
seen about the city except in going from
his clearinghouse to the Wing Office or
the Capitol, where his duties As Secretary
of the Commonwealth called him. Both
gentlemen are sOciable and pleasant in
their manners, but Elan has few intimates
Beirne, on the other hand, mixed great
deal with the people.
Lacking After Their Interest.