BETWEEN MONS. CHAUVIGNY AND MONS. C. LAMETH. November 8, 1792.
This affair, which originated in a difference of opinion, had been undecided for two years. It appears that M. de Chauvigny, having learned the arrival of his antagonist in this country, gave him a meeting, and proposed to fight him, which the latter assented to. The parties fought in a field near the place of Mons. Lameth’s residence, and he was dangerously wounded in the belly. The affair ended by both declaring themselves satisfied, and giving their word of honour that the matter was finally adjusted.
The seconds were, for Mons. Chauvigny, the Duke de Pienne and the Count de Chabanc; and for Mons. Lameth, the Duke d’Aiguillon and Mr. Maselet.
BETWEEN MR. PUREFOY AND COLONEL ROPER. Maidstone, August 14, 1794.
At these assizes this day, Mr. Thomas Purefoy was indicted for the “wilful murder” of Colonel Roper in a duel, which took place on the 21st of December, 1788. The interval which had occurred between that time and the prosecution, was not assignable to the prosecutor, as Mr. Purefoy had, for the greater part of the time, been out of the kingdom.
In 1787, Major Roper was commander-in-chief of the island of St. Vincent, and Mr. Purefoy was Ensign in the 66th Regiment. The latter having obtained leave of absence, had a festive day with some of the junior officers, in which they committed such excesses as occasioned a complaint to Major Roper, by whom the leave of absence was recalled. The remonstrances of Mr. Purefoy were made in such a style, as to induce Major Roper to bring him to a court-martial. By their verdict he was declared to have forfeited his commission; and this verdict was afterwards confirmed by his Majesty. This was the origin of the dispute, which had afterwards such a fatal termination.
The evidence, particularly that of General Stanwix, the second to Colonel Roper, was extremely favourable to the prisoner; who being called upon for his defence, said, that he had entertained no malice against the deceased; he had been led by a call of honour, or, more properly speaking, driven by the tyranny of custom, to an act, which in early life had embittered his existence; but without which, he was taught to believe that he should lose all the consideration which society could afford. The last challenge, he observed, had come from Colonel Roper; and, as some expiation of his offence, he had already suffered six years of exile, and nine months of close confinement. The latter part of this address was read from a written paper, by Mr. Erskine, the feelings of Mr. Purefoy being such as to overpower his utterance.