The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29

substitution OF a single Dali LOT puChsHot
and twelve feet for ten.
The principals and their friends drove
from Washington to Bladensburg on FRI
day evening, February >, that they might
be convenient to the ground on the morn
ing on Saturday morning, Mason and
McCarty met st o'clock. Though It was
showing violently at the time. there were
good many witnesses. Mason wore a
heavy oVerccat with heavy skirts. McCar-
ty appeared in his shirt sleeves. At the
wcrd they fired Mason fell dead. Nc
Carly was severely wounded, his antago-
nists ball entering his left wrist. and tear
ing its way through the muscles OF his
arm toward his shoulder. Three distinct
wounds were discovered in Mason body,
besides enc in his left elbow. There was
considerable talk Of foul play. but by a
post mortem examination It was ascertain
ed that the bali had struck the elbow
bone and had been split in three parts,
each of which had entered the body. The
seconds of General Mason in concluding
their account, published at the time said
that the affair although fatally. was hon
orably terminated and the department of
the friends OF Mr. Carly throughout the
whole business. was perfectly correct
McCarty recovered, but it is said bitterly
lepenetd of the encounter till his death.
Decatur and Barron Fight.
The next fatal affair upon this ground
was that between James Barron and Sc
phen Decatur, of the American Navy, and
which was fought March %, 1920. Tne
causes which led to this encounter had
been accommodating for a series of years In
1897 Commodore Barron, commanding tie
Chesapeake left Norfolk with his vessel
so unPrepared for defence that on nesting
the English ship Leopold he was compelled
to lie to and allow several OF his crew, al
legged to be British deserters, to be taken
from his decks. This aroused great indig-
nation throughout the country. court OF
enquiry deemed that the facts were sufTi-
GENTLY grave to warrant court-martal,
with the result that Barron was suspended.
Commodore Decatur was a member of both
courts. Barron contended that Decatur,
having formed and expressed an opinion
from hearing the evidence before the court
of enquiry, could not sit on the court mar
tial with an unbiased mind. Commodore
Barron. after his suspension, went to Eu-
rope, and during his absence the war of
1872 broke out. After peace had been de-
clared Commodore Barron applied for res
toration to his rank, which application was
opposed by Decatur. He said that Barron
ought not to be again received into the
naval service; that there was not enough
employment for all the officers who had
served their country in the hour of trial,
and that it would be doing an act OF ia
justice to employ him to the exclusion Of
any one of them.'
In endeavoring to prevent Barron's re
admission. Decatur wrote that he was
performing a duty he owed TO the serv-
ice" and that he was contributing to the
preservation of its responsibility The
relations OF Barron and Decatur continued
strained up to June, 1919. Barren, woo
was living at Hampton, Va, sent to Decs
tur. who resided at Washington, the fol-
lowing note:
Hampton, Va, June u, 1919.
Sir: / have been Informed in Norfolk
that you have said that you could insult
me with impunity, or words 10 that ef-
feet. If you haze said so, you viii, no
doubt avow it. and l shall expect to hear
from you"
Decatur replied to this: Whatever I
may have thought or said in the very fire.
quent and free conversations ! have had
respecting you and your conduct, / feel
thorough conviction that I never could
have been guilty of so much egotism as to
say that I could insult you Tor any other
mani. with impunity." A correspondence
between the two men dragged over sever
al months Their final meeting was at
the duelirg ground. Commodore Decatur
was attended by Capt William BainDrdge
as MS second, ana COMMODORE barron by
Capt Jesse o. Elliott. Among others
present were Captains Rodgers and P r.er.
After the principals had been placed in
their respective positions each with a pis-
tol in his hand. Barron is reported to have
said TO Decatur: Sir. l hope on meeting
in another world We shall be better friends
than in this
Decatur replied. a have never been your
enemy. sir
The word was given and the men stand
ing eight PAGES apart fired simultaneously.
Both fell. Decatur was supported TO where
Barron lay and a brief conversation took
place. Barron was heard to say, Would
to God you had said thus much yesterday"
Decatur was conveyed to Washington
where he expired at II o'clock on the
same night. at his home on Lafayette
Square. Barron was also borne TO Wash
ington and was confined by his wound until
April 10 when he was removed to his home
at Hampton.
On the night of Decatur's death. the
National Intelllgencer'- issued post
script as follows:
Postscript II O'Clock Wednesday night,
March %.
"A hero has fallen, Commodore Stephen
Decatur, one OF the best officers Of our
Navy. the pride of his countryside gal
liant and noble hearted gentleman-is no
more 81
He expired a few moments ago of the
mortal wound received in the duel this
morning.
THE origin of the feud which led to
this disastrous result We know but what
rumor tells. The event we are sure. will
fill the country with grief
Mourn, Columbia! for one of thy
brightest stars is set-a son without fear
his fame-in the prime Of his usefulness
has descended TO the tomb"
The Decatur house was subsequently oc-
cupied by Mr.. Livingston, Secretary OF
State under Jackson. and by Martin Van
Buren, while Vice President. II then be-
come the property of Gen. e. f. Beale.
The remains OF Decatur were removed in
1874 to Philadelphia, where they lie in
St Feter's churchyard. at the southeast
corDs- OF Third and Pine Streets
The duel between Jonathan CIley, a
Representative from Maine, and William
j. Groves, Representative from Ken
lucky, was fought February "a, 1898 at
forgotten point on the road to Marlboro.
Ciley was killed. The seconds were, for
Mr.. Cilley, Representative George W.
Jones. Of Tennessee; for Mr.. Groves, Rep
resentatiye Henry A. Wise, Of Virginia.
Among the spectators We're Representa-
tiyes Crittenden and Menefee OF Ken
aucliy, Duncan of Ohio, and Bynum OF
North Carolina.
The bloodless duel between John Ran
delphi and Henry Clay took place on the
Virginia shore OF the Potomac River past
Little Falls Saturday afternoon. April s,
1926
SELLING BUTTER BY THE YARD.
Sold by Measure.