The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-12 00:00:00

DUELLING IN FRANCE.

.The Paris correspondent of The Timm, sends over the fol-
lowing letter :
Duelling has always been • favourite practice and
pastime with Frenchmen, from the days when gay
and gallant mousquetaires gracefully ran each other
through the body on the Pr 6 aux Clercs down to the
present time, when journalists go to Boulogne or Via-
cennea to exchange scratches and meet at breakfast.
The practice, when it ceases to be murderous, has
• tendency to become ridiculous. In England
ridicule has had a great deal to do with its
abolition, and the same cause must ultimately do
away with it in other civilised countries. In
France, however, one still occasionally hears of
fatal duels, and one of these has given employ.
ment to the Arise Court of the Department
of the Mayence. Baron Ritter, • public functionary at
May ir._ was put at the bar on Monday, charged with
killing 31.74ppleton, formerly Sub-Prefect of the same
I easy. With hial were seraigual has two wands, Coast

Murcia° and de s, ; end those of the de-
ceased, M. Futtiez and M. Carr6-Kerlsonet. This last
gentleman, being a member of the National Assembly,
the permission of that body was requisite before he
could be put upon his triaL This was not granted
until January; so that, although the duel occurred
on the 3rd of September, the case only now comae
before the Court. There Is some mystery about
the exact cause of the fatal encounter, but
there had long been enmity between the two
men, arising, it is said, from political causes.
Rutter, a man of forty, who was formerly a cavalry
officer, some years before the fall of the Empire had
been named refeveur partieulier at Mayenne, whither,
after the 4th of September, 1870, went Appleton, des-
cribed as" a very elegant young man," to fill the post
of Sub-Prefect to which the new Government had ap-
pointed him. Here, then, was sufficiedt ground for
antipathy, without making the usual question, "Oü eat
In femme 7" . . . Ritter and Appleton met in society
and became acquainted, but their intercourse, never
cordial, seems to have ceased in January, 1872, in con-
sequence of the Baron not having returned • call mode
at his house by the Sub-Prehct. The latter was shortly
afterwards transferred to Avenues ; but in July he went
to May enne, and soon he and Ritter met at the house
of a Madame de Reizet. No greeting warn exchanged
between them. In the course of the evening Ritter
accosted Appleton, and asked why be had not saluted
him, to which the other replied that when he was
Sub-Perfect at Mayenne he bad paid Ritter several
visits which hid not been returned, and that he, there-
fore, considered himself released from all obligations of
courtesy towards him. Ritter asserted that he had re.
turned the visits, and insisted on Appleton's saluting
him, threatening to strike him in the face with his glove
if he did not. Appleton refused ; Ritter was imperious
and insulting; finally he threw his glove into the face
of Appleton, who responded by • box on the ears.
Count Chemise°, who was present at this discreditable
scene, interfered, and the two men were induced to shake
hands, in the presence of the lady of the house, who
might well think herself aggrieved by such a scene 11l her
drawing-room; but the reconciliation was hollow and
insincere, and the old sentiment of hatred remained.
Before leaving Mayenoe on the following day Appleton
consulted • friend, saying that he had received no
challenge from Ritter, and asking if he ought to send
him one himself. The friend assured him the affair
ought to be considered as at an end, and thereupon
Appleton took his departure. The quarrel, as might
be expected in a P. ovincial town, became thp subject
of much gossip, and women's tongues contributed to
make minchief. Within a very few days certain words
which came to the earn of Ritter convinced him that his
honour was at stake and a duel inevitable. Neverthe-
less, weeks were allowed to pass away, during which
there was a great deal of correspondence; and even
after it had been agreed by all concerned that the two
men must fight, distance and other circumstances pro-
longed the delay. M. Appleton having struck his
adverearfa severe blow, considered him the party in-
sulted and the one who needed redress, but Baron
Ritter, having begun by throwing his glove in his face,
took the contrary view, and finally it was decided
that Appleton was to have the choice of weapons.
Eight weeks elapeed between the brawl at Madame de
Roust'. party and the meeting. This, it was first pro-
posed, should be held in Belgium, but finally it was
settled that it should be at Laval, in the neighbourhood
of the place of quarrel. They met in the wood of La
Huisserie. Phitolo were the arms selected. Appleton's
seconds brought • pair such as me used in shooting gal-
leries, but Ritter's friends rejected theca as too danger-
-01111, and • pair of old holster pistols were taken, with
balls which were too small for them. Twenty paces was
the distance, and each men was to fire two shots.
The signal given. Ritter's pistol mimed fire; Apple.
ton's went off, and the bullet panned through Ritter's
clothes, just by his hip. It WA noticed that when
Ritter saw his pistol did not go off, he still kept it
levelled for some seconds, as if he thought it only
, hung fire. There warn a pause of several minutes,
during which, according to the act of accusation, no
attempt at • reconciliation was made. The pistols
were re-loaded; lots were drawn for them; maul the
signal was given, and this time the discharge was
simultaneous. Ritter wee not touched; Appleton fell,
mortally wounded. The ball had struck him in the
breast, passed through the right lung, and had broken
the spine. He lingered for some days, but died with-
out having been able to depose as to what bad occurred.
The declarations made by Ritter and the four
seconds agree. Ritter declares he deplores the result,
and that his intention was to wound Appleton,
but not to kill him. During the discussions which
preceded the duel he had repeatedly insisted that
swords ought to be the weapons chosen, and had
even said that he should only slightly wound his
opponent. But Appleton knew that his adversary
had had many dual., and was a good swordsman, and
so he preferred the arm which he considered would
establish a greater equality between them. Ritter's
conduct on the ground, and words he is reported to have
used there, seem to prove that, although he might not
desire a fatal result, neither was he disposed to let his
enemy leave the place unhurt. The trial 'sated • con-
siderable time, ending in • verdict of acquittal, the
Baron having only to pay the costs of the suit.

-M. de Roquefenil ;