Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-05-28
LAST DUEL IN THE NAVY.
Took Place az Far Back as 1880 When
Officer Mas Killed.

Took Place as Far Back as 1880 When
Officer Was Killed.
That settlement Of quarrels by ap-
peal to the code of honor was no
longer to be the unwritten law Of the
American navy was determined by
duel in which William Miller. Jr., a
Philadelphia lawyer, was slain in
personal affair fought along the north
ern circle Of Delaware. The man who
fired the fatal shot was Midshipman
Charles G.. Hunter, and the encounter
took place along Naaman's Creek on
the afternoon of Sunday, March 81,
1880.
Singularly enough neither Miller,
who lost his life, nor Hunter, who kill
ed him, was principal in the original
quarrel that led to the meeting on the
bank Of the little creek in Delaware.
Neither had seen the other until a few
hours before the challenge was sent
and accepted.
Simply a misshot in game Of bill
lizards played at Third and Chestnut
streets led TO the tragedy that plunged
the homes into sorrow and embitter-
ed the life Of the man whose shot
causelessly shed human blood.
Henry Wharton Griffith and r. Dill
Ion Drake, prominent society men Of
Philadelphia, played the game Of bill
liards and Griffith made the misshot
which called forth a taunt from Drake,
who was Immediately struck in the
face with cue by Griffith. A chal-
lenge to duel was sent to Drake. but
Griffith declared that the challenger
was beneath his notice and that he
would not demean himself socially by
|consenting to meet him.
Then followed long and wordy
warfare, in which each posted the 9TH
er as coward. Lieut. Duryee, of the
United States navy, was called In to
make an effort to settle the dispute,
and 1t was then that Miller, the law
yer, and Hunter, the midshipman, be-
came involved in the quarrel In the
heated discussion Hunter accused Mil
ler Of publishing confidential letter,
and a challenge was at once sent by
the midshipman and accepted by the
attorney.
II was decided that the duel should
be fought on early Sunday morning Of
March 81. but it was nearly 10 o'clock
before carriages containing the prin-
cipals, seconds and surgeons left a
house that stood on the present site
of the German Democratic office, on
Chestnut street above Sixth. The pres
ence Of the company excited some
suspicion at Chester, where the party
stopped for lunch, but. they hurried
down the post road, tied their horses
close to the highway, and proceeded
200 yards behind clump Of trees that
would shield them from observation.
AS the sun was setting two pistol
shots rang out simultaneously as one
Of the seconds counted. Zone, two,
three-fire!" Hunter stood unharmed
as the ball from his opponents pistol
struck at his feet, hut Miller cried out
that he was shot, placed one hand on
his breast, and fell with bullet lying
close to his heart. In a few minutes
he died, while pale anu 3 axious faces
watched the convulsive breathing OF
the dying man.
Gentlemen" said Hunter, II had no
enmity against this man. I never
heard of him until two days ago. Let
those whose quarrel embroil him be
responsible for his death"
After a hurried consultation 1t was
decided that the midshipman should
leave the state at once, and he was
driven rapidly to New Castle, Della
ware, where he boarded boat for
New York, and rejoined the navy. In
order to hide the tragedy 1t was de-
cided to wait until dark and take Mil
ler to Philadelphia in a carriage.
Seating the dead man between them
two seconds held him in an upright
position on the long journey to Phila-
delphia. News Of the duel had reach
ed Chester, and crowd Of men stood
at Third street bridge to intercept the
carriages. The first buggy contained
the surgeon, and as his explanation
was satisfactory, he was permitted TO
proceed. The dead man in the second
carriage was driven through the crowd
without the ruse being detected, and
at midnight the body was placed In
house on Walnut street, where vigil
was kept by the seconds, who drank
heavily to support them in the terrible
strain under which they had been
placed.
Miller's father said that he held no
malice against Hunter, but the mid
shipman, who was suspended for
year for punishment, was haunted by
the specter of the dead man lying on
the bank Of Naaman's Creek, slain by
his hand, and died a prematurely old
man after a lonely life, shut out from
all hope of preferment in the navy.
He was buried by the newspaper men
of New York, who erected a tomb
stone over his grave.-Philadelphia
Public Ledger.
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