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A PIERCE STREET DUEL.
Desperate Men Shoot at Each Other and Both Receive Dangerous Wounds.

Last night about 8 o'clock Samuel McFee went into Wharton's saloon, at the corner of Washington and New Jersey streets, in search of Quicey Wright, who is his partner in his roof painting business. As he left the saloon, Tom Slavin said good-bye to the bar-tender, and the door had scarcely closed when three shots were heard in quick succession. There was a rush for the outside, and as the door opened three more shots were heard. Patrolmen Laporte and Shaffer, who were near, ran to the place, and found that both McFee and Slavin were badly wounded. They were taken to the station house. There it was found that both men were wounded, the former having been hit by a ball that entered his body at the center of the back. It ranged downward, and could be seen underneath the surface of the left side of the abdomen. Slavin was shot twice, one ball striking him in the lower part of the neck, just between tbe shoulders, and another taking effect on the left of the spine, about the middle of the back. Dr. Newcomer, who first attended the men, said that the chances for the recovery of either were slim.

The only explanation given at first for the shooting was that the men have long been enemies. Slavin claimed that McFee fired the first shot, but the latter says he went into the saloon looking for Quincy Wright, and when about the middle of the sidewalk coming from the saloon, Slavin fired three shots at him. The last one took effect and struck him just as he stepped off the curb. Slavin then started into the saloon. As he went away," said McFee, "I hauled out my revolver and fired at him three times." McFee further stated that Slavin had sent him word that he intended to kill him the first chance he got, but he replied that he was not afraid of him. Quincy Wright acted as messenger. Patrolman Sorters said that McFee had been at the station-house a few minutes before tbe shooting, arranging to give bail for a person who had been arrested for loitering. He has been making his headquarters here for two years past, but his family live in Knightstown. Both men are about the same age, forty-two years, but Slavin appears older and more vindictive than his enemy. Slavin, at the station house, refusing to lie down, paced the floor with his wound bleeding, and swearing at McFee. Now and then he would go up to him, and laughing at him, make sport of his wounds.

It is learned that the cause of the difficulty between them is that about six years ago McFee was arrested on the charge of shooting the marshal at Knightstown. He appealed to Slavin to go on his bond and the latter refused. After his release he accused Slavin of influencing others from signing his bond. It was also learned that about three years ago McFee shot and killed a colored man at Carthage.

Indianapolis (Indiana) Journal, October 31, 1888.