The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-22 00:00:00

A TERRIBLE DUEL.

A correspondent, writing from Agram In Croatia,
describer a fatal duel which took place recently between
testi gymnasts on • tightrope. The acrobats, Andress
Kilter and Francis Pergowitch, were to appear on the
rope, which bad been stretched from a window in the
fifth story of the court-hones to a window in an oppo-
site house, a distance of 250 feet. The acrobats were
to meet midway, and td.en pass each other. When the
clock 'struck twelve the acrobats emerged from their
respective window« dusaed in rights, and without
balance polee. Kolter walked rather cautiously, while
Pergositch come to meet him from the opposite direc-
tion with • nei VOW., quick step. At length they met,
and the sue-ease of the crowd changed the next mo-
ment to a feeling of indeecribable horror. "PeTowilch
suddenly uttered an exclamation, and dealt Kolter a
terrible blow on the head. Kolter staggered and fell,
but in no doing succeeded in clutching the rope with
one hand, while with the other he grasped the leg of
his assailant Pergowitch now feU likewise, but passed
his right arm around the rope, so that be hung upon it
In comparative security. And now began a life and
dOetb btrugrk Kilter with his right hand tried to
dra.r Peirgowitch from tn. rope, woile Pergowitch
kicked Kilter with his right bot, and with his left
hand endeavours dto loosen his antagonist'. hold. No
in.., was able to hot, rfere, and the result, it was easy to
foresee, 'oust he the death of one or both the acrobat,.
Many women fainted, while strong men wept like
children. What added to the general despair 1•11 i the
appearance of Kolter's young wife at the window from
which her husband, a few minutes before, had set out
upon his fatal walk. Her piteous sert4lllll were heard
I above the din below, and her-appeals to Pergowitch to
, spare her husband's life would have moved the heart of
I an Apache. l'he atraggle in mid-air lasted perhaps a
minute, when !Colter suddenly uttered a last cry and
lost his hold. Has fell to the ground, striking i; vio-
lently and espiring instantly. While the people
gathered rotund the corpse of poor Kilter, his murderer
iin the tight-rope managed to get on his feet sgaiu.
With a diabolical repression on his face he uttered a
yell of triumph. The prefect of police orders i Pergo-
witch to surrender. lit case he should not do so within
five minutes he would he sicotdown like a dog. Finally
. he raised himself to his feet and ran quickly to the
' court-house window, whee he surrendered. begging
I that he might be protected from violence. There was
i great danger of his being executed by the people, who
I loudly clamoured that the murderer be given up to
! them; hut the military, by a bayonet charge, cleared
' the public square. Pergowitsh, being asked what
, caused him to commit this crime, said that there had
i been • grudge between him and Kilter ever since the
1 latter had married young Rotas Serganoff, • Polish
I girl of rare beauty. Kolter, in • fit of jealousy, had
told him he knew one or the other must die on this
laccount. Andreas Kolter was the youngest member of
the distinguished family of acrobats of that name.