Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-30
SCARED FOR LIFE.

OhLGlIlD l Olo LII Ii.
Some classes of men, like rival can
didates, seem to be born enemies, just
as it is with some animals-cats and
dogs, for instance. When troops are
stationed in a German university city,
the officers and students are certain to
quarrel. The same cordial relations ex-
ist between them that might be expect
ed to prevail If few Texas centipedes
and tarantulas were placed in bottle
and shaken up well. In the year 1861
the students at the Polytechnic School
of Carlsruhe, Baden, Germany, and
the army officers stationed at that city
were in perpetual session, SO to speak.
They were fighting almost every day.
There were several students societies
at the Polytechnic School; the Saxonia,
the Franconia and Bavaria, and when
the members were not lighting duels
among themselves or drinking beer,
they were having personal difficulties
as David Crockett used to call such
joint discussions, with the officers Of
the army of the Grand Duke of Baden
During one of these street exhibi-
tions corps bursch of the Saxonla
came very near being made corpse by
an officer, who made use of his sword
on the street and on the person Of his
antagonist. AS it was, the students
coat, a borrowed one, was cut and
slashed in several places Whenever
the students and officers met in the
beer saloons, if they were sober
enough to converse at all, they used
language towards each other that
would not be tolerated in this country
outside of the halls Of congress.
The bad feeling finally eliminated
in duel between Lieut.. Won Holz and
student named Baum, a member Of
the Bavarian society, which un pleas
ant affair is the subject of this sketch,
the writer being an eye witness. The
quarrel started at masquerade ball.
They called each other bad names, and
slung diatribes and beer bottles. max
ing good line shots across the table at
each other. Next morning Baum sent
a challenge to tie lieutenant, who re-
piled that it would afford him pleasure
to murder Baum, but it was below the
dignity of an army officer, who was
also baron, to fight with plcbeian;
he, therefore, was compelled promptly
and defantly to refuse the challenge.
Several more street fights occurred
all of which failed to calm the excite
ment. When the dueling societies
heard that Lieut.. Won Holz would not
fight there was a wild yearning on the
part of the students to challenge him
and all his friends. A secret caucus
was held, and the students sent COM
munication to the colonel Of the reg!-
ment, begging him as special favor
to pick out seven of his officers who
needed exercise and excitement, and
the students would pick seven Of their
number who were suffering from the
same cause, the idea being to have
seven duels with sabres.
The dueling sabre is not safe thing
and in the hands Of men who are not
careful, accidents are certain to occur
The officers appreciated this fact and
refused to 60 into joint session at all,
with sabres, but they offered COM
promise. There was in Carlsruhe at
that time an army officer who besides
enjoying the high reputation of being
a blacklsg and a blackguard, generally.
was also remarkable for being nearly
seven feet tall. Now, in a sabre duel
the man with the long arm has all the
advantage over the man with the
short arm. The former can carve up
the latter at his ease, while the other
candidate cannot reach far enough
with his sabre to make the connection.
The army officers were so kind and
considerate, and so utterly opposed TO
anything savoring of unfarness. that
they relaxed their dignity to the extent
of proposing that their backlog, Count
Leiningen-that was his Name
should with his long arm, fight the
whole seven scholastic gladiators. This
offer was about equivalent to a man
with long range rife requesting an
antagonist with an Indian club to
tackle him at a thousand yards. The
students met again in secret conclave
and sent back very sarcastic commu
nication, suggesting that when Count
Leiningens friends had sawed him in
two the proposition would be taken up
from the table on which it had been
laid. Then some more street fights
followed as a matter of course.
One afternoon n few days after the
proposition for Count Lciningen Ia
offer up the short.armcd students in
succession I happened to be strol!ing
down the principal street of Carla-
ruhe when carriage stopped in front
of me and head was stuck out
through the window. I rccos snized
the head as being the personal pro