Virginia Free Press

From the Norfolk Herald. March 30.

Painful Occurrence. A tragical affair was witnessed at the ferry wharf to-day that caused a degree of excitement and interest which we have seldom seen equalled in our quiet community, which resulted in the death of Mr. McIZAR GARDNER, Editor of the Portsmouth "Chronicle and Old Dominion," a Democratic Journal, of which he had become the conductor some six months ago, in rencontre with MORDECAI COOKE, Jr. Esq. of this Borough.

The circumstances of the case as we have heard them stated by several persons who saw the affair were as follows: Mr. Cooke was returning from Portsmouth in the ferry-boat; Mr. Gardner was on the wharf, leaning against a post, waiting for the boat, intending to return in her to Portsmouth. As Mr. Cooke stepped ashore he was accosted by Mr. Gardner, and they were in conversation for a few seconds, (not above the usual pitch of their voices) when Mr. C. was seen to raise a walking cane which he carried; but before any hostile demonstration could be made with it, Mr. Gardner stepped back and drew a pistol (it was a revolving one) from his coat pocket upon which Mr. Cooke dropped his cane and seized hold on the pistol, when a violent struggle ensued, Cooke striving to wrench the pistol from Gardner's hand, and Gardner trying to disengage it from the grasp of Cooke. This strife continued only for two or three seconds, when the pistol went off and Gardner fell—the charge in the pistol having passed through his body! He was immediately taken into Captain Drummond's store, for surgical attention, but the ball had struck the heart, and in less than fifteen minutes life was extinct.

The unfortunate affair grew out of a feud of recent origin between the parties, who were personally unknown to each other, until most unfortunately made acquainted through the medium of an attack in the columns of the Chronicle on the feelings of Mr. Cooke, in retaliation for some reflections which he was reported to have indulged in at the editor's expense, while addressing a Democratic meeting in Portsmouth about a week ago. It was a family quarrel, politically speaking: and all such quarrels are the hardest to settle. We sincerely deplore its fatal termination. Mr. Gardner was a native of Massachusetts, and has left a wife and two children. We learned that the Jury of Inquest had found the evidence in the case strictly in accordance with the statement here given, and rendered their verdict accordingly.

At Norfolk, on Friday, Mordecai Cook, Jr. was examined before Alderman Leigh, in relation to the death of Mr. M. Gardner, late editor of the Portsmouth Dominion, and, after a laborious investigation, was discharged.