The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-08
DUELBC OUT OF DATE,
A Newspaper Nan Sits Down on a
Nan Who Challenged Him,

Joseph Bryan OF the Richmond Times
Writes That He Is Barred from
Fighting by the Fact That He Is a
Christian and Law-Abiding-J effer-
son Wallace the Writer Of the Chal-
lenRe-The Police Take Him in Tow.
Richmond, Va, Oct Jefferson Wal
lace was arrested tonight upon the
charge Of sending a challenge 70 fight a
duel to Joseph Bryan, proprietor Of the
Times
Mr.. Wallace is a prominent young man
engaged in mercantile pursuits, and has
made some literary experience as re-
porter and at one time was the owner Of
Wallace's Weekly He is a son Of
Charles NJ. Wallace, the collector Of
customs in this city.
MIR. Bryan, proprietor OF the Times, Is
not only one of the leading churchmen in
Virginia. but he is also one Of the wealth
lest and most prominent citizens. He is
president of the Georgia Pacific railroad
and President of the Richmond Locomo-
tive Works.
The origin of the trouble grows out of
some structures made upon the press of
this city, some three weeks ago, by Mr..
Wallace before the democratic city COM
mittee, of which he is the secretary. The
Times, it appears, commented somewhat
sharply upon the language of Mr.. Wal
lace, who called on Mr.. Bryan to apollo
gize. The result was that the matter
was referred to Judge George L. Chris
tian for arbitration. He reported, in
substance, that the Times was not called
upon to apologize.
Mr. Wallace, not being satisfied, sent
the following letter to Mr.. Bryan:
Richmond Va, Oct. 4, 1S93.-To Mr..
Joseph Bryan, Editor OF the Times, Rich
mond, Va. Sir-I have your letter of this date
through the hands Of my friend, Capt. Gun
ningham Hall. who for reasons most honor
able to himself and satisfactory TO me now
withdraws from the correspondence and this
note will be handed you by my brother, Mr.
Wallace. l note that you inclose
letter from Judge George L. Christian, which
of course cannot consider and herewith re-
turn to you. As you refuse to retract the OBJ
lectiOnable reference TO me which appeared
In the Times of Sept. ~ have now only to
ask that you will accord me the redress which
obtains among gentlemen Believing that
you will do this, 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, l have the
honor to be your obedtent servant,
JEFFERSON WALLACE.
MR.. BRYAN's REPLY.
To the above Mr.. Bryan sent this re-
ply:
Richmond, Va, Oct. ITO Jefferson Wal
lace, Esq: Sir-I have just received your
note of the 4th inst, by the hands Of your
! brother Mr.. c. M. Wallace, Jr., and find in it
! a request that l will accord you the redress
| which obtains among gentlemen" and in eX
pressing the belief that will do so, you ask
me to "suggest'tO my your brother the name
| OF some one Of your my friends who will
| confer with him and arrange for a 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 a Christian,
and the idea to such one Of settling a contro-
versy by duel is utterly abhorrent.
Second, l am a law-abiding citizen, and in
| every way, personally, and as the head of the
| Times, inculcate obedience to the law OF the
! land which you know condemns as criminal
the course you invite ne to pursue.
| Third the method you suggest for obtain
! ing redress from me is, in itself. absurd and
| barbarous and no longer obtains among
| gentlemen, and never should have done so.
| Fourth. you have not the least cause of just
! complaint against me. Your pretended cause
! Of complaint growing out OF some statement in
a report of the proceedings of the city demo-
| cratic committee by a reporter of the Times.
! which appeared in the local columns of that
| paper was with the appreciation and aid Of
| your friend Capt. Cunningham Hall, fully eX-
/ amined by Judge George L. Christian and his
! conclusion was that you had been correctly
! reported, were the author of your own posi-
/ ton and that you were entitled to no rerara-
/ ton through the columns of the Times as you
! had demanded.
! l cannot tyour request assume the respon-
| sibihtY for the natural consequence of your
/ own errors of Judgment and intemperance of
/ language and make such amends as you
/ think would sOothe your wounded vanity. l
! have treated you with great consideration
during all the steps of this controversy, but
! you have now put yourself outside of the law,
and our communication must here end.
Your etc,
JOSEPH BRYAN.
A short note was then sent by Mr.. Bry-
an to the chief of police, in which he in
closed the challenge from Mr.. Wallace.