The quarrel arose from some circumstances relating to the conduct of the Morning Post, in which they were both engaged. The chance of the first fire falling to Mr. Bate, he discharged his pistol, and hit Mr. R—— in the fleshy part of the right arm. The wound, however, was not sufficient to incapacitate him from returning the fire, which he did, but without effect.
The seconds now interfered, and the affair was adjusted.
BETWEEN THE REV. MR. ALLEN AND L. DULANY, ESQ.
June 26, 1782.
Died, in Park-street, Grosvenor-square, Lloyd Dulany, Esq., a gentleman of a most respectable character, and large property in Maryland.
His death is said to be occasioned by a wound which he received on Tuesday evening last, in a duel with the Rev. Mr. Allen, in Hyde Park. The second of the former was —— Delancey, Esq.; and of the latter, Robert Morris, Esq. He was attended by Dr. Millman, and Messrs. Pott and Adair. The magistrates of Bow-street having advertised a reward of ten guineas each, for the apprehension of the Rev. Mr. Allen, and Robert Morris, Esq., they were, in consequence, apprehended, and committed to Tothill-fields Bridewell.
July 6, 1782.
Yesterday the Rev. Mr. Allen surrendered himself at the Sessions’ House, in the Old Bailey, when he and Robert Morris, Esq., were indicted for the “wilful murder” of Lloyd Dulany, Esq.
Mr. Justice Buller, in his charge to the jury, observed, that the case before them consisted of two parts, law and fact. As to law, there is not, nor ever was a doubt, that where two persons meet together deliberately to fight a duel, and one of them is killed, the other is guilty of “murder,” and his second likewise. In respect to the fact, he stated that the quarrel arose from a circumstance of three years’ standing. A paragraph called, “Characters of Principal Men in Rebellion,” published in the Morning Post, June 29, 1779, referred to the first and fifth of July, the same year, and now recognised by the prisoner Allen, in a letter proved to be his handwriting, avowing himself the author of those characters, retorting the charge of “liar and assassin,” upon the deceased; telling him he did not mean to dispute with, but to punish him; and if he (the deceased) harboured any resentment or revenge, the bearer (Morris) would put him in the way of securing its immediate execution. This brought on sundry verbal messages, and at last, on the 18th of June, a meeting of Mr. Dulany, Mr. Delancey his second, and Mr. Morris; from which they went to Mr. Wogden’s, gun-maker, to get Mr. Allen’s pistols charged; and about half-past nine in the evening, after measuring eight yards, discharged their pistols, when the deceased fell.
Mr. Delancey said that Mr. Morris repeatedly urged deferring the duel to the next day.
One Lydia Lepine deposed, that she saw the prisoner Allen shooting at a mark, in a field near Blackfriars’ Bridge, with pistols, between eleven and twelve o’clock, on the 18th of June. Her master and his son confirmed the fact; but could not swear positively to the person. His Lordship concluded with observing, that a mistaken point of honour was not to bias the judges and the jury in such a case.