Alexandria Gazette

Hoax.—The city was thrown into an excitement, on Friday last, by a report that Mr. Syme of the Raleigh Register, and the younger Mr. Hale, of the Fayetteville Observer, had passed through on a dueling excursion. The matter originated with the conductor of the Southern train, who had mistaken certain parties for the "belligerents." The news was communicated by the gentleman to Supt. Sanford, who immediately advised a warm friend of Mr. Syme's. Mr. Patterson, and he as quickly dispatched to Capt. Wm. Pannill, whence the information was communicated to the Mayor. The latter then very prudently took measures against the suspected duel, as noticed in our paper of Saturday. The whole town was "on tre,” as it may be termed, on Friday, and innumerable messages were despatched as to the result of the affair. Various reports of the actual occurrence of the duel were current. Some said that Syme was shot in the right hip, others that Hale had a ball in his heart, and Syme was arrested. &c. The whole matter proved an entire hoax, through the misapprehension of parties on the train at the time.—Petersburg Express.