Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-10-17
4 Duel With RRpiers.


t San FrancIsco Call.
! A duel WIS fought with Frenc
rapiers near the Ocean House, kept
!. Barney Farley, on Saturday mornin,
? The participants were Frenchma
and German. The former is name
Gascon, and it is said that he owns
rancho of 1000 acres in Marin count,
The latter, whose name could not i
learned, is said to be a lawyer in thi
city. The German and the French
man met a short time ago and dis
cussed the relative merits of the caS
! airy of the two armies in the Franco
Prussian war. Gascon was a Captain
of horse in the French army, an,
! stoutly maintained that the cavalry o
Napoleon III. was much superior I,
that that crossed the Rhine and inva
| ded France The German, who wen
to school at Heidelburg University
replied warmly to the claim. Theil
words led to threats, and finally to i
challenge to test their own merits with
swords, and thus settle the question in
regard to the superiority Of one army
or the other.
lie AM Ea-.
The arrangements were conducted
with the greatest secrecy. At z O'clock
Saturday morning hack drove up to
the lodging house OF a well known
athlete, and the occupants, who proved
to be the Frenchman and his party,
asked the athlete to 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 scien-
tiiic one for points and harmless in its
character. He readily consented, and
getting into the hack the party was
driven to the Ocean House, where the
German with his friends was already
in attendance. Leaving their carri-
ages the two parties, which in all did
not number more than ten persons,
started for a ravIne about 400 yards
back OF Barney Farley's house. The
duel was to be fought on horseback,
and the weapons to be used were
French rapiers, thirty-six inches long,
sharp on the edges and at the point
The two men stripped for the encoun-
ter. Gascon wore light trousers and a
blue flannel shirt, aud steel helmet
over his face. He had a black beard
and mustache. In his party was
physician and several of his friends.
The German was Il large, heavy man,
weighing fully 100 pounds. lie wore
a dark flannel shirt and dark trousers
The Frenchman mounted big gray
horse that had been brought for him,
and the German rode bay horse.
THE DUEL.
The referee states that when he saw
the character of the weapons he pro- |
tested, but the two men said they knew |
what they were doing. The referee at |
IL o'clock ordered the first charge. /
The two riders spurred their horses
and advanced with uplifted swords.
A second charge was ordered by the J
referee and the two men came to-
gether again. Again the vicious blows
we're Warded off and both returned
safely. A third charge was ordered.
Gascon rode rapidly toward his adyer-
sary, and with great skill cut an ugly
cash in the Germans right arm. 1t is
said that upon the sight of this Gas
cons friends could hardly restrain
heir excitement. When the blood
began to flow number OF the Ger
mans friends, seeing the serious and
dangerous character of the affray,
led. The referee states that the Ger
mans doctor was among those who
peat hasty retreat. The referee states
hat he tried to prevail upon the men
% give up the encounter, but they
10Th refused to do so. The French
mans friends grew more excited with
he passage every momentand deman-
led continuation OF the contest.
A BLOODY TERMINATION.
The referee then ordered the fourth
dvance, and both men rode toward
ach ether. The Germans sword arm
vas wounded, but he held his sword
lp and spurred his horse on. But he
lad lost much of his strength, and us
he two men cameA together Gascon
his rapier over the Germans
rm at the elbow, inflicting another
wound. Its supposed that the weapon
lso struck the "crazy bone," for the
fernan's arm fell helpless by his side.
Then the Frenchman made a desper-
te rush on his disarmed opponent,
nd struck him first on the breast, cut
ing him from the left nipple to the
bird rib, laying open the flesh and
xposing the ribs. Again he raised his
apier, and again it whizzcd through
he mir i'll its descent, and cut cash
n the Germans arm. The weapon
7as again poised for another thrust,
ghen the referee rushed upon Gascon
nd dragged him from his horse. The
enraged mt this act OF the
eieree, turned upon him. But the
eferee fed behind a buggy that was
ear the ground and saved himself
he duel WAS over. The Gs,scon party
ntered their carriages and 90 TO the
Tiff House. The Germans friends
eturncd with carriage. His plIysl-
ian sewed up the wounds temporar-
y, and removed him to a farmhouse
! the neighborhood, where the wound
4 man was treated more carefully.
iefore separating every member of the
arty agreed to say nothing OF the
flair, as it was a criminal offense. But
was evident that it could not be
mothered in silence, and the affair
aving been heard Of, the above account
/ it WAS obtained from the referee.