The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-15
STUDENT DuELslN GERMANY.
Graphic Description of the Sport Of a
Day.
Leipslc Letter.

| LelpSlc Lettef.
| We reached the student hail on the out
skirts of the city (Halle) where the fighting
| was to take place, just as they were about to
| begin. At o'clock the room was filed with
| students from the two universities Halle
and Leipsic) wearing the caps and eolors OF
| their respective corps, smoking, drinking
beer, and eating their breakfasts. In q lew
moments the first pair of victims were
brought on, their right arms being BAN
daged with silk wrappings, pads protecting
| the neck and chest about the heart' anu
strong steel goggles over the eyes. Inc conl-
pany left their beer and breakfast ana gaIh-
cred eheerfully around the cOmbatants. IN
the centre of the ring a place was covered
with a large piece of canvas, on whieh
the positions of the fighters were marked
in white chalk, and equally distinctly with
numerous red stains, which showed that the
canvass had not been used for the first time.
The seconds took their stand on either side
with drawn rapiers and certain insignia of
their respective corps. The umpire took out
his watch and note book, in which to record
how many ''bloody ones" should be received
on each side, and then the fun began, "J0ln
four schlager met in the air, the seconds
A..
at each other as if for life or death. The
weapons clashed In the air, the sparks flew
and then "Haltl' cried the seconds, knock
ing up the swordS-one OF the cOmbatants
had received blow. The umpire stepped
up to examine the cut, thin, red streak was
seen on the left cheek of one of the men, and
the umpire called cut, Zone bloody one on
the side Of the Leipziger landsmannschaft"
"ReadyW "Losw They were at it again.
the blood by this time oozing out. plentifully
and staining the white shirt Of the wounded
man. "Halt!' was called again, and anoth-
er thin stream Of blood was seen starting
from the roots Of his hair. Another "bloody
one" was recorded. The fight went on for
few moments, and then pause was declared
as the young fellow, who had now received
three cuts, was bleeding so profusely that he
had to be looked after and freshened upa
bit. The two men took their seats on chairs
that were placed for them, the doctors and
the seconds busted themselves about them,
while the others went back to their beer and
their breakfasts.
In few minutes the fight was called again
several more cuts were recorded, until one
of them severed a small artery, which had to
be Immediately attended to, SO the mensur
was declared lex" The number of cuts on
each side was announced, and the bloody
victims were led off into another room ana
turned over to the doctors. In about hall an
hour they came back with their heads por&d
up ard looking a little pale fr0mNl0s5 OF :"
blood, but otherwise very uncGncerned, anu
well satisfied, | think, to have gotten off
without losing piece of nose or ear, or hav-
ing a lip cut through. One man was in the
room who had actually had a piece of his
nose cut off, and of course made for life
disagreeable object to look upon.
One must admire the coolness with which
the students go through this part of their ed
ucation-the fighting-being wounded and
being sent up afterward. But one must at
the same time pity them for having so poor
way of showing their manliness. The
whole thing is kind of sport to them. Some
times a duel is the result of ill-will, some
times of a challenge for some faneied affront
but usually it is prearranged trial Of skill,
just as we have in base ball. foot ball or box
ing. Sixteen Of these duels, such as the one
have described, only more or less bloody
or serious in their consequences, were fought
that day. One poor fellow had a piece of
solid flesh about the size of a small orange
plug, so it looked to me, completely severed
from his forehead by a curious twist Of the
rapier, which is three feet long and sharp
ened like a razor for a foot from the point.
This little incident seemed to sober the par
ty for moment, but only for moment.
Another mensur came on, and In a few min
utes the steel was clashing again, the beer
glasses rattling and nothing was thought Of
the unltcky young fellow who had had his
forehead cut omen.