The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-28
THE M'CARTY-MORDECAI DUEL

retraction and an apology. which Nor
decai refused to make McCarty had said
he had not written the verses about Miss
Trlplett, but about another lady named
Mary, and got the matter patched up upon
that basis. Thereupon the matter was
supposed to be closed. But there were
gossips in Richmond. and one. singu-
larry beautiful and intelligent girl, made
her tongue busy with insinuations that
McCarty had backed out because he was
afraid These things came to McCarty's
ears and put him in terrible fury.
"A short time afterward Mordecai en-
tered the barroom of the Richmond club.
where McCarty was. Mordecai ordered a
d. ink, and while it was being prepared.
McCarty walked up and down the floor
right by Mordecai, making references to
the affair, and making threats of what
he would do II he got the chance. Pres
emily Mordecai walked up to him and
said. DO you mean those remarks for
me?' McMarty replied in a most insulting
manner, And who are you. sir? Nor
decai answered, L am a gentleman, at
least McCarty then said, as extensively
as possible, 'Ah,' and Mordecai instantly
struck him powerful blow in the face
tnat cut all the skin from oever his left
eye and felled him to the floor Mordecai
then jumped on him. sefzing both his
wrists, and had him pinned to the floor
when 1 rushed in and separated them.
"McCarty at once sent Mordecai a pey-
cmptory challenge by Col William r.
Tabb. 1t was agreed that the duel should
come off at once, near Oakwood, Nc
Carly to be represented by Colonel Tabb
and John S. Meredith. Mordecai by my
self and William Trigg. Dr. Hunter Mo
Grire, the late celebrated Richmond ply
s.cian. who had been chief medical d.
rector for the brigade commanded by
Stonewall jackson during the war; was
surgeon for Mordecai. The late DIR. j. S.
Dorsey Cullen. who had served as sur
eeon on the staff of General I4ongstreet,
was present as a friend of McCarty.
1.-THE men fired at 10 PAGES with Colts
Amy revolvers At the first fire both
missed. Tabb said to McCarty, Are you
satisfied McCarty replied, oh. no. I
was given, both men fired and both fell.
Nccarty was badly wounded by a shot in
the hip. Mordecai was struck in the alb
6omen. the ball penetrating the intestines.
He died on the fourth day after the duel.
McCarty fingered a long time. but finally
recovered, and at a trial was fined $500
and sentenced to Jail for six months. The
governor remitted the Jail sentence on
&C ctor's certificate that Imprisonment
would endanger McCarty's life. In the
meantime all Of the seconds had been in
prison They spent six weeks in Jail each
Each of them declined to testify. They
were finally released upon a writ OF
habeas corpus
There were several duels after this. but
none of them fatal. and duelng in Vir-
linia is now as dead as Chatham's ghost.
think Mordecai was one of the knight
lest gentlemen who ever lived on earth.
When it was known that he would die,
and he knew it. too. they urged him to
send for a minister. but he said: No;
shall die as l have lived and he never
uttered a whimper. An hour before his
ending he sent for me. Putting his arm
round my neck he pulled my ear down
4. his mouth and whispered, Remember,
Royal, what l told your 1 answered. 4
certainly shall. john 1t was a message
to his sweetheart
McCarty never again sought the society
OF ladies after his fight with Mordecai. He
devoted his energies exclusively to lit
eiary and poetical pursuits. He was a
power in the editorial world of Virginia
during the balance of his life. His writ
| ings went far toward moulding the polit
zeal destinies of the commonwealth. After
the democratic victory of 1883, when Ma
Hone and his readjuster regime were dis
credited, McCarty was presented with a
handsome gold watch and medal by the
democrats He was the first editor Of
the Richmond Times. Miss Triplett, it is
| said, received so offers of marriage, be-
| fere she became the wife OF Philip Hax-
all a wealthy flour manufacturer. She re-
mained the undisputed social queen of
Richmond up to the time OF her dsath
several years ago