Martinsburg Gazette

From the Louisville Journal, Dec. 17.

Bloody Affair. A fearful rencontre occurred at the Galt House in this city on Saturday night. Various conflicting rumors in regard to it are afloat, and to avoid errors, we shall only make a general statement of the occurrence.

On Saturday evening, a difficulty took place between Judge Wilkerson and Dr. Wilkerson, and Mr. Murgo, all of Mississippi, and Mr. Redding, merchant tailor of this city, in regard to some coats which had been made by the latter for some of the first named individuals. Redding appears to have been roughly used, and he went to the Galt House after night to get redress accompanied by three or four of his friends. In the bar room he met Judge Wilkerson and some words passed between them. The Judge retired, and in a short time returned with Dr. Wilkerson and Mr. Murdo, all armed with Bowie knives. A general fight almost immediately ensued. Mr. Meek, a barkeeper in the Wall street House, was struck dead by a Bowie knife. A similar knife was passed through the lungs of Mr. John Rothwell, a hatter in this city, who died last evening. Mr. Holmes, a steamboat pilot or engineer, was also badly cut. In a short time a crowd had collected around the combatants, and the Mississippians retired up the steps, one of them received a wound in his shoulder from a pistol that had been dropped in the contest. He returned the fire with effect. We learn that Mr. Redding and his friends were unarmed—at least they displayed no arms during the conflict. Judge and Dr. Wilkerson and Mr. Murdo were arrested and placed in confinement.