The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-03-11
DUEL BY GISLIGHT.
An Exciting Sword Combat.

n duel was 1OugnI At one OF the
fashionable uptown houses in New
York few days since by n Cuban
named Francisco De Porto, and an
Englishman named George Proude-
during q heated discussion of Cuban
affairs-by the former splitting in the
face of Proude. The New York Herald
says:
The combatants were determined
to fight. Both were good swordsmen;
both had wrOngs-the Cuban to
avenge the slander on his country
men, his opponent to wipe out the
stain that the defiant expectOratiOn of
De Porto had inflicted. With what
weapons should they fight? Pistols ?
no; for, said they, "any fool can
shoot; it takes a swOrdsman to fight
a duel" and so swords were the wea-
pOns. De Porto insisted on fOils, but
Prude desired the ordinary sabre used
by the cavalry. This question formed
the subject of much wrangling, but
finally De Porto consented, and so
far matters afforded mutual satisfac-
ton. All this occurred uptown, near
the house of common friend, and a
fashionable one at that, in West
Nineteenth street.
To that house, then, the parties, ac-
companied by their seconds, on Sum
day night, repaired. There was no
noise, no unusual sound to disturb the
quietude of the place. Few were
aware that within an hour one of two
human beings might probably breathe
his last. The preparations were made
in silence, and the hour of two o'clock
Yesterday morning was awaited with
anxiety. The edges of the keen blades
were carefully examined and for
heightened period scarcely a word
was spoken.
1t was two o'clock in the spacious
back parlOr of the house in question
| the parties assembled ere the echo of
the chimes had died out. Both COM
batants stripped for the contest, the
seconds now and then whispering
something to those about to engage.
Only half dozen persons were pres
ent, each one of whom was thrilled
by a nervous excitement. A splen-
did chandelier shed a flood of light
around the room, though otherwise
the place was excessively cold, so cold,
| indeed, as to neceSsitate the wearing
of thin walking coat by each of the
duelists, both of whom were attired in
tight pantaloOns, all under clothing
being entirely dispensed with. All
the arrangements having been COM
Dleted, the combatants announced
their readiness to proceed.
A dead silence ensued, while an
ashy paleness seemed to be the prev
alent complexion of every man n
the room. The word was given and
the duelists crossed swords, and hav-
ing taken three PAGES backward, the
| fight commenced. At first a slight
timidity was apparent on both sides
not so much timidity, perhaps, as the
nervous expectation incident to the
opening of the encounter. Finally,
! after some little hesitation, De Porto
advanced Proude, meanwhile, on the
alert to receive him. The scene was
/ exciting. All at once the few specta-
! tors were startled by sudden cut
made by Proude at the head of his Op-
pOnent, who, however, deity parried
and retired a pace or two. Up to the
present both had observed a compar-
atively serene demeanOr, but it was
evident the duel could not be pro-
IOnged one, each being bent on deadly
strife Having again crossed, great
skill was displayed by both, their eyes
flashing with fire, and endeavoring,
as it were to penetrate each others
| intent.
Admirable workmanship was dis
played, the cuts being rapid, well-di-
rected, and parried with precision
Up to the present, which was about
five minutes from the commencement,
De Porto had escaped with a slight
scratch on the chest, PrOude being un-
harmed, when suddenly, De Porto of
fering tempting chance, Proude ad-
vanced upon him and inflicted di-
agonal cut upon the right thigh.
| 1t was a fatal move for Proude, for no
sooner had he leaned forward to make
the cut than, with lightning Tapidity,
De Porto followed up the cOntrdftO,
gashed his opponent on the right
shoulder, causing a wound some five
inches in length and about one and q
half inches in depth. His sword arm
was disabled.
Proude dropped his blade eXclaim-
ing, Enough for to-day; you will
give me my revenge another time" J"
| to which De Porto replied:
az am always at your disposition. J"
Subsequently the parties shook
hands and the wounds were examined.
That inflicted on De Porto, though
some eight inches in length, was
scarcely a quarter of an inch in depth,
while Proud's was of serious charac-
ter, the blood streaming from it in
profusiOn. He was Immediately con-
veyed to his residence in BrOOklin,
where the proper assistance was pro-
cured.
And thus terminated the sanguinary
contest, the chivalrous Cuban on the
one hand vindicating the slight cast
upon his cOuntrymen, and the Eng
/ lishman avenging the bitter insult he
had sustained. At the conclusion of
the duel, De Porto-whO, by the way,
was an officer on the Lilian-intima-
ted with marked GOODNESS that he was
always at home in West Twenty
second street for any person who took
theliberty questioning the rectitude
of the Cuban cause and its supporters
/ in this city.