The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-16
DUEL TO DEATH.
Desperate Encounter in a Havana
Theatre.
Cuban Honor. Outraged by Spanish
EnsoIence. Demands Satisfac-
tioH, and Gets It--Account
OF the Fight.

HAVANA, Nov. 16.-Society here is still
agitated over famous and fatal duel be-
tween Spanish editor and young Cuban
officer, which occurred some days ago. 1t
has not been reported in any of the Cuban
papers, which are all under government
supervision.
Nicholas Rivero, Spaniard, came here
eight years ago and was made a captain of
volunteers. He also started paper called
El Rayo The ThunderbolA, which, though
not government organ, was ultra-ferce
on the government side. The memories
OF the instruction were still keen and
cruel enough in the minds of
both Spaniards and Cubans an so
fierce and constant were Rivero's at
tacks on the Cubans that Capt-Gen. Blanco
squelched the overzealous Rayo and sent its
fiery young editor to cool off in Spain for a
spell. He came back, however, upon
change OF administration and proceeded to
revive The Rayo and resume his old work of
abusing the Cubans. The other day
paper appeared in The Rayo
in which occurred these words:
"The Creoles (Cubans) are consummate mas
tiers of the infamous art of discrimination and
perfidy." The Cubans went wild over it.
The Palenque, leading Democratic paper,
on which Saniards and Cubans are associated
to advocate reform, not autonomy, in the
island, published a protest. The protest re-
suited in the issue of an extra edition Of The
Rayo emphasizing its former statement.
This proved the last straw on the Cuban
book, and the next morning the editor was
challenged by Senior San Miguel, editor-in
chief Of The Palenque.
On the evening of the challenge Rivero
was sauntering along the Prado, past the
Cafe Louvre, when hunckback boy APP
preached sand asked Rivero if he was the
author of the insulting article in The Rayo, a
copy of which the youth held in his hand.
Rivero acknowledged the article, whereupon
the hunchback sprang upon him, crlm-
pied the paper in his face, and knocked
him over against one of the tables A
tumult Immediately arose in the cafe. and it
resulted in challenge between friend of
Rivero, named Palacios, the fighting editor
of The Rayo, and a Cuban officer named
Angel Sober Palacios was famed for being
good swoitisman, dead shot, and with
a nerve of iron. Soler's seconds were in
st1ucted to accept no terms less than duel
to the death. Soler, having the choice of
weapons, chose pistols at ten PAGES. Terms
were then allowed Palacios, who chose
swords. Soler insisted that they should be
double-edged and pointed, and those terms
were accepted.
Next morning at 6 the party went to the
Payret theatre, right in the heart of the city,
just off the Prado. The Payret was the finest
theatre in Havana. They forced open one of
the doors and entered the artists dressing
room. The preliminalies were brief. The
keen-pointed blades were drawn and the
| duel began Palacios being the more
skilled swordsman and confident of
victory, attacked the other in a
fury, and from the first forced the fighting.
| Soler acted solely on the defensive. His fail
| ure to end the matter as briefly as he had
expected seemed to exasperate Palacios He
pressed his adversary desperately, but was
met with firm defense. Not word was
| spoken nor a sound heard, save the rush of
| the rain without and the clash of the
steel Palacios redcubled his efforts.
| A parry on Soler's part knocked his
adversary's weapon wide aside A swift,
straight thrust, followed instantaneously be
| fore the other could recover his guard.
| Through the left side of the throat entered
the blade, severing all the vessels in its pass
| ages and issuing clean out at the other side.
/ 1t was all over. Palacios fell TO the floor a
! corpse. The body was left there. The au.
thorities were informed and the police came
and conveyed the corrse to the morgua.