Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-29
I BLooDY DUEL Nv Ca.rEosN,.
a Quarrel About the Merits of Two Srm,..
On Horseback with Rapiers.

"ho0Df DUFL Nv CaIfFORNIA.
a quarrel About the Merits OF Two ar,,.s
On Horseback with Rapiers,
San Francisco Call
duel was fought with French rapiers near
the Ocean House, kept by Barney Farley, on
Saturday morning. by Frenchmap and a
German. The former is named Gascon. and
II is said that he owns ranch Of 1000 acres
in Marin county. The latter, whose nsme
could not he learned, is said to be a LAWYER
in this city. The German aud the French
man met q short time ago and discussed the
relative merits OF the cavalry of the two
armies in the fraaco-prussian war. Gas.
con was captain of horse in the
French army, and stoutly maintained
that the cavalry of Napoleon III. was
much superior to that that invaded France
The German, who went to school at uedelberc
University, replied warmly to this claim.
Their words led to threats and finally TO a
challenge to test their ow n merits with swords,
and thus settle the question of the sup, rior
ity Of one army or the other.
The arrangements were conducted with q
greatest secrecy. At I o'clock Sa ,urday
morning hack drove up to the house Of "A
well-known athlete, and the occupants, the
Frencbman and his party, asked the athlete
| 10 act as referee of a sword contest which
was about to take place The athlete states
that he supposed the contest was to be a sci
| entitic one for points and harmless
| in Its character. He readily cor
scnted, and getting into the hack the party
was driven to the Ocean house. where the
| G rman, with his friends, was already in At
tendance. Leaving their carriages, the two
| parties, which in all did not nu rrher more
th tap ,.l G.. u
| 400 yards back of Barney Farley's house.
The duel was to be frought on hors eback,
and the weapons to be used were French
rspiers, thrty-sx inches long, sharp on the
edges and at the point. The two men stripped
for the encounter Geascon wore light
| ousers and a blue flannel shirt and steel he'll
ct over his face. Tie had black beard and
moustache. Ia his party was a physical
| ind several of his friends. The German
was large heavy man, weighing fully one
hundred and ninety pounds. He wore dark
| flannel shirt and dark trousers. The French
man mounted big gray horse that had been
brought for him, and the German rode bay
| The referee states that when he saw the
character OF the weapon he protested but
the two men said they knew what they
were doing. The referee, at II O'Clock
ordered the first charge. The two riders
spurred thei- horses and advanced with MP
lifted swords As they came together they
| each psrried the Others blow and retired A
second charge was ordered by the referee aud
the two men came together again
| Again the vicious blows were warded off
and both returned fsiely. A third charge
was ordered. Gascon rode rapidly toward
his adversary, and with great skill cut au
ugly cash in the Germans right arm. It is
said that upon the sight OF this GasCon's
riends could hardly restrain their excitement
When the blood began to flow a number of
the Germans friends, seeing the serious and
dangerous character of TIE ARRAY fled. The
referee states that the Germans doc o
was among those who beat r h,sty retreat.
The referee states that he tried to prevail up
on the men to give up the encounter, but they
both refused to do so. The Frenchman's
friends grew more excited with the passage
every moment, and demanded a continuation
OF the contest.
| The referee then ordered the fourth ai-
vance and both men rode toward each other.
| The Germans sword arm was wounded, but
be held his sword uD and spurred his horse
| on. But he had lost much OF his strength,
and as the two men came together Gle con
whipped his rspier over the Germans arm at
the elbow, inhcting another wound. 1t is
| supposed that the weapon aiso struck the
"crazy bone" for the Germans arm tell help
lessly by his side. Then the Frenchmau
made a desperate rush on his disarmed
opponent and struck him first on The
breast, cutting him from the left nipple
to the third RIB, laying open the fnsh and ex-
| posing the RIBS. Again be raised his raper
and again it whizzed through the air in its de.
scent and cut cash on the Germans arm.
The weapon WAS again poised for another
thrust when the referee rushed upon Gsscon
and dragged him from his horse The French
man, enraged at this act of he r, feree, turned
upon him. But the referee fed behind buggy
that was near the ground and saved himself.
The duel was over. The Gascon party entered
their carriage and drove to the Cliff House.
The Germans friends returned with car
riage. His physician sewed up his wounds
temporarily and removed him to a sarm
house in the neghborhood, where the wound
ed man was treated more carefully. Before
separating every member of the party agreed
to say nothing of the affair, as it was a Grim
| inal offense. But it was an event that could
not be smothered in silence, aud the affair
having been heard Of, the above account was
| obtained from the reeree.