The Irish standard., 1893-02-11
THE O'CONNELL DUEL.


to welcome them at last.
THE o'CONNELL DUEL.
Famous Encounter in Which the Liberatoz
Killed His Orange Antagonist
Readers of Irish history are all famil-
lar With the story of the famous and
fatal duel between O'Connell and DIES
terre, member OF the Dublin corpora
ton. At one of the Catholic meetings
addressed by O'Connell in January, 1916,
he took occasion to find fault with the
lack of discussion of the question where
he had expected cooperation, aud in the
course of his remarks he said chat if the
petition of the C.th,l IS for emancipa-
ton had been properly debated I'VE
should now SOC the-b eggarly corporation
of Dublin antici pating our Efforts by a
petition of an opposite tendency" To
this remark of O'Connelfs Mr. DIES
terre took such offense that he chal
lenged O'Connell to duel. The place
selected was Bishops Court, about
twelve miles from Dlblin. The duelsts
with their attendants m st on the grou I'd
about IN the aftern Don Of Janu Try 81
The seconds tossed for choice Of ground,
which was won for O'Connell. Both
acted with perfect coolnsss. In a cot
tage near by was Father O'Mullane,
who had heard of the meeting and fol-
lowed the great leader at distance ia
the hope of being able to render spiritual
aid in case the worse should befall him.
When the signal was given both shots
were fired with the lapse of a second,
D'Esterre firing first. His bullet fell
short and struck the ground near O'Con-
nell's feet. O'Coa nell's shot took effect
in D'Esterre groin a little below the
hip.
When D'Esterre fell the spectators on
the field could not refrain giving OK
preston to their ngs-they actually
shouted; and young collegian who was
present. afterwards an exemplary Prot
estant clergyman, was so carried away
by the gene raj feeling as to fling up his
hat in the air and shout: "Hurra fer
O Connell!" Very different was the
conduct of the three occupants of O'Con-
nell's carriage. Taey displayed no ex-
ultation. The moment D'Esterre fell
they won't off, and though the place of
m eeting was near Mas, they were close
to Dublin before single word was OK
changed between them. At last O'Con-
nell broke the silence, saying: IL fear he
is dead, he fell 50 suddenly. Where do
you think he was hit?'' SIN the head, I
think" said his medical friend. "That
cannot bel aimed low: the ball must
have entered near the thigh This will
be considered remarkable observation
when it is reco!le cted where, as was sub
sequently found, the wound was in
hicted. It shows the perfect GOODNESS
and hum anity Of O'Connell. Beng one
of tbs surest shots that ever fred a pis-
tol, he could have hit his antag ,nist
where he pleased, but his object was
merely in self defense,to wound him in no
mortal part. and he aimed low with that
intention. ~e ,... e....-.
The oil lamps that dimly Lit the streets
of Dublin in those days threw their dull
CLEANS on the faces of an excited popu-
lace that night. Although light fall of
snow was on the ground the public ways
swarmea with crowds anxiously discuss
ing the conflicting statements all
through the night. The sensation that
stirred the whole city was wonderful.
Probably no event has m we'd Dublin 80
deeply since. All were interested one
way or the other. At first tbs suspense
was torturing. When sure intelligence
of O'Connell's safety arrived the tran
sports of the masses were unboandet.
Still, there were varying accounts OF diff
ferent points connected with the trag
edy, 80 that the general excitement
showed no signs of quickly subsiding.
Bonfres blazed in several streets. It
was plain that if unhappy DE 'terre, in
the earlier stages Of the quarrel, had
succeeded in inf1icting any absolute per-
sonal violence on O'Connell, the most
serious disturbances would have arisen
in the city. But D'Esterre was now in
mortal agony. It is said that, exultant
as the people were, they tried to restrain
the demonstration of their delight in
pity for that unfortunate victim OF his
own rashness and unbridled passions.
He, in the meantime was past all hope,
his life rapidly ebbing away. As it was
i'm apostolic to staunch the wound, he
persisted on the second day after the
duel from. loss Of blood. As he. lay on