The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-03-29
TWO OLD PISTOLS.
They Figured In a Murderous Duel That
Interested PHILADELPHIA Years Ago.


Interested Philadelphia Years Ago.
A very handsome pair of old fashioned
pistols, the barrels II inches long, saw
handle, grips and f1intlocks, made by Will
kinson of London, 1920, and finished in a
style that shows perfection of mechanical
handiwork, have a record of deadly inter-
est to old Philadelphians, for bullet from
one of them caused the death of William
H. Miller, Jr., at the hands of Charles G.
Hunter of the United States navy, known
to history as Alvarado Hunter.
William H. Miller, Jr., was a young
lawyer who lived ON the south side of
Walnut, below Third street, and was con-
nected with many of the leading families
in Philadelphia. He was involved in a
quarrel under the following circumstances:
H. Wharton Griffith and Roger Dillon
Drake, two of the gilded youth of that
time, 1929, had a fight in a saloon at
Fourth and Chestnut and mutually pun
meled one another.
After a suspicious delay Griffith sent
Midshipman Charles H. Duryea to Drake
with a challenge. Drake took abundance
of time to reply, refusing to meet Griffith
on the ground that he was not gentle
man, and Duryea at once challenged
coward. Finally Drake sent Miller with
challenge to Duryea, who refused to re-
ceive it ON the ground that Drake was no
gentleman. Hero was a complication.
Jack Aston of Beaufort, S. c., noted
duelist, was consulted and quickly gave
his opinion that the entire crowd were a
set of Quaker buffers and windbags, who
did not want to fight" He ended matters
nv Otf M tn IN
sight. AS he was manifestly dangerous,
all hands kept out of his way, and he left
the state with huge disdain for the
Quaker City braves.
And now new parties interviewed. Mid
shipman Charles G. Hunter and Lieuten-
ant Hampton Westcott of the marines, as
friend of Duryea, took it up, and Hunter
goaded Miller into fight, finally posting
him in the United States hotel. Then
Miller sent Lieutenant Edmond Byrne, u.
5. N, to Hunter, and a meeting was ar
ranged, and on Sunday, March Z, 1880,
the affair came off on the Delaware side of
Naaman's creek, in Delaware county. 1t
is said that an agreement was to be made
that Miller, who was no shot, was to be
spared, but Hunter ON the ground asked
his second Westcott, shall hit him?''
Yes" answered Westcott, pink the
Peking.''
Hunters bullet went through Miller's
lungs, and he was dead ere he struck the
ground. Hunter remarked that he had no
enmity against the dead man, and the
blame rested on those who had commenced
the quarrel.
Philadelphia journalists were timid in
those days. After giving the names of
Byrne, Duryea Hunter and Westcott they
added that there was another person on
the ground, but did not give the name,
and this was the sharper and horse jockey,
Prince Murat, from BOrdentown. and he
drove Hunter away in his carriage.
The sequel was incredibly brutal Mil
ler's body was doubled up, placed in a
chaise and driven to the home of his I'M
Gle, Robert Craig, OH Walnut street, the
father of Nicholas Biddle, and, stiff and
bloody, was carried into the house. 1t is
incredible to tell that no steps were taken
by the dead mans influential relatives to
avenge his murder, but the people spoke
with no uncertain voice.
The state legislature, then in session,
denounced the murder and petitioned
President Jackson in the matter. John
Branch, secretary of the navy, at once
sent in the names of those concerned, and
tho president ordered themyto be dismissed
from the service of the United States.
Hunter was secreted in the house of a
farmer on the banks of the Delaware.
Here he remained for some time, finally
marrying his landlords daughter. He was
reinstated in 1912 and took the Mexican
town of Alvarado during the war, disobey-
ing his orders therein, and for this he was
court martialed and henceforth was a
friendless wanderer, dying in misery in a
New York hospital, regretting at last that
he had any part in the death of Miller.
The pistols belonged to Westcott and
came into the possession of a relative who
sold them to Robert States of New York,
and they were sent to a friend here for in
spection. Although smoothbores, at 20
yards they are as accurate as modern
rihe.-Philadelphia Times.