The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-08

Over five thousand duels occur annu-
ally in France alone. The enormous
majority of these encounters occur
between private soldiers. In every
French regiment are to be found two
or three first-rate swordsmen, common
~ called des tateurs, whose especial
business il is to test the nerve OF any
recruit suspected of deficiency. OF
physical courage. On the most frivo-
lous pretext the tateur fastens quar-
rel on the unfortunate nouveau, and
the unanimous voice of the regiment
declares that honor demands blood
shed. The encounter takes place In
the presence of four non-commissioned
officers and the regimental fencing
master, who stands by, sword in hand,
ready to parry any too dangerous
thrusts. The weapon used in the cav
airy is the saber, and in the infantry
the ordinary sword-bayonet, and the
issue is generally harmless enough, al
though cases have been known OF the
tateur himself coming to grief through
the recruit going for his adversary.
In society, and especially among
gentlemen connected with what the
French term la petite presse, very
similar rule prevails, but with one inn
portant modification. The tateur is
here conspicuous by his absence, and
the young aspirant to social or journal
istic honors is expected to faire ses pre-
yves by deliberately picking a quarrel
with some eligible opponent. The
weapon used in these affairs of honor
is almost invariably the small sword,
the pistol being considered by far too
dangerous an arm-the issue of these
encounters is, as rule, a scratched
finger or forearm. Occasionally, when
political or other considerations render
even scratch undesirable, pistols are
resorted to, but with peculiar precau-
tions. Thus Nj. Gambetta and De
Fourtou-the former being one-eyed
and the latter nearly blind-were put
mp in dense fog at forty PAGES to ex-
change shots with very short barreled
smooth-bore pistols. In short, nine out
of ten French duels may be looked
upon as mere farces, played for the
amusement of the gallery. The excel
lent health enjoyed by Nj. Rochefort,
De Cassagnac, and Garlic DIES Perriers,
who among them have been out over
fifty times, adds strong confirmation to
this view of the matter.
In both Italy and Spain duels are
frequent; but in both countries the
saber is used, to the almost complete
exclusion of the small sword. Indeed,
the prejudice against the latter arm is
so strong in Italy that it is all but inn
possible to find seconds who will con-
sent to act in duel a Pepee. The
natural result is that, while fatal
issue is rare, the ugly gashes in the
face are worry common. In both these
countries the penalty for dueling, as in
France, is merely nominal.
Throughout Germany, including
Prussia, Austria, and the minor States,
a very different style prevails. With
the exception of the oft-described
"Schlaeger" duels among university
students, which are still winked at, en-
counters between civilians are punished
with considerable severity, the ordeal
of single combat being privilege prac-
tically reserved for the army. In the
event of two officers falling out, court
of honor (ehrengericht), generally
composed of five superior officers end
presided over by the Colonel of their
regiment or the General commanding
the district, carefully investigates the
whole affair and decides whether an
apology shall be rendered and accepted.
or whether an encounter is necessary.
The decision of the court is final, and
any officer refusing to comply with it
would be compelled to retire from the
service, while any duel unauthorized by
the court would infallibly lead to the
cashiering of the offenders. Pistols
are almost invariably used, at dis
lance of twelve PAGES; and, German
officers being as rule very good shots,
fatal consequences are not infrequent.
BY strange anomaly the verdict of
the ehrengericht does not entirely cover
the responsibility of the combatants.
In the event of fatal issue, the sur
vivor is liable to suffer term of open
arrest in fortress, varying from two
to six months. A German officer thus
finds himself placed in the dilemma of
to retire, or of fighting and running the
risk of being placed under arrest for
doing so.
In no country are duelS more ire
quent or more murderous than in Rus
STA; the Russians being, especially
when in their cups, as quarrel
some among themselves as they
are proverbially courteous to for
eigners. The mode of combat uni
versally adopted is that termed the
duel a la barriere; the opponents being
put up at fifteen PAGES, with liberty to
advance five PAGES each at given signal,
and to fire at will. Should one of them
fire and miss, his adversary is entitled
to complete his five PAGES before re-
turning the shot. Many cases have
been known in which q duelist, al
though mortally wounded, has yet re-
tanned sufficient strength to take steady
aim and fire with fatal effect. The
great Russian poet, Pushkin, was killed
in duel la barriere, after severely
wounding his antagonist.
In the Baltic provinces system pre-
walls which at first sight appears even
more murderous. The adversaries are
placed only three PAGES apart; the pis-
tolls are held with the muzzle pointing
n n