The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-16
A FEW FAMOUS HssJEEs.
Hew the E0bleHseu of a Past age IBIS
ported Themselves I'm Combat.

The tluels in oden time were in their results
very unlike the French duel Of to-day. Iof
thore is CHASTITY and true story Of two noble,
men Of Paris who .quatreled, nnd deteflnliaiten
To settle their differences without any oi the
customary formalties.. Accordingly they
entered o coac|1, one Of the slow. numbering
old vehicles OF tho time, and directed the
coachmnn to drive slowly twice around the
Palace Koyalo He did SO, ,hndd. then alightou
from his box tc, take the further commands
of his master. ljut that master was mover to
issue another order. He lay in the coach
dead-at once q murderer AND u Vlctlln, lcI
beneath him WAS The corpse Of his old trlellu,
his new enemy, pierced with lnnumorable
wounds.
A duel, equally saDguinary in It's results,
took place in our own country, in the reign OF
james l. between two nOblomen. the cause
being the almost invhriable one, o falf
ladye." The Duke was the challenger. ana,
contrary to tho laws OF dueing, allowed the
Hyde Park on cold, wet, miserable morn
ing. and, as was usual in those days, com
menced with pistols They fired two shots
apiece with but thrilling results; the seconds,
their entlpavors to effect reconciliation The
oombatants thon seized their swords, ana
rushed upon each other. The impetuoslty OF
the Dukes assault had well-nlgh cost the
Lord his life, Us in receiving 1t he slipped on
the wet grass and stumbled on to his knee,
narrowly escaping q thrust through the
heart. Again the seconds interposo, but
without result and with redoubled fury the
combat Is renewed. At last they arrive, at a
deadlock: their arms are around each other
body, their swords are firmly interlaced, hud
their glaring stern-set faces are almost touch"
ing each other. TO and fro their bodies
sway. each knowing that the one who gets
clear first has the other at his mercy, till, by
one simultaneous wrench they sprung apart
and their swords both whirl into the air, and
r.. tlrf
from the thoughts Of either Of them than to
resume the contest They rush eagerly for
their swords, and again fall to-. Soon the
Lord is run through the sword arm, and
tho Duke In making the thrust, slips q little
and falls forward Quick rs lightning the
wounded man shifts his sword from right
hand to left. and runs it through The Dukes
body But in 50 doing he leaves his whole
body unguarded. He cannot Withdraw bis
sword, and tho Duke, with the weapon still
For some time he wards off the thrusts with
his hands, but the Duke, closing, runs him
through just below the heart. In falling for
ward he drew his sword out OF the Duke
body and stumbling across the blade snapped
1t short OF tho hilt. The Duke, seeing this,
and staggering wildly with outstretched
hands fell upon the dead body Of his rival
then, with one despairing groan, turned his
face heavenward and died
q uuel almost as CeleHitten WIS Lne blb III
which Lord Bryon, ancestor Of the poet,
killed Mr.. ChawOrth. They had some thrilling
dispute, such as would not now be deemed
worthy OF q moments notice; but In those
days such triiles often meant death to one or
other of the disputants, They fought in q
room, without seconds or witnesses, and rs
MI Chaworth turned from shutting the dool
he saw Lord Byron coming on him, naked
sword in hand. AS poor Mr.. Chaworth signltl-
cantIy said, 81 knew him. and he in turn
drew, but too late. Lord Byron shortened his
tai wound; in fact, there was barely time tc
take his dying dispositions, Lord Byron was
tried by his peers and convicted of man
slaughter; but, by pleading his privilege as q
peer, he escaped scot free Mr.. Chawortl
showed plainly that he had been taken ad
vantage of in q partially darkened room, and
there is no doubt that even In those days
the deed WAS looked upon us little, II any
thing, short of murder.