The History of Duelling. Vol. 2 (of 2)Millingen, J. G. (John Gideon)
Philosophy
The History of Duelling. Vol. 2 (of 2)
Millingen, J. G. (John Gideon)
Dueling
A duel, arising out of a dispute which took place at the Saloon in
Piccadilly, was this day fought on Wimbledon Common, in a ravine about
two hundred yards from the mill, between Mr. Mirfin, formerly a
linen-draper residing in Tottenham-court Road, and Mr. Eliot. The
parties fired at a distance of twelve paces. At the first shot the ball
of Eliot went through Mirfin’s hat. The seconds immediately interfered;
but the latter objected, and insisted on having a second shot. The
pistols being reloaded, the parties again fired, when Mirfin fell. He
was immediately attended by Mr. Scott, a surgeon. His death was nearly
instantaneous. The body of the deceased was then placed in a cab, and,
at the dusk of the evening, brought to his residence in town. An
inquest, which lasted four days, was held on the body, at the Tankard
Tavern, Brooke Street, Kennington Road, Lambeth, before the coroner, Mr.
Carter, and a jury of fifteen of the principal inhabitants of the
district. The following are the leading points of the evidence that was
adduced.
Thomas Dunn, the owner of the mill on Wimbledon Common.—“The first thing
I saw, when the parties arrived in the ravine, was a carpet-bag, from
which was taken a box containing some pistols. Five persons were
standing together, and another alone on my left, and a second about two
hundred yards more to the left on the hill. While the pistols were
loading, the one on my left, who was the person who shot the deceased,
came up to me and said, ‘Good morning!’ I said, ‘It appears to me those
gentlemen have some difference to decide.’ He answered, ‘Oh! damned
nonsense, it’s only a bet for a hundred pounds.’ I replied, ‘That will
not do for me;’ on which he passed on whistling. In a minute or two he
again passed me, on which I remarked, it was a pity gentlemen could not
settle their differences in a better way; when he said, ‘Oh! damned
nonsense, I am used to it, and am one who is going to fight.’ A
halfpenny or penny-piece was then tossed up, as I suppose, for the
choice of pistols, or the ground. As the man who shot the other was
going to the place, one of the party went up to him and said, ‘You are
all right: you have nothing to fear.’ I saw both parties present their
pistols, and heard two reports. Shortly after, I again heard the pistols
discharged. Directly after, the gentleman who had spoken to me came
towards me, and said, ‘I have done for the ——.’ I at that moment saw the
deceased falling. I went to him and saw him stripped; when I saw a wound
resembling that from a ball. All except one, who was engaged in pinching
up the wound, left the ground. I said to him, ‘I fear he is a dead man.’
The carriages all left, except the hired cab. The deceased was dead when
I left the spot.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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