Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-10-03
FRANCE.
The Latest Duei--The Past and Flu.
ture of Duelfng - story of the
Freshesl Combat.

Freshest Combat.
Paris Correspondence New York Times
The ordinary variety of Paris dues
has Just been varied in the case of M.
Edgard Rodrigues, the Don Quichotte of
the Paris Figaro, and NJ. Armand Lucy,
a young gentleman tolerably well known
in Parisian circles In this instance the
weapons were pistols, and M. Rodriques
lies seriously but not dangerously,
wounded at the Grand Hotel. AS a
general thing, Partisan duels are not
very dangerous, scarcely more so. per-
haps, than those of the jena and Hei-
delberg burschen, and, in one respect,
they are preferable TO those of the Ger
man university Students The former
result in wounds which lays the victim
up for couple of weeks, after which,
unless he happens to be a Radical, he
gets fifteen days in prison. The latter
are sure to leave huge scarsUpon the
face, and to disfgure fne-looking
young man for life. There is a simi-
lsr.ty in the weapons employed, although
used in different way. The schlager is
long, straight, basket-hilted sword with
its edges sharpened down about six
inches from the point. The wound is a
cut made by the sharpened tip, and the
play closely resembles the broad-sword
exercise, modified, of course, by the
fact that the face is the only
part of the body uncovered. This
necessitates closer circle of play,
good hand at the schlager rarely
letting his wrist go more than an
IN On o. tryo ont of tba uos;t;0n 60 bow nm
guard. The main essentials are strength
of wrist, quickness of the eye, and cool
ness enough not to let the wrist fly away
from the median line. Precisely the
same qualities are necessary in French
duels. The weapon is long straight
sword also, but without edge, the six
inches of the tip being nearly round,
and sharpened down to fine point. |
There is point or shoulder between the
point and the blade, as if to prevent the |
sword from penetrating beyond a certain |
number of inches. The handle is like |
that of foil, and bent downward in the
same manner. The shape of the sword
shows that is must be used as rapier,
and there is no part of its edge made
for cutting The dueling sword proper
is twelve inches or so longer than the
foil. With this weapon French duels
are fought, and while the GOODNESS or
courage of man is pretty thoroughly
tested, there is really little danger when
both men are good fencers. 1t is the
bungler who kills his man, or who gets
himself killed by lunging so far that he
loses balance, and impales himself Paul
de Cossagnac has become so expert with
this weapon that he can give his adyer-
sary two inches of cold steel, bon mot |
and fifteen days in prison, without fear
of further danger to either side. f.r |
But duelling with pistols received |
severe blow in France when NJ. de Gil
rardin killed Armand Carroll, and such |
causes celebres as those arising from the
duel Dujaries. Beauvallon, the duel
Sirey- -Caumartin, and Mercy-Rozer,
were well calculated to put a stop to the
frequent use of the pistol, OF late, how
ever, there seems to be tendency to-
ward its revival. Two gentlemen ex-
changed shots the other day, and settled
the difficulty before wounding each
other, and now we have the duel
Rodrigues-Lucy Some time ago NJ.
Rodrigues wrote a series of articles
entitled the Decores of the Republic
M. de Villemessant found them very
cleyerly written, but having been taught
caution by large number of condem-
nations in the courts of law, he recon-
mended the contributor to give the name
Of the person detonated only when he
had something good to say of him, and
to give an anonymous character when
he had sharp word to say. This he
did, but to his credit as writer, per-
haps, he drew bis portraits so finely that
they were instantly recognized. The
of the great poet tell US that
Shakespeare owed his condemnation for
poaching to Sir Thomas Lucy's resent
ment at the song;
If Lucy is lowsie, as some volke miscalle it,
Sing lowsic Lucy, whatever befall it.
and this seems to have been another case
Of the kind. Under the head of Lucie
de Lammermoor, NJ. Rodrigues drew a
picture of a young gentleman who was
decorated during the SIEGE and N. Ar
mand Lucy took the picture to himself
aud sent challenge to the writer.
other parties had taken offense
at these portraits, and two more duels
we're Matching in Paris while NJ. Rodri-
CUES was fighting another at Deppe, /
where he was staying with his family, /
and preparing for his encounter with i
Lucy. Once the excitement raised there ,
seemed to be no end to- Kind friends /;
went about with copies Of the Figaro, !
trying to persuade certain gentlemen I
hat they were certainly referred to; and I
one young blood of high Partisan society +
vas so certain that a portrait was in- /
ended for him that he sent a challenge /
1t once. The cap fitted exactly, it seems,
IS in the case of Goupil vs. Paul Feval, {
md there was but one thing out of the I
Tay--his friends returned from their q
mission to say that the writer Of the arti- I
lies had never heard of his having re- v
,eived the Cross, and, in fact, he had v
lever been decorated. One of the gem
lemen satirically said to him; " If it q
uits you to take the portrait for your .
,wn, 20 and get yourself decorated, and b
hen-nous rerroRs." Another sent a 4
etter demanding reply, yes or no, as a
o whether he was the person intended. u
1t this stage NJ de Vellemessant tele- a
-raphed to NJ Rodrigues to come to /
Paris by the following train, and an hour V
ater heard that his writer had been r
sounded al Buzeuoal by M. Lucy. q