The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-06
An EXCITING Personal AFFAIR.
Mr. r. J. Norris is Whipped on the Public
Square in Edgefield by Mr.. Eenj. Gard
n-r-The Cause OF the Whipping
4 Duel is Prevented by the
Prompt Action of the
Peace Officers.
From the News and Courier. !

Peace Officers.
From the News and Courier.
EDGEEIElp, February l.--Our town
was suddenly thrown into state OF
wild excitement yesterday about noon.
Mr.. Ben Gardiner, a young man VINO
has Just attained his majority, and who
lives about ten miles from town, drove
upon the public square, alighted from
his buggy, and proceeded to apply his
buggy Whip to Mr.. T.. J. Norris, one Of
the leading merchants of the place.
Mr.. Norris, who WAS at the time
! Samuliny cotton fram wagon III trout
Of his store, wheeled upon his ;tssaiii,nt
with his hand in his pocket anG at
TEMPTED to draw his knife, the only
weapon he had. About the same time
Col. Q. +. Chea,han, IN uncle OF Mr..
Gardner, standing not far from the
parties, rushed up. presented pistol
upon Mr. Norris and ordered him to
dtsist. Mr.. Towne, Il friend OF Card
ner's, WAS standing near the parties.
Norris rcfrained troEl any retaliation
and returned shortly afterwards to his
store.
In about half al liour Il challenge
was sent from Norris to Gardner,
which was accepted by the latter.
Pending preliminaries, which were cut
short until to-day, the authorities had
both parties arrested and placed under
heavy peace bond. Mr.. Norris was
arrested early this morning, and MIR.
Gardner later in the day, when he ar
rived in town to continue negotiations
for the meeting. Thus the matter
stands.
1t seems that Mr.. Norris was en-
Gagged to be married to Miss Garduer,
| the sister of Mr. Ben Gardner, and
niece of Col. 0. +. Cheatham:
The wedding was set for February
| IS, and Miss Gardner was proceeding
to prepare for the occasion. Mr. Nor
ris on last Monday notified the young
| lady that he desired the marriage post
poned until the fall, whereupon the
brother and uncle proceeded to hold
him to account, leading TO this unfor-
tunate occurrence, deeply deplored by
| the whole community.
The News in Augusta.
AUGUSTA, GA, February but
| few people in Augusta knew to-day of
the existing trouble between Mr.. Ben
Gardner and Mr.. +. J. Norris, two
| pronident citizens OF Edgetleld, ;. g.,
which is to be settled on the field of
honor. The first intination OF the ru-
mored duel that your correspondent
had was Il telegram from The News
and Courier saying:
"Rumors Of duel between citizens Of
Edgetield. If true send immediate
bulletin. Look out and get good ac-
count of whole affair.""
Upon the receipt of this telegram
about noon your correspondent lmnle-
diately went upon the steets in search
of SOME one from Edgetield, who could
give further information. 1t was not
out long before he met gentleman
who came over from Edgetleld this
morning. He said he could only tell
| what he had hard himself in EGgefield.
That statement was indeed acceptable,
and the gentleman commenced to re-
late the circumstances as follows: The
two principals in this trouble are Mr..
F. j. Norris and Mr.. Ben Gardner.
Mr.. Norris is member Of the firm of
Norris L. Adams, of Edgefield. He is
a widower and about thirty-five years
old. Mr.. Gardner is about twenty-one
wears old and lives about twelve miles
from Edgetield.
The cause of the unpleasantneSs be-
tween MeSsrs. Gardner and Norris, the
gentleman said, was said to be on this
account: Mr.. Norris was engaged to
Miss Minnie Gardner, d sister of Mr.:
Ben Gardner, and was to be married
very shortly. One day this week Mr..
Norris addressed a note to the lady
saving he was compelled to break of
the engagement after looking over his
financial books. The conduct Of Mr..
Norris highly incensed Mr.. Gardner,
the young lady's brother, who yester-
day, accompanied by a couple OF
friends, called on Mr.. Norris at his
store. Mr.. Norris was out i'll the
streets. sampling a bale OF cotton. when
Mr.. Gardner walked up. Mr.. Gard
ner's friends surrounded Mr.. Norris
with pistols in hand, while Mr.. Gard
uer applied the lash to Mr.. Norris.
Mr.. Norris was greatly indignant at
being cowhided and afterwards L
challenge was passed between the gen.
tlemen and accepted to meet on field
of honor and exchange bullets.
That was as much as my first lntor-
mant knew of the affair, but from an
other source it was learned that Messrs
Norris and Gardner disappeared last
night from Edgefield and that they
have gone to some selected spot to fight
the duel. This is all that has yet been
heard of the duel. If it has been
fought, where it took place has not yet
been ascertained, but your correspond
ent has made arrangements to get the
news of the duel as soon as 1t trans
pires, if ever. The gentlemen have not
come in this direction, if they have
left Edgetield, though they may be
making their way for Sand Bar Ferry,
the famous duelling ground, just across
the Savannah River, where they Will
settle their affair of honor.
1t is understood that Mr.. Norris was
to have been married one day next
week to Mr.. Gardner's sister. The
affair is deeply regretted in Augusta,
where both parties are well known and
generally liked. 1t is to be hoped that
the difference between these gentlemen
can he settled other than on the bloody
duelling field.
THE DUEL Is OFF, BUE IT NAY YET BE
FOUGHT.
EDGEF1ELD, February 3.-As has
Keen telegraphed, half an hour after
the encounter between Gardner ana
Adams challenge was passed by Nor
ris to Gardner, which was accepte d.
Pending arrangements for meeting
both parties were arrested. 1t appears
that Gardncr's friend was under II
years of age, to which Norris's second
under the Code excepted. This was
recognized Us valid and proper posi-
ton to take by Gardeners friend, anda
communication was at once made by
Gardner that this error would be cor
rected and speedy arrangements made
for a meeting. This is the way the
l,,n