The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-04-14

= There MAS some talk about the matter
mong their friends, whichswas incseas'
d when a-few days later there appeared
ID one Of the local papers the follow.
og
We have received for publication the
: following poem. "A loving swain, who,
6onbtless, has been kicked by his sweet
beart:
When Mary's queenly form press,
In Strausss Latest waltz.
would as well hes lips csress,
& Although those lips be false.
|I i For still with fire, Love tips his darts,
And kindles up anew
The fame which once consumed my heart
T. when those dear lips we're true.
OF form 30 fair, Of faith so faint,
If truth were only In her,
I5 Though she'd then be the sweetest saint,
pd stilI feel like sinner.
: In discussing this efasion OF the
Richmond Club, the suggestion was
made that McCarty was the author and
ashat he referred to Miss Triplett. Nor.
: decai said that if this was the case the
author was q "poltroon,. "a coward and a
sconndrel."
TWAS not for several days thst this
remark reached McC Carty's ears, and then
il Was coupled with reflections on his
courage in not having taken it up soon
er.
He at once sent 3 note to Mordecai,
announcing that he was the author Of
the poem, that there VAS no intention in
fit to reflect on Miss Triplett, and demand
! ed retraction of the offensive re.
mark.
The retraction was not forthcoming
land arrangements we're made for duel.
The police got wind of the affair, howev-
Ter, the principals arrested, and finally a
Court5of h6uor drew up "cartel Of
truce (which both men signed, agreeing
20 ,let the matter rest, and providing
that, under no circumstances, should
either man speak or in any way recog-
nize the other.
They lived up to the cartel until May
rs. On that day McCarty was in the
billiard room of the club house playing
Il billiards With friend. The subject Of
Ibis trouble with Mordecai, came up and
he said that there had been great deal OF
gossip about the affair, and that his cour.
sge had been questioned, and that in the
8 future he should hold to strict accounta.
bility auyone.who triaed With bis good
name.
While be was talking Mordecai came
into the room. He overheard part of
McCsssy's remarks. and walking up to
= him, asked:
Are those remarks meant for me,
! sirsp
sand who are you, sira" asked Nc
Carty, sneerirgly.
81 am gentleman, sir" came the
4 answer in voice trembling with pas.
# sion.
tsAh,l" returned McCarty contemptu-
ously.
The insulting tone was too much for
Mordecai, and he foored McCarty with
tsa heavy blow in the face. He was
mneh heavier man than his adversary,
aud in the fight which followed McCar'
ty got much the worst of it, and WAS so
badly beaten up that he was confined to
his bed for several days.
Both men came of fighting stock, were
in the highest class of Virginia society
ard after such an affair a duel was ab.
soiutely necessary in the then condition
of Richmond society.
While he was confined to his room he
expressed to his mother the fear that
his friends might not be willing to carry
his challenge. "Do not let that worry
you, my son." said the Virginia matron,
"if they will not carry it, will"
y L
This was not necessary, however, for
when Col. W. B. Tabb was called in he
readilyagreed to undertake to arrange
for the meeting on behalf of McCarty.
John S:-Meredith was associated with
him and VIM. R. Royall ard W. R.
Trigg acted in behalf Of Mordecai.
The ground chosen was near Oak
wood Cemetery and the men were to
fght with navy revolvers at ten PAGES.
Early on the morning Of May 9, 1878,
the party, accompanied by Drs. Hunter
Mcclure, who had been Stonewall Jack.
sons medical director, and j. S. D.
Culler, who had filled the same posi-.
ton on Lougstrest's staff, appeared on
the duelling ground.
At the first shot both men missed, and
& Col. Tabb asked McCarty if be was sat-
is6ed.
"No. I want another shot," came the
quick response.
q At the second lire both men fell, NC
s Carty with ball in the hip and
I Mordecai with a bullet through the
j stomach.
- Before the smoke had cleared away
(. Chief of Police Poe came up on gallop.
He was only in time to put the seconds
3 under arrest and assist in taking the
wounded men home.
While Mordecai lay on the ground he
said to his seconds: "6e can have an.
4 other shot if he wants it."
The principals were taken to their
homes aud few days later Mordecai
died from the effects of his wound. The
seconds we're in Jail for several weeks,
8 and guard was placed over McCarty
q until be recovered sufficiently to stand
trial. He was found guilty of inVolun-
tsry manslaughter and fined $500.
The affair created intense excitement
8 in Virginia and the position of Miss
.Triplett was extremely uncomfortable.