The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-10 00:00:00

DUELLING IN GERMANY.

A letter from Munster, Westphalia, of the 30th ult.
published in the Journal des Debats, contains the fol-
lowing :
" The day before yesterday we were witnesses of an
afflicting spectacle, and which to a certain degree trans-
ported us to the middle ages. The spectacle was that
of a duel under the sanction of justice. The following
is an account of this strange affair :
"Two young officers, the Baron de Deukhaus, a lieu-
tenant in the 11 th Regiment of Hussars, and M. de
Bonnhart, also a lieutenant in the 13th Infantry, had,
whilst playing at billiards in a coffee-house at Munster,
a violent dispute, in which M. de Deukhaus made use
of several offensive expressions towards his adversary.
" These words having been entered in a public place,
and before a great number of witnesses, M. de Bonn-
hart felt himself under the necessity of demanding
public satisfaction, and to this effect cited M. de Deuk-
kaus to appear before the tribunal of hononr sitting at
Munster. It is known that:for the last two years tri-
bunals of this description are instituted in all the divi-
sions of the Prussian army.

" This tribunal, conformably to the law, used all its
efforts to induce the offending party to retract the offen-
sive expressions, and not being able to succeed, came to
a decision that, considering the words in question at-
tacked the honour of of M. de Bonnhart, the latter could
no longer continue in the army without having obtained
public satisfaction ; and considering that M. de Deuk.
haus obstinately refused to grant him such satisfaction,
the tribunal authorised a duel between the two parties,
according to the military rules.
"The duel took place on Monday, June 29, at three
o'clock in the afternoon, in a plain situate to the north
of the city of Munster. A platform was erected in the
middle of the plain, on which was seated the tribunal,
the judges of the combat.
"Before the tribune, a large space, surrounded by
ropes,supported by staves, was reserved for the combat-
ants. Some detachments of infantry and cavalry were
placed round the enclosed ground and tribune of the
judges. At an early hour an immense crowd filled the
vast plain, in order to witness the strange contest which
was about to take place.
" At three o'clock precisely the Judges, wearing their
uniform, took their places in the tribune. They again
attempted to effect a reconciliation, and this attempt
also failing, authorised the combat to take place.
" It was agreed upon by the two adversaries, with the
sanction of the tribunal, that the combat should take
place with cavalry swords, and be continued until one of
the adversaries became hors de combat, and that both
should fight with their heads uncovered and in their
shirt sleeves.

" A certain number of sabres were then brought for-
ward, and the two adversaries, after having bound their
eyes, took by chance their weapons. Then taking off
the handkerchiefs from their eyes, as well as their coats
and hats, they put themselves in an attitude of defence,
and at a signal given by the President of the Tribunal,
the combat began.
" MM. de Deukhas and de Bonnhart fought with the
greatest obstinacy. The latter successively received
two slight wounds in the arm, but soon afterwards
wounded his adversary so severely in the thigh as to
render it impossible for the latter to continue the combat.
" When the surgeons had dressed the wounds of
the officers, the president of the tribunal again
attempted to reconcile them. This time he was
immediately obeyed, and the two adversaries em-
braced each other. The public, which had throughout
the combat observed the profoundest silence, hailed
the reconciliation with loud and continued applause.
Two coaches took away the late opponents, and M. de
Bonnhart assisted in carrying M. de Deukhaus to his.
The tribunal then separated, and the crowd quietly
dispersed.

"It is the first time that a tribunal of honour it
Prussia has ever authorised a duel. All the disbutes
which had been hitherto brought before the tribunal,
had invariably terminated by a reconciliation."