New-York tribune., 1883-03-16
A DUEL THAT WASNoT FOUGHT
STUDENTS REsoaTTNG TO THE CODE.


| BEEN BLOODLEss ENCUUNTER.
novel scene was presented yesterday afternoon
In the f0rkville Police Court Five fashiOnably
dressed young men, carrying light spring overcoats
| ON their arms and holding ia their hands silver
headed canes were the prisoners at the bar. Their
faces were smooth, save that now and then Oh one
| ortwO of them were to be seen slight indications OF
struggling mustaches. They smiled at one another,
chatted glibly, and when Justice Power was not on
the bench smoked cigarettes uncOncernedly as IL
they were in their own rooms instead
of being at bar of justice. On the Justices desk
lay two regular duelling pistols two Remington
| volvers and box of cartridges. The revolvers
| were loaded, but the dueling pistols were empty.
Justice Power looked first at the prisoners then at
the array of firearms before him, smiled and went
| into an adjoining room to read up on the Penal
Code. The prisoners took advantage of his absence
to light their cigarettes. There were spectators
present the officers of the Court and several
| reporters
| When the Justice returned to his seat
| and the order proper to q courtroom had
been restored, Police Captain Cinchy. Of the Eigh-
teenth Precinct. SAID that he and three detectives
| had arrested these five young men information
obtained from one Domingo Parrazo. druggist.
living at No. 3O1 Third-ave., who told the captain
that the young men going to fight duel yes
terday afternoon Berran's Island In Long Island
Sound. The young men were arrested at the
Tv enty-third street station of the Third Avenue
elevated road on their way to the row-boats at
the foot of One-hundred- -and-tenth-st. which
were to convey them to the place arranged for the
duel. Captain Clnchy said that the principals
were Robert Mahon age twenty-one. q student In
the Columbia Law School, living at No. 10S West
Forty-ffth-st, and Charles w. Smith. age twenty.
living at No. 316 West Twenty -third-st. aud study
inn rlaxu ;r,f fba ffaa ~ g. rxyfa No
1877 Broadway. Count John F. de Bellieni, of
Brazil, age twenty, medical student in the College
| Of Physicians and Surgeons living at No. IA Wes.
Twenty -fourth-st, and the Marquis Mstteo de
Fajardo, of Porto Rco age twenty, also
a medical student. living at No. lis
East Twenty-sixth-st, were the seconds
for MahOn. and DR.. Charles Cross of No. All West
Twenty-third.st., and William NJ. X. 0lcott, age
twenty. a student in the Columbia Law School,
living at No. Ill West Thirteenth-st appeared as
seconds for Smith. "AlI of these" said Captain
Clinchy, fare present, your Honor, except one OF
the principals Charles w. Smith, who has not yet
been arrested
THE ORIGIN OF TILE QUARREL
The cause of the duel and the arrangements
therefor follows: About twd
weeks ago, the principals. Smith and Mahon,
were seated with some mutual friends arounda
Broadway. near Thirty-frst-st. Smith is q member
of the Alpha Delta PHI College fraternity, having
Joined the Manhattan Chapter in the College Of the
City of New-York. Mahon is q member of tho
Columbia Chapter Of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity.
While sitting at the table in the White Ele-
phant the conversation drifted toward so
ciety matters until an animated discussion
arose as to the merits of the respective
iraternities. In this discussion all of those
at the table, some of whom Alpha Delta Phi
and Others Theta Delta Chi men, became generally
Interested. The rivalry between the two groups of
friends in behalf OF their societies found vent in
various sighting remarks on each side Finally
Smith, somewhat annoyed, made dispsrsging re-
mark in regard TO Theta Delta Chi At the next
meeting of that society Mahon repeated to his
fellows the remark which Smith had made.
De Bellien friend of Mahon, and
also q member of Theta Delta Chi, took upon
himself TO ask Smith, when next he met him, II it
was true that he had made an insulting remark
about the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. Smith i'm
medately denied that hs had ever said anything
of the kind. Hence Mahon. who had previously
reported that Smith had made such remark, was
placed in a rather ambiguous position.
Mahon met Smith IN front of tho ST. James Hotel
on Thursday afternoon of last week. and asked him
if he had denied the remark to De Bellieni. Smith
to either Mahon or De Belheni OF any
one else; whereupon Mahon angrily called
Smith liar. Smith responded by striking MahoR
in the face Then they clinched and were about to
set tie the dispute on the spot. when some friends
interfered aud the principals were separated. But
neither SID was satisfied with the result of that
and in order to vindicate their honor"
the two men appointed seconds, Smith choosing DR..
Cross and Messrs Alcott and Mahon selecting the
Count de Bellien and the Marquis de Fajardo.
CHALLENGE SENT
Mahon directed bis seconds to carry oral
challenge to Smiths seconds summoning their
principal to meet Mahon in duel to he fought with
folls without buttons at time ald place to be
thereafter named. When Smiths seconds received
this proposal they were somewhat abashed aud at
once saw that the affair TO be a much moro
bloody one than they had hoped or anticipated.
If possible. to their principal from
being cut to pieces in such brutal manner they met
by appointment the seconds of Mr.. Mahon Satur-
day evening last at De Bellieni's rooms,
No. II West Twenty -fourth-st., where they
discussed the merits of the quarrel and
suggested to Mahons seconds change of weapons,
saying that they positively refused to have any
hing TO do with duel with foIls. AT length il WIS
agreed that pstols-real duelling plsols-shOuld be
lsed instead of fols.
At subsequent meeting on Sunday night, ut the
White Elephant, the seconds for both men arranged
hat the duel should be fought Thursday after
loon, at 2 o'clock. on Berran's Island in
he Sound. Bowery Bay, and
hat all of the persons interested shonld
meet at the Twenty-third-st. uptown station of
he Third avenue elevated road about half past
o'clock in the afternoon. The duellists aud their
econds were to go on the elevated train as far as
)ne-hundred- -and-sxth-st and then walk TO the
oot of ue-hundred-and- -tenth-st, where they were
o take row-boats and proceed to the island. On
irving at the island, the spot having been selected,
he principals to stand back TO back at the dis
ance ofwenty PAGES and at the WORD, be given by
Cross, who agreed upon for that position, the
IL ..l... alra ANA