The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-01
LAST OF VIRGINIA DUELrsrs.
Captain Page McCarty. Who Killed
John Mordecai. Succumbs 10 a Long
ILLNESS.
New York Herald.D

lNew YORK Herald
Richmond. Va, May s5.-Captain
Page McCarty, an editor. and known
as the last Of the Virginia duelists. died
this evening at the Retreat for the
Sick. after a long illness
There was on episode III his life
which surrounded him with exceptional
romantic interest That was the duel
over h noted beauty, Miss Mary
Triplett, who was called the belle Of
the south"
McCarty was one Of her many adj
mirers. Another was John Mordecai.
Both men belonged to cultured vir-
GINA families and We're once bosom
friends. They had rollicked and had
studied together in the University OF
Virginia during the COS, and after
their graduation had entered into the
gay fascinating social life of Rich
n were devoted TO ach other until
a stronger lov filled their hearts.
SHOWED HER PARTIALITY.
quick to avenge ar insult. His college
chum was equally courageous and hot
tempered. Miss Triplett. the reigning
beauty, showed 10 Partially for one of
the two bosom friends until one nigh;
in April, 1873 when a ball was given
in Richmond.
Mordecai and McCarty were there.
Each pressed his suit for Miss Trip
let's hand. The capricious beauty
showered all her avors that night or
Mordecai and her other admirers. fin
ally sighting McCarty in so marked a
manner that he left the house in a
rage. vowing he would see her no
more.
There appeared a few days after
ware in one of the local newspapers a
poem in which the name Of Mary"
appeared. Those who We're aware OF
the incident at the ball knew at once
that the Mary" was Miss Triplett.
Mordecai was at breakfast in a res
taurant with a friend when he read the
publication. Crumpling the paper in
his hand he exclaimed: Page McCaT-
ty wrote those verses, and / shall hold
him personally responsible"
These were the verses:
When Mary's queenly form l press
In Strauss latest waltz,
1 would as we'll her lips caress.
Although those lips be false.
For still with fire Love tips his dart,
And kindles up anew
The flame which once consumed my
heart,
When those dear lips were true.
Of form so fair, of faith so faint.
If truth were only in her,
Though she'd be then the sweetest
saint,
I'd still feel like a sinner.
ARRANGED FOR A DUEL.
The two young men met soon after
in the Richmond Club one night. Both
had been drinking. There was a quar-
rel and Mordecai knocked McCarty
down. The latter Immediately arrang-
ed for a duel to the death. Colonel w
B. Tabb and John S.. Meredith acted as
McCarty's seconds. Mordecai's seconds
We're William r. Triq~ president of a
ship building company which is now
building war vessels for the govern
ment, and William L. Royal, now a
Richmond banker
McCarty and Mordecai fought their
duel the next day IN the outskirts OF
Richmond. They stood twenty PAGES
apart and raised their duelling pistols
Both fired at the same time and both
fell to the ground.
Mordecai received a fatal wound in
the stomach and died two days later
McCarty had a serious wound in the
right thigh, which kept him in be-
for several weeks. After his ecovery
he was sentenced to six months i'm
p~risonment and to pay a fine of $500
McCarty served only a few DAYS. H.
was pardoned by Governor Kemper or
the statement of physicians that he
would die if not released.
Miss Mary Triplett was married SOOr
after to Captain Philip Haxall. She
| continued a social favorite until ne,
sudden death from disease a few
years ago.
McCarty never was cheerful and
happy after the duel and Stunned tbs
society of He was once an edi.
tor on q, Richmond and a Washington
newspaper, but his pen was practically
idle during the last few years.