Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-18

cling the formation of a syndicate for
the purchase of a large tract of land
in Bolivia, now owned by Baron Henri
ArnOus de Riviere, recalls to the Globe
Democrat one of the most romantic
episodes of southern society life which
occurred prior to the war and renabl-
litates a figure that had long since pas
sed from the recollection of all except
a few Mobile and New Orleans antebel-
lum beauX.
1t was in 1856 that Henri Arnous
de la Riviere, captain of zouaves, of the
Corps d. Antique, French army, first
made his appearance in this country.
He came to Mobile loaded with letters
of introduction to the heads OF French
and creole families and, being fresh
from the theater of war in the Crimea
and Africa, young and Singularly hand
some being the reputed heir Of the
barony of de Riyiere and immense
wealth, he was received everywhere
with open arms. De REVERE was at
that time man of 81 or IS years of
age, possessing handsome face bronx
ed by exposure, a tall muscular frame,
q military carriage, with 1.-THE swing
which suggested the ZOuave daredevil;
he was a superb horseman-in fact, a
man to capture the hearts Of a people
like the sOutherners of those days and
to play havoc with the women
He was not in Mobile long before
he found an introduction into the fam
lily of Frederick Blount-a lawyer of
t,J.r ct, aJ+ oh
consisted at that time of Mrs. BlOint,
q WelLpreserved and handsome woman
of 40, and her daughter, Emily, a young
girl Of 10, just budding into woman
hood, but whose beauty and ability
and accomplishments had already made
her much sought after by the young
men of Mobile. Among the suitOrs of
Miss Blount at that time, and one
who it was thought would be success
full in his suit, was Captain (afterward
coloneD Harry Maury, a Virginian and
q cousin of Commander Maury, of
the United States navy, and of Gen
eral Dadney Mauly. Captain Maury
was quite as handsome and dashing
man as De REVERE, but though he
had gained military fame as a soldier
with Lopez in Cuba and Walker i'll
Nicaragua, he was for the time quite
eclipsed by the gallant zouave in the
mother, and as a consequence felt sore
toward De REVERE.
The Challenge and the Dual.
Two or three little episodes occur
red between the men, but Maury'S de
termination to draw De REVERE into
a quarrel which meant duel in those
days, were for a time frustrated by
the GOODNESS of De REVERE and infilen
ces brought to bear upon him by Miss
Blount One night, however, Maury
and De REVERE met in a public coffee
house in Mobile, and Maury took the
occasion to fasten upon De Riviere ar
insult which brooked no delay in the
latter's sending him a challenge. Mat
ters were quickly arranged, a cotton
merchant of Mobile, Ned McDonold by
name, acting as Maury's friend an6
the French consul acting for De Ri
Were. The terms of the fight were
Colts navy pistols, twelve PAGES
to fire at the word, and if neither was
or both should fall'-a business affair
from the start and rendered more ser
ious by the fact that both men were
known to be excellent shots, Maury'S
skill being well-llnOwn and that OF
De Rivere depending upon the report
of those with whom he was intimate
who declared that he could cut tape
of
The fight occurred at the Mississippi
state line, some miles west of Mobile
and the party, coming and going, had
to pass in front of BlOunt's residence
on the Spring hill road now Spring hill
avenue. On arriving at the grounds
no time was lost in prelimina1ies The
men We're placed and on toss for the
word it was won by Nc Donald. AT
the word ''one," after fire, both pistols
cracked. Maury stood perfectly still,
cooked pistol in hand, but De Riviere
lurched heavily forward and fell about
midway of the fighting distance, and
there, from the ground fired at Maury.
The latter, still unScathed again fired
and put a ball into De Riveires head
which ended the fight. On examination
by the surgeons, Maury's ball was
found to have entered the left jaw and
imbedded itself in the hard palate,
whence it was subsequently cut The
first shot, that which caused him to
fall, had struck coin in his pocket
directly over the heart, and had knock
ed him down by sheer conclusion. 1t
was reported, and for 4 long time
currently believed in Mobile and New
Orleans, that De Riviere wore shirt
of mail under his other clothing, but
this is not true The writer has been
assured both by the surgeons and by
Colonel Maury that De Riviere acted
most honorably throughout the affair
1t would, however, be hard to convince
most old Mobilians of the fact De
Riyiere was removed to town, but
when the calvalcade reached the front
of the Blount mansion it was halted by
orders of Mrs. Blount, and De Riviere
was taken to the house to be nursed
back to health by the fair Madame
and Miss Blount
Some weeks passed and Captain De
Rlyiere was reported as convalesclng
timely, when one morning all Mobile
was thrown into the widest excitement
by the report that De Riviere. Mrs
Blount and Miss Blount were missing
Blount was beside himself, and as
soon as he learned the facts, which
were that the party had taken car
Tiages and gone overland to point Oh