New-York tribune., 1873-07-24
TIE RANC-OASSAGNAC DUEL.

TIE ORIGIN OF THE AFFAIR-MEETING ON LoAh"
BURG sou-DECLARATIoN OF THE SECONDS.
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE IiDoNi
PARIS, July 6.-Paul de Cassagnac' prihclp"i i
editor OF lie PAYS BOnapartst organ Is "aino oo
gwen 10 Growing and nghting. Several times MS Si
have heon driven into the flesh OF his fellows on "ia'
our French friends are pleased TO call the Held OF hono
His life has been made up OF dashes WIN 'no a,
the pep he handled the latter with enersy pu' ,r,
| with the same strength and skill as the lo'mo'
coolnass and courage the sod are admitted eNo ~
his enemies In an exploit of this KIND ne once sou.
-, -. enc Groin OF Henri de Rochefort, which put nun
| 90 hcd for many days. He has been Ngna'y su ,.
! a. oscapipg sword-thrusts and lead-mSSlos III a." ~ .
| oounters He was one Of the foremost OF Vn"' o
,Iolpkes who defended tho Empire in all lts aots anu
AGAINST all who found fault with IT, he was coi'9
- ,o, tho war came on, and shouldered MS gun W
sboot the Germans; 1t was the doctrine no hau
always preached. He still adheres 10 the l"porih
dynasty with the same tenacity as ever
carving "a usual, his sword behind MS pen.
A week AGO NJ Ranc the Deputy charged by the Mill
, Cr,,nission with being concerned in the criminal
o ~ the Commune fed the country for fear OF pos
s;bIe condemnation, and in dong so, III not guilty.
showed the appreciation OF justice as philosopher
of the past century who said that he were accused OF
stealing the two towers OF Notre Dame nc would en-
eeavor to escape On reaching more friendly soil than
his own Mr. Ranc sent back letters generally pub
shed IN tho press in which he complained OF the unjust
manner in which he had treated by the Journals OF
the present Administration, and particularly OF Pau ue
Cassacnac who had found 1t more convenient to stab
him with a pen than with sword" At this, naturally
the belicose de Cassagnac tapped mswings and sent
forth crow OF no uncertain sound, in the shapc OF
brief note which, in purport. was "On the from
tier whenever and wherever you Ike, with tho
weapons of your own cholce-I cOncede to you
every advantage" This published In the
writer's own Journal and extensively copied In others
According to French opinion there was only one course
TO DO pursued after the receipt Of such mssiye namely
TO repair to the field Of combat and be holed or spitted
OF subiect the adversary to like treatment Several
| days suspense followed the publication OF dc Cas-
sagnacs noteRanc being somewhere IN England posi-
bly, in which the question was
generally discussed Some Of the friends OF the edltor
Of lie Pays said that the Noare Ooaehe Soc'ae-a de-
risiye term applied to the Of the Let-woud not
face the point of the sword the muzze OF the pistol
| Others more impartial recommended that reasonable
tue sboud be given TO hear from the eXpatriated man
| before judging him.
1t was believed by most people that the meeting did
take place the Hotspur Of lie Pays would come of con-
oueror for unlike him. Rancs head is stronger than his
arm he being known the author OF some articles in
La Reptblque aneaise-now the aOest paper in Paris
which have established his reputation as one OF the
clever political writers Of the country One or two false
reports in the press Of their having met, and carl
catured portrait of de in the character OF
fierce gladiator sword in hand, standing behind series
curiosity to the result 1t may be well to observe by
the way that the carcature authorized by the per-
son thus portrayed, for in France no man may be de-
lneated illustrative purposes without his written
permission, not even the public functonares or the
State Opinion had been speculatng for several days
about the affair, when evening as sat taking my
coffee in front OF TOrtOns in q group Of Frenchmen,
fne-lookng large man OF the Midi type approached,
followed 10y several friends His approach was sensa-
ton Several jumped up from behind their little round
tables and shook hands with him with Gallo expansive
ness Two kissed him the cheek but he did not re-
cprocate 1t was Paul de Cassagnao who starting
for the frontier to meet Ranc. He impassve and
! independent in manner, receiving the gOdspeeds and
good luck Of friends somewhat cOdy, ana getting away
from them he could With his felt nat air OF
Indifference and disinclinatOn to talk, he might have
been taken for type of well known in America
he who nggard Of his speech and has aversion to
any kind Of sentimental expansion so often found in the
far West According Of my neighbors, this time 1t
was going to be serious 1t would do for the ed
tor Pays back with scratch after all that
had said in the press. Some time ago there had
been running fire between the in their respective
journals which ceased three months ago with the ad
vantage clearly the side OF Ranc IN literary ability.
The latter also exhibited in the discussion disposition,
| If need be, to exchange the pen for more deadly
weapon That do Cassagnac had already resorted TO
the sword, excited surprise in who knew his rucu
lent nature and gave rise little whispering not fiat
terng the bravery Of this noted duest for this little
bird said that Ranc had bOite fencing which
| de Cassagnac did not TO encounter. Such sus
picion was enough TO determine the latter 20 his
course though he knew he going 70 certain death.
The next news that an agreement had been drawn
ND and signed by secOnds-twO each sidetO the
effect that the combat was take place with swords
and TO continue until one both Of the cOmbaants
should be declared de combat The peaceful soil Of
| the Duchy of Luxemburg to be tho scene of the
sanguinary strife, interruption being apprehended
should take place in Belgium. Next. telegram came
stating that the two principals with their seconds had
passed through Brussels, The Persian pageantry, and
the French civic and military displays which
panied It, did not esrango public attention from these
two men, According sOme it to DO depored that
men should allow their anmosties to drive them 10 such
sanguinary and perhaps fatal struggle Others said 1t
was pity that like de Cassagnac OrqIane as the
case might be- should be cut down in the flower Of his
| manhood and usefulness, Already disposition was
manifested among their respective friends TO follow
their muated remains to Pere Lachaise aud listen to
the traditional pathos concerning their numerous virtues
Already they began look at the wreaths OF mmortees
with the eyes possible purchasers "The Duel after tho
Ba of Ger0me, where poor PerrOt In festive costume
goes through the last of e became object OF
interest The second day after the departure of de Cas-
sagnac from the asphale before Torons the fight took
place At the first bout the editor OF lie Pays received
scratch in the arm which In way nterfered with the
handling of his weapon, and the fencing continued.
Then Rano received wound in the arm which his soc
onds averred was serious WhereupOn the four seconds
put their heads together and drew up paper in which
IL was affirmed that Mr. Rancs condition was such that
he could not renew the combat and 1t was further de-
| clared that honor satisfied.
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A WELSH MUSICAL VICTORY.