Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-01

Helen Josephine Mansfield, the brilliant
young female who vas Mt the bottom ol
the tisk-S'okes tragedy, seems to be Great
ng as great q sensation and as much
trouble in Paris rs in New York. \ recent
letter says;-
Aside from the report which was exten-
sivcly circulate ed that Mrs. Mansfield lost
,hnty seven thousand dollars by he failure
of the Bowes Brothers, she has caused
several lawsuits, some al which will event
ually prove causes celebrsS aud even brought
about mortal combat b,twcen two Par
siaus, in consequence OF which one Of
them, journalist of some prominence,
was severely wounded The PARTICULARS Of
this affair are Us follows Mrs. Mansfield
made her appearance at a performance of
Fra Diavoa. Mrs. Mansfield was gor-
gcously dressed in q suit Of white satin,
and the display of iewelry she made on
the occasion was somtthlag very unusual
in parlsian society.
Her singular conduct and the sensation
which she produced were not lost upon the
numerous representatives. Of the press who
attended the opera, and their comments
upon the woman were anything but HAT
teriug. One Of them, NJ. Xavier Dupont,
an uttnchc of The spightly little Vcr-Nert,
a gos,ipy sheet viii, n makes theatrical
news a speciality, salt, within the hearing
of some of his colleagues, that he would
rive "Mme. La Princcsse d. Erie" as he
/ called her, a good little notice Ia his paper.
Sure enough the Nert-Nert next evening
contained a paragraph about the occur
rcncs, aud here the trouble commenced.
Early on the following morning NJ. Xavier
Dupont, rs he was making his toilet, was
called upon BY an exceedingly we'll. dressed
stranger. who gave his name as IN. Albert
SAKE" Of Bristol, and who informed the
astonished Journalist that he wished to see
him about paragraph concerning Mrs.
Mansfield, which, be said, had given that
beauteous woman the utmost otiense. NJ.
Dupont replied that he did not care a son
about that, and ncgged his visitor not to
give himself any further concern about
the matter, considering that The wishes
or fiowus of Mrs. Mansfield were OF no
interest whatever to the editor of the
Vert-Nert.
Upon hearing which Mr. SAKE waxed
wroth. lie said he did not like to use
harsh language, but if compelled to do SC
he would not shrink from 1t. The jour.
nalist then tlared up, too. "Pray, sir, y
he said, stepping close up to NJ. SAKE,
''what III the-name IS all this any bus.
mess of yours Who are You ? ! don't
know you There's the door, you miserable
intruder - So saying, he pushed VI. Albert
. SAKE towards the door, and before thai
gentleman was able to offer auv resistance
landed him unceremoniously in the hall
way. The journalist went down to tn
office OF the NcTt-Ncn, when he wai
called upon by two very snohhish looking
Euelishmen, who Informed him in very
broken French that they come to see hin
, i'm behalf Of NJ. Albert sake, and IN effect
] Lon ff
4 challenge VI. Dupont, for what had occur
r red IN the morning at his house, to morta
: combat.
% Mr.. Dupont, who had before stood oi
r the dangerous spot yclept the field o
houor, said he would fight NJ. SAKE pro
: vded the latter, upon Inquiry, wOul
i prove gentleman of standing aud charaC
4 ter sufficient to euti,lc him to any motto
q at his hands.
The necessary inquiries were made, an
A il was found that there was nothing derol
ntory 20 VI. saxe's character, except tha
= he was gambler aud n sportsman.
= NJ. Xavier Dupont sgni6ed to NJ. SAKE
,s friends his willingness 30 fight the du'
! with broadswords:
i The combat came off at Longchampl
and after the two men had stripped to I'll
/, waist they b. gau slashng at each oth'
"A with the utmost fury. SAKE wounded h
N adversary seriously in the left arm. I'll
~ doctor then interfered, and the duel WI
a ended. Few people knew of the aflai
: but somehow or other it was brought
.i the knowledge Of the police, and two
\. three days afterwards both SAKE and D.
in pont were arrested and placed before Il
n. Tribunal of Correctional Police. Thi
A. did not deny that they had fought due
m thereapon the presiding judge lecture
1s them severely, and then sentenced the
10 10 thr5e days solitary confinement.