Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-26
CAPT. PAGE MCCARTHY DEAF
HE BECAME FAMOUS AS RESULT OF
A DUEL.
Killed John MOrdecni in Richmond
in Saskatchewan Prominent
as a Journalist.

A dispatch from Richmond. Va, last
night announced the death of Capt Page
Mccarthy at the Retreat for the Sick He
had been sick a long time
Page McCarty had been for third OF a
century notable figure in the politics and
Journalism Of this state.
In May. 1875, he fought duel with John
Mordecai and killed him. McCarty and
Mordecai were representatives of two OF
the best families of Virginia. They We're
deskmates at the University of Virginia
when law students there. After they were
graduated Mordeca! practiced his profess
sion with the late Col. John B. Young.
celebrated criminal lawyer of that day.
McCarty turned his attention to literary
work and to Journalism.
These two young men We're both desper-
ately in love with Mary Triplett who was
then the belle of the south. She was widely
known on account of her beauty and at
tractive manners. At a ball given here in
April 1873, II Is said she offended Capt.
McCarty by not dancing with him. How
ever that may be, soon thereafter some
verses appeared in local paper, in which
the word Mary figured. These We're at
tributed by Mur1ecai to McCarty. He de-
claref that NcCarty should be held respon-
s!ble for the publication Mordecai con-
suited friends as TO the course he should
pursue. They advised him not to chai-
lerge McCarty, saying that if Miss Trip
lett had been wronged she had brothers
who should hold Capt. McCarty responsible.
Mordecai at first consented to this, but one
night at the old Richmond Club he mel
McCarty and they both used some angry
words which resulted in Mordecai knocking
McCarty down. a challenge from Nc
Carly then followed, and 1t was promptly
accepted.
Duel Follows Alteration.
The duel was fought on Wednesday in
May, 1873 W. L. Royal and VIM. r.
Trigg were Mordecars seconds and Col.
William B. Tabb and John s. Meredith
were McCarty's representatives. DIR. ]. S.
Dorsey Cullen was present as surgeon for
McCarty and DR.. Hunter Mcclure for Nor
decai. Both of the principals were bold
and fearless men. AT the first shot the
ball from Mordecai's pistol penetrated Nc
Cartys thigh and Mordecai was wounded
IN the abdomen. He died two days later
from peritonitis. McCarty was removed to
his mothers residence and was desperately
Ill some time.
The affair created a profound sensation
throughout the country. The seconds were
arrest ed and kept in Jail for six weeks. None
of them would testify and they were finally
released. After McCartys recovery he was
convicted and sentenced to pay fine of
$500 and serve six months In Jail. The fine
was paid He was In prison only a short
while before his surgeon certified that
longer confinement would kill him. Gov
ernor Kemper granted a pardon to the pris-
oner.
Miss Triplett. soon after the duel, married
Capt Phillip Haxall, and for many years
the social queen of Richmond. She
died some years ago.
Became Social Recluae.
Capt McCarty never after the duel
sought the society of ladies. The most of
his life devoted to newspaper work
here and in Washington. He was a bril-
liant writer, and in the stormy days of
politics when Malone was in power in Vir-
GINA he edited the democratic campaign
paper. Many editorials he wrote came very
near to leading up to a challenge. The
state democratic committee presented him
with fine watch and a medal for his ser
vices. The captains health had been poor
for several years He was fifty-six years
old. During the war. when a beardless boy,
he served as captain of artillery