The New York Herald

The Late Serious Rencontre Between Messrs. Grousset and Emerick in Broadway.

Various rumors and statements having been made relative to the affray which took place between Messrs. Grousset and Emerick, in Broadway, on Friday last, which are entirely erroneous, we now give the whole of the particulars relative to the cause of the quarrel, which we have obtained from a source that may be perfectly relied upon.

During last winter, Mr. Emerick sent two challenges to two individuals then residing in this city, and in one of them requested Mr. Grousset to act as his friend in the matter, which that gentleman consented to do, and endeavored, by all means in his power, to reconcile the parties without having recourse to arms, but was not successful, as nothing less than fighting would satisfy Mr. Emerick. When Mr. G. saw there was no other means of settling the matter, he made preparations accordingly, but was never able to get Mr. Emerick on the ground to meet the gentleman he challenged. After several vain endeavors, he gave up having anything further to do with the matter, telling Mr. Emerick that for the future, he should not have any communication with such a coward.

No further intercourse took place between the parties until last spring, when they met on board one of the Boston boats, in which Mr. Emerick was arrested, at the suit of Mr. A. Matthias, for a libel. Mr. Grousset came forward, and offered himself as security for the appearance of Mr. Emerick to answer the charge. From Boston they proceeded to Liverpool together, but holding little or no communication with each other during the voyage.

From thence they proceeded to France; and it was then ascertained that Mr. Emerick's object in visiting that country was to meet one of the gentlemen he had challenged in this country the previous winter. Mr. Grousset's object in going to France was solely on business. Two or three days after their arrival in Paris, Mr. Grousset received two or three very insulting letters from Mr. Emerick, and afterwards a challenge to fight, without any reason being given for such a line of conduct, and Mr. Grousset could only suppose it was on account of his having some time before designated Mr. Emerick a coward; however this was not stated. Of course Mr. Grousset accepted the challenge, and sent two friends to make the necessary preliminary arrangements, but upwards of two months elapsed ere they could get Mr. Emerick to consent to the place of meeting, and other matters connected with the affair.

At last he consented to a meeting near Boulogne, where Mr. Grousset and his friends repaired at the appointed time. Soon after a carriage drove on the ground, in which were seated Mr. Emerick and a lady. All the parties present objected to the presence of a lady on such an occasion, and Mr. Emerick was repeatedly requested to leave the carriage and proceed a little further to settle the affair, which he refused to do. Mr. Emerick and his friends then consulted together for some time, and eventually it was agreed that he should make an apology, which was accepted by Mr. Grousset and his friends. Mr. Emerick then left the ground, without even alighting from the carriage, in company with the lady.

Some few days after the above occurrence, Mr. Emerick proceeded to Marseilles, and it so happened that Mr. Grousset's business led him to that neighborhood shortly afterwards, where, much to his surprise, he found that Mr. Emerick had reported that he, Mr. Grousset had refused to fight him and had made an apology for his offensive expressions towards Mr. Emerick, and throughout the whole affair had acted like a great coward. Mr. Grousset then procured a number of certificates from several friends who were witnesses and knew the whole transaction, which placed the matter in its true light, and no further notice was then taken of the affair. Mr. Emerick returned to this country about two months before Mr. Grousset; and when the latter reached here he found that Mr. Emerick had given out a similar report to that which he had circulated in Marseilles. Thereupon Mr. Grousset wrote to him stating, "that the first time he ever met him, he would inflict such chastisement upon him as only such a coward as he deserved." They did not meet, however, until last Thursday, when they came together at the funeral of a mutual friend.

On such an occasion Mr. Grousset, of course, took no notice of the past. On the following day Mr. Grousset had to attend the Supreme Court as a witness in the case of Mathias against Emerick for the libel before alluded to, but the case was postponed, and Mr. Grousset was repairing to his store in Broad street, when he met Mr. Emerick near to Harnden's Express office, Wall street, in company with a gentleman. A few words took place, and Mr. Grousset called him a coward, and they proceeded together to the end of Wall street in very loud argument, and as they reached the latter point, Mr. Grousset spat in the face of Mr. Emerick, whereupon the latter took a step backwards and drew out a six-barrelled revolving pistol and discharged one of the barrels at Mr. Grousset, who immediately fell upon one knee, but quickly regained his footing and seized Mr. Emerick by the collar, the latter at the same time placing the pistol against the breast of Mr. Grousset, who knocked it off with one of his hands, and a second barrel was discharged without hitting him; Mr. Emerick then levelled his pistol a third time at Mr. Grousset, but just at the moment a bystander seized Mr. Emerick's arm and prevented the discharge, and he was taken into custody. Mr. Grousset then crossed Broadway, but just as he reached the footpath in front of Trinity Church, fell from the effects of the wound he received at the first discharge of the pistol. Mr. Grousset was then carried to the drug store of Messrs. Rushton & Co., Broadway, where Dr. Beale was soon in attendance, and examined the wound. It was found to be a somewhat severe flesh wound, between the seventh and eighth rib, on the right side. The ball was found in the folds of the shirt. After the wound was dressed, &c., Mr. Grousset was taken to his residence in Barclay street, where he at present remains, but in no particular danger.