The Lancaster Ledger

DUEL EXTRAORDINARY -A duel was fought near this city yesterday (Monday) morning, which, for the singularity of its denouement, is, perhaps, unparalleled in the annals of single combat. A well known gentleman in this community, whom we shall call Mr. A., feeling himself aggrieved by the conduct of another gentleman, whom we shall designate as Mr. B, sent him a challenge, which was accepted---weapons, pistols; distance, twelve paces; time, six o'clock in the morning. The usual preliminaries were settled, and at the word "fire" both pistols exploded. At the same instant B. was seen to stagger. The seconds rushed up, when it was found that the ball had struck the outer case of his hunting watch. from which it had glanced at nearly a right angle, passing through the lapel of his coat. The watch was worn in the vest pocket, and was almost directly on the heart. The case was found to be considerably battered, but otherwise the watch had sustained no injury, although it had gained about three hours in as many minutes. The hands, which a moment before had stood at 20 minutes past six, now marked half past nine.

But perhaps the most curious part of our story is to come. On looking round to see what had become of A., the seconds discovered him leaning over, in the act of picking up something from the ground, and on approaching nearer, discovered. to their astonishment, that one of his whiskers, which he wore unusually large and heavy, had been shorn completely from his face, and that with as much precision as though it had been accomplished by the most skillful barber. It was thought that some peculiarity in the bore of A.'s pistol had communicated to the ball: a rotary motion, which, combined with its great velocity, could necessarily produce an effect similar to that caused by some sharp cutting instrument.- The result of the duel, so far, had been so utterly singular that it precluded all thoughts of pushing it to a further and perhaps more disastrous issue. The seconds interposed and reconciled their principals, and in a couple of hours thereafter the whole party were toasting each other in a certain fashionable restaurant below Canal street.-N. O. Picayune.