The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-15
The Most Unique Duel on Record.

"A hhMAhhAbLE uucl has JuSb Ink&n
place which for its novelty and fa,
termination has set Parisians agog.
Two brothers, Auguste and Andre
Berni, the former aged 40, the latter 33,
both employed in the great glass manu-
factory at Saint Denis, became enam-
ored of Adele Vergeri, cook at La
Villette. Adele Vergeri is described as
a young woman of plain, simple habits,
who had, by dint. of hard work and
economy, managed to save few hum
dred francs. In appearance Adele is but
a humble representative of France, but
she is modest and retiring, and not Civ
en- to resorting to balls and theaters.
She formed the acquaintance of the
brothers at baptism. Both, it ap-
pears, from the very first began paying
her attentions.
Adele Vergeri received the visits of
the brothers with much sang-froid. To
her it was amusing to see first one, then
the other, come putting and blowing in
his desire to be the first to greet her.
Neither would give in to the other, and
Adele had to escort them both out, as
neither would leave the other alone with
her. So terrible became the jealousy
between the brothers that they would
not speak with each other. 1t had,
however, to be settled at last, as Adele
Vergeri threatened that unless her
courtship ceased to be mixed with
hatred she would have to ask the broth
ers to desist from calling upon her.
The brothers met. They had parted
with Adele Vergeri, and both confront
ed each other in one of the great wine
shops of the Saint Denis quarter, SO APP
propriately called by lola "Assom-
moir." They glared at each other, and
their friends saw at once that mischief
was brewing. They finally motioned to
each other to withdraw to a table.
They spoke low, but excitedly, smoked
quickly, and the blue smoke of their
pipes was hot.
ga duel! Yes, duel!" This was
distinctly heard, and then the brothers
beckoned to Jules Remi and Alfred
Poulier, friends of theirs. They had
decided upon fighting duel, but not
with swords or pistols. 1twas to be a
duel to the death.
Two bottles of rum, brought from the
cellars of Jacques Barbier's Assommoir
de Saint Denis, were put on the table.
Two tumblers were put by the side of
the bottles, and then this contract was
made by the brothers, in the presence
of witnesses:
cit is agreed between the brothers
Auguste and Andre Berni to drink rum
until either is unable to drink any more
The first who succumbs will consider
himself beaten, and surrender all claim
to Adele Vergeri."
The contract was signed, the bottles
tipped, and the tumblers filled. At
first the men drank slowly, but as the
liquor began to excite their brains they
fairly poured it down their Threats. At
the ninth glass Auguste, the younger of
the. brothers, gave yell of pain and
sank senseless to the floor. Andre
Berni then arose, and, with smile ON
his face, turned to leave. Hardly had
he reached the door of the cabaret when
he threw up his hands and fell senseless.
He was quickly carried to the Hospital
lemon, but died shortly after reaching
it, of conclusion of the brain and paraly-
sis of the heart. Auguste Berni, crazed
by the rum he had drank, recovering
from his faint, ran madly through the
streets, and has not been seen since.
Adele Vergeri, the humble cook of
La Villette, when she heard of the death
of Andre and the disappearance of Au-
guste, merely shrugged her shoulders
Paris Cor. Nea0 York San.