Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-01-23
1THE CODE. DUELLO.
DueIIins ON the Continent OF Eu.
rope. us ,,t
rhc Deadly Mode Of Fighting Which, Prs-
rails In Ruszia-Popular Sentiment
In France FavOrs Personal
Encounters.
ran Mall Gazette,

iran Mall Gazette.l
Over 5 500 duels occur annually in France
alone. The enormous majority of these en-
counters take place between private SOL
diers. In every French regiment are to be
found two or three nrst-rate swordsmen,
commonly called des tdfeHrs, whose espec-
iel business il is to test the nerve OF any
recruit suspected Of a deficiency of ply
s,eal courage. On the most frivolous pre-
text the taseltr fastens a quarrel on the un-
fortunate Houveau, and the unanimous
voice OF the regiment declares that honor
demands bloodshed. The, encounter takes
place IN the presence OF four non-comniis-
stoned officers and of the regimental fsne-
ing msstsr, who stands by, sword IN hand,
ready 20 parry any too dangerous thrust.
The weapon used in the cavalry is The
sabre, and IN the infantry the ordinary
sword bayonet, and the issue is generally
hsFmless euough, although cases have been
known Of the tdteUr himself coming to grief
through the recruit going for his adver-
sary., sHH .s.-f -
In society, and especially among gentie-
men connected with what the French term
Ia petite presse, a very similar rule prevails,
but with one Important modification. The
tGteWr is here conspicuous by his absence,
aud the young aspirant to social or jour
nalistic honors is expected to Jaire Ses
preuves by deliberately picking a quarrel
with some eligible opponent. The weapon
used in these affairs OF honor is almost in
variably the small sword, the pistol being
considered far too dangerous an arm-the
issue of these encounters Is as a rule q
scratched finger or forearm. Occasionally,
when political or other considerations rem
der even a scratch undesirable, pistols are
resorted to, batwith peculiar precautions
Thus NJ. Gambetta and De Foutou-tne
former being one-eyed and the latter near
ly blind-were put up in dense fog at
forty PAGES to exchange shots with very
short -barrelied smooth bore pistols. In
short, rine out OF ten French duels may be
looked upon as mere farces played for the
amusement o. the gallery. The excellent
health enjoyed by NM. Rochefort, De Cas-
sagnac aud Carrie des Perrieres, who
enioDg them have been out over fifty
times, adds strong confirmation to this
view Of the matter.
In both Italy and Spain duels are fire.
quent; hut 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 il is all but impossible to fad seconds
WHO will consent to act in duel a. lepee.
The natural result is that, while a fatal is
sue is rare, the ugly gashes In the face are
very common. In both these countries the
penalty for duelling, as in France, 10 mere
ly nominal.
Throughout Germany, including Prus-
sia, Austria and the minor States, q very
different rule prevails. With the excep-
ton of the oft-described 'Schlagern duels
among university students, which ara still
winlxed ut, encounters between civilians
are punished with considerable severity,
the -crdeAI Of single combat being
n privilege practically reserved for the
army. In the event OF two officers falling
out, a court OF honor (Ehrengericht), gen.
orally composed of five superior officers and
presided over by the Colonel OF their regi-
ment or the General commanding the dis
trict, carefully investigates the whole
affair and decides whether an apology
shall be rendered and accepted or whether
an encounter is necessary. "ile decision OF
the court is ,inal, and any officer refusing
70 comply with it would be compelled TO re-
tire I-on the service, wEile any duel un-
authUfizel bJ the court would infallibly
lead to the cashiering of the offenders.
Pistols are almost invariably used, at a
distance Of twelve PAGES; and, German
officers Icing as a rule very good shots,
fatal consequences are not infrequent. BY
q strange anomaly, the verdict of the
EircRgsI7..h does not entirely cover the
responsibility Of the combatants. In the
event Of fatal issue, the survivor is liable
to suRGr term OF open arrest in fortress,
varying from two to six months. A Ger
man officer thus finds himself placed in the
dilemma OF refusing to fight and being
compelled to retire, or OF fighting and
running the risk of being placed under ar
rest for doing so.
In no country are duels more frequent or
more murderous than in Russia; the Rus
siaEs being, especially when in their cups,
as quarrelsome as courteous to foreigners.
The mode OF combat universally adopted
Is that termed the duel Ia bar7iere; the
opponents being put up at fifteen PAGES.
with liberty TO advance FIVE PAGES each at
given signal, and to fire at will. Should
ono Of them fire and miss, his adversary Is
entitled to complete his five PAGES before
returning the shot. Many cases have been
known in which duelist, although mortally
wounded, has yet retained sufficient
Strength to take stendy aim and fire with
fatal effect. The great Russian poet Push
kin was killed in duel a Ia bdriere after
severely wounding his antagonist.
In the Baltic Province a system prevails
which at first sight appears even more
nurderous. The adversaries e-placed
only three PAGES apart; the pistols are
held with the muzzle pointing upward, and
are brought down ano discharged at a
given signal. It~may appear almost inn
possible Tor two men to miss each other at
so short distance: hut this is not the case.
Each OF the opponents is 50 desperately
anxious to gain the least fraction of sec
ond on his adversary that, on the sigma,
being given, the weapons are often brought
down with so hurried and violent jerk
that the bullets bury themselves in the
ground. At a duel Fought last year at
Riga between an officer and student in
this fashion, three shots were exchanged
without any result, while at the fourth dis
charge the student had the great toe of his
right foot cut clean on by his opponents
bullet
PRoTEssoR YoUSG has discovered some
new wrinkles on the face OF the planet Ve-
nus No doubt she is growing old.-L0soe1
Courier.