Winchester Republican

From the Georgetown Metropolitan.

The following account of the origin of the quarrel which led to the duel between Fox and Randall, is from a friend in Washington:

Mrs. C. a widow of a very respectable family, has kept a boarding house for some years in a block called the 7 buildings in this city. About 18 months ago, one of her daughters, a beautiful young girl, was seduced (report says under a promise of marriage) by Randall, one of the boarders. As soon as her case was known to the family, R. who continued to board in the family, was called upon to repair the injury he had done by marriage, which he refused to do. The brother of Miss C. a cadet in the Military Academy at West Point, came on to visit his family, and said to the friends of Randall he must marry his sister, or he would take his life wherever he could meet him. The next morning, while Randall was standing near the door with a friend, he perceived young C approaching him with another person: when he came up he requested R. to go into his room. All went to the room: Mr. C. demanded of R. that he should repair the injury done to his sister. Randall replied by intimating that her character was bad thus adding insult to injury. C. drew a pistol from his pocket, and presenting it to R.'s breast, snapped it, but it missed fire--a scuffle ensued, in which Randall was wounded by a severe stab in the breast from a small sword drawn from a cane by C. who was disarmed by the friend of Randall. C. left the room and district immediately, as it was uncertain what would be the fate of R.'s wound. The circumstances were soon known to the citizens generally, who expressed little sympathy for R. He soon recovered from the wound. The young lady was sent out of the city. Randall, after being wounded, took lodgings at another house, and there appeared a probability that the business would end here. But about two months ago, Miss C. was sent for by her friends; and her return appears to have revived all the unpleasant recollections of the friends to the family of the injury she had sustained. About ten days ago, as Randall was passing the street in the evening, with two ladies his relations, one on each side, he was attacked by a person with a cane, who knocked him down, and severely beat him before any one came to his assistance. This he supposed to be by a person who had lately been dismissed the army, and of course unworthy to be noticed by him. However, a few days after, from some circumstances which came to Randall's ears, he thought the person had been set on to make the attack by young Fox, who boarded with Mrs. C. and took the first opportunity (which was last Saturday morning) to cane Fox severely. Fox did not anticipate this attack and made but a feeble resistance: he disclaimed all interference in the affair between Randall and Miss C.'s friends and considered R.'s attack on him as wholly unprovoked. On Monday, he challenged Randall--the challenge was accepted: on Tuesday afternoon they met--the distance was eight paces: both fire almost at the same moment (Fox's pistol being a little first). Fox was shot through the heart, and died almost without a groan or struggle. His remains were brought to this city, and the next day interred. Randall has been dismissed from the Treasury office, and has gone to his friends at Annapolis. Fox it is said was wholly unused to fire arms, and was compelled to the savage resort by insult and assault; he left a father, mother, sisters and brothers at Philadelphia. Of Randall, if the account above is true, it may be said, that, living, he must be always unhappy and miserable, and dying without a thorough repentance and penance for his crimes, his name deserves execration.