The New York herald., 1879-10-03
Labouchere's Battle with Edward
Levy Lawson.
INVITATION TO THE DUEL.
The Story as Told by Each
Contestant.
'VOICI LIE SABRE DE MON ONCLE"



LONDON, Oct. 2, 1879.
A prodigious sensation was yesterday caused
here by the announcement of fistic encounter
between two very well known journalists, one
OF the parties to the melee being Mr.. Henry
Labouchere. editor and proprietor of the society
journal called Truth, and the other Mr. Edward
Levy Lawson, editor and part proprietor of the
popular Daily Telegraph. One version of the
story is this morning given in the current issue
tittle-tatte, appearing under the title "Entre
Nous" and signed "T. T." or ''Truthfnl
Tommy" fanciful pseudonymc under which
Mr.. Labouchere wages his OF criticism.
MIR. LADoUcHEREs ACCOUNT.
Between eleven and twelve Monday
night" says Mr.. Labouclere, 81 was in King
William street, Strand. standing in the middle
of the roadway to hail hanson cab, when l
suddenly felt a blow that seriously damaged my
hatand ultimately fell upon my Uranium. At first
1 thought that a blow had been aimed at me by
the cab driver for the night was so dark that it
on looking round perceived o stout being -four
ishing u stick and performing q sort of war
dance. naturally imagined it was some lunatic
running amuck through the streets, and, not
feeling disposed to have the small modicum of
brain with which nature provided me COM
pletcly STAYED in, at once closed with my as
sailant, and we began pummelling and cutting
each other after the simple but somewhat in
effective mode of those who have not made u
study Of tho noble art of pugilism. OF course
crowd collected and tried to interfere and sep
arate us. And it was only then that discov-
cred that was engaged in single combat with
the editor Of the Daily Telegraph. You have
insulted mev he shouted; you have insulted
my family and you have insulted my uncle
The crowd was for the most part delighted at
being privileged to witness row-a real row
between two persons decently dressed. But
others, regarding the matter as disreputabie,
scnted by nymph who hung first on my arm,
then on that Of the Eminent Editor and cried,
MY dears. don't 60 fighting like this or you'll
hurt yourselves The warlke element was
embodied in stalwart rough, with pipe in his
mouth, who scornfully observed, They hurt
themselves! They don't know how tor
AFTER THE BATTLE.
'sMy antagonist then walked down the street
and followed Don't follow me, sir he cried
modestly rejoined. And finally, much to the
disgust of the crowd, we retired into a neighbor-
ing house, Whether Edward Levy Lawson was
drunk or sober do not know. But it would ap-
pear that my determination to inform the public
who and what is the We that daily Whites the
most prominent Liberals in the country, and
terms them traitors because they venture to
question the policy Of the government, of which
tho We is the hcnchman, has aroused the ire
insulting tho Levy family, l, of course, have
never alluded to any member of the family who
was not actively employed in the publication
of the Daily Telegraph. For Edward Levy
Lawson's uncle entertained sincere friend
ship, which, much to the disgust of the nephew
was, believe, rcciprocated. l regretted his
death, and, last week, in expressing regret, 1
described him what he always pridcd himself
on being-a good natured, cynical, original COM
less diosyncrases. What no doubt Edward
Levy Lawson objected to was that I, in dwelling
on his unclcs singularly fortunate career, held
him up as selfmade man. There arc persons
who look down contemptuously on all who arc
not born with n silver spoon i'll their mouth.
Lionel Lawson was abovcsuch prctentious folly.
lie was proud, and dcservedly so, of being the
architect of his own fortunes, and really am
not prepared to flatter tho idle nonsense of the
nephew ut tho expense of that independence of
character which greatly admired in the unclo."
HISTORY OF THE QUARREL.
In further paragraphs MIR. Laboucherc takes
tho ground that Mr., Lawson's anmosity arises
from his own unsparing and mcrciess denuncia-
ton of the views ol the Daily Telegraph respect
ing the policy of the government. "Thc Daily
Telegraph" no continues, ''has large circula.
lation and when, day after day, Edward Lcvy
Lawson spoke of himself as the Nation and,
as the Nation, fawncd ut tho feet of Ministers,
and imputed unworthy motives to their oppo-
ncnts, it became necessary to explain who the
Nation was actuatcd in its persistent abuse
of q man of whom, whatever may be
his faults, Liberals and Conservatives arc
alike proud. This has been my mis-