Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-08
THERE WAS NO DUEL.
Mr.. Wallace Asked q Meeting but
Mr.. Bryan Declined 1t.
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
rseiisg Aaerieved At the Timcs's Crit
cism and Refusal TO Retract. Mr.. Wal.
lace Thns Sought Satisfaction.

him with committing "a breach OF the
peace in sending a challenge to mortal
combat" 20 Mr.. Joseph Bryan. editor and
proprietor OF the Richmond Times. Mr..
Wallace was bailed in the sum Of $500
for his appearance at the Police Court
Monday morning. Mr.. James T. Ferriter
becoming his surety.
This arrest was the elimination of
trouble that had existed between Mr.. Wal
lace and the Times for some weeks At
the meeting OF the City Democratic Com
mittee on the night OF September the
18th Mr.. Wallace offered the following
resolution:
Resolved, That the Executive Committee
OF this body see the managinA-editor OF
each OF the dailies. and request that they
instruct their reporters in future only to
record the action of the committee In
brief way. and not comment on the views
or expressions OF individual members.
In speaking to the resolution. Mr.. Wal
lace. while disclaiming personal feeling
in the matter INDUCED IN some criticism
of the Times's report OF previous meet
ing Of the committee, and of an editorial
in that paper referring to Captain Cum
ningham Hail. and Mr. John u. MurreH
who was the Times's reporter at the meet
ing of the 18th. and also at the previous
meeting replied in kind in his report
which appeared in the Times OF the 10Th.
HE WROTE A CARD.
Mr. Wallace, feeling himself aggrieved
had a personal interview with Mr. Bryan
on the Dist. and asked him II he would
publish his (Wallace's) reply TO the
Times's criticism. This Mr.. Bryan con-
scented 10 do provided 1t did not contain
anything, which, in his judgment, was
offensive When. however, the reply was
submitted Mr.. Bryan returned 1t TO Mr..
Wallace with certain expressions in II
marked and the statement that 1t would
be printed IL these expressions were
eliminated
MIR Wallace declined 10 eliminate these
expressions. and at the meeting of the
city Committee on the night OF the 9th
Of September read his reply before that
body. and made a speech, in which he
again sharply criticised the Times and
Mr.. Murrel. and the latter, In his re-
port OF the meeting which appeared the
2'th. returned to the charge, character
izing Mr.. Wallace's remarks as "assenine"
and malicious" On the same morning
Captain Cunningham Hall delivered TO
Mr.. Bryan note from Mr.. Wallace, in
which the latter said:
"'uihNI proper anu SdliSldtlOlN
editorial apology for. or a retraction Of,
the offensive language Of the article (Nlr.
Murrells report. and If your sense
Of what is due me does not admit of
such reuaction or apology. will you do
me the favor to advise me II l may look
to you for redress"
PROPOSED A COMPROMISE
Mr.. Bryan, in answer to this, made
the following proposition:
II propose that the Objectionable lam
guagc shall be submitted to three gen
tlemen: one TO be chosen by you; one by
Mr. Murrell, and the third by the two so
chosen, and that the facts of the case
shall be heard by these gentlemen. to be
presented by Mr.. Murrell and yourself.
with such testimony as either of you
may choose TO advance. Upon this hear
Ing these referees shall make an award.
and their decision shall be final, and IL
it is determined that you have been
wronged. l will cause the award to be
published in the Times. and will express
much regret that you should have been
wronged in its columns"
Mr. Wallace. in a letter dated the Goth,
declined to admit the propriety OF arbi-
tratiOn, iterated his demand that the
offensive language" of the report Of
the 2Sth be retracted, and in conclusion
wrote:
I'm case you decide not to make the
amend honorable do me the favor to say
whether | may look TO you for redress.
Ny friend. Captain Cunningham Hall.
who bears this note. will call for your re-
ply tomorrow afternoon at o'clock.
When Captain Hall came for the an
swer. Mr.. Bryan took the position that
he was DESTROYS of having the matter
impartially investigated. but would do
nothing, unless the last two notes of
al ta-ifh "A rfltS nd
consultation with Mr.. Wallace, Captain
Hall withdrew them, the formers under
standing being. he says, that the with
drawal was temporary. Mr.. Bryan then
submitted the case to Judge George i.
Christian for investigation. and that gen
tleman. after hearing the statements of
4 number of the members of the COM
mittee. and of members of the press
who reported the meeting of the commit
tee. gave as his opinion that Mr.. Bryan
was under no obligation to Mr.. Wal
lace to make further reparation to him
through the columns of the Times.
MR. WALLACE'S FINAL LETTER.
\ copy Of Judge Christians report was
sent to Mr. Wallace. by Mr.. Bryan, with
note from the latter stating that it
appeared from the report that The Times
had done Mr.. Wallace no wrong. and re-
GREETING that the controversy had arisen
ana on yesterday the report was returned
with the following note:
RICHMOND. VA. october 4. 1888.
Sir-I have your letter of this date.
through the hands of my friend
CAPTAIN Cunningham Hall, who, for
reasons most honorable to himself
and satisfactory TO me, now with
draws from this correspondence. and
this note will be handed you by my
brother Mr. Wallace
note that you inclose a letter from
Judge George l.. Christian, which, of
course. cannot consider. and herewith
return TO you.
As you refuse TO retract the objection
able reference 10 me which appeared IN
The Times of the 9th, l have now only
20 ask that you will accord me- the re-
dress which obtains among gentlemen.
Believing that you will do this, l ask that
you will do me the favor to suggest TO
my brother the name of some one of
your friends who will confer with him and
arrange for a meeting
have the honor TO be your obedient
servant.
(signeO JEFFERSON WALLACE.
To Mr.. Joseph Bryan, editor Of The
Times, Richmond
MIR. BRYAN'S REPLY.
To this communication Mr.. Bryan re-
piled:
RICHMOND. VA, october Z, 1898.
Jefferson Wallace. Esq, Richmond, Va:
Sir,-I have just received your note of
the 4th instant. by the hands of your
brother, Mr.. c. M. Wallace Jr, and find
In 1t a request that / will accord you
the redress which obtains among gentle
men," and in expressing the belief that
will do so. you ask me to suggest to
my your brother the name OF some one
OF (my) your friends who will confer with
him and arrange for meeting" This
being challenge to fight duel. have
no hesitation in declining TO accept 1t
for the following reasons:
First profess and try to be Christian.
and the idea to such an one OF settling a
controversy by duel is utterly abhorrent.
Second. i am a law-abiding citizen, and
In every way personally. and as the head
Of The Times, icc ulcate obedience to the
Law Of the Ian. which you well know
corttemns as criminal the course you in
vite-me TO pursue.
Third The method you suggest for OBJ
tanning redress from me is. In itself, abb
sard and barbarous and no longer Job
talnsr among ""gentlemen"-and never
Shnt,ld haya done