The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-05-11

- ZMWM MAAVEEV mMA AZ w ~ AAtAAN
EWNNN district, away
w Y~sV71TnI from the busy
NJ &EE.R#SM part OF the town,
VA&M but to the last he
~ y was full of vitali-
-ty and agility. He
JOSE C'PEPk') 7 looked ten years
younger than be was, had q slender but
vigorous figure Of medium height, hair
and beard originally chestnut but later
gray, md keen buggy eyes.
He was born in the island Of Minorca,
and claimed 70 have Moorish as well as
Spanish blood In his veins. He took to
the sea early in life as cabin boy for an
American master, John Conkling, Of Bal
timore. He settled In New Orleans, and
was first employed an ''bouncer'' in q ball
room and cafe Of old Creole days. Soon
after he took this position the cafe became
known as one Of the most orderly In the
city. Next, t'Pepe" became a patron and
then q master Of the fencing schools, and
may well be spoken Of as the last Of the
New Orleans fencing masters. Long be-
fore the war t'Pepe'' was known as the
most expert master Of arms in America.
With sabeP, broadsword, rapier or small
sword he was i~nvulnerable, and with fire.
arms he had few equals. With the pistol
he would shoot dollars from between the
fingers of his friends and pipes from be-
tween their teeth.
His son, from whose head "Peper often
shot oranges in imitation of William TELL
was q graduate of West Point, and his
picture hangs upon the walls of "Pepe's''
former residence in New Orleans, among
the many souvenirs Of his adventurous,
but none the less financially prosperous,
life. His energetic nature led him into
many speculations and his fortune Yves
estimated at several hundred thousand
dollars. Among his possessions was
Grands Terre, an island In Barataria
bay, upon which Fort Livingston is
situated.
OF the twenty or more challenges
which 'Pepe'' received and half that
number Of actual duels which have fol-
lowed, only two men met death at his
hand, and Of the two fatal encounters n
was undertaken while acting IN che ca
pacity of q second TO a friend, and may be
said to have been forced upon him. The
opposing second was q German fencing
master, who, on the field, declared his
principal in no condition 70 fight and on
fered to take his place.
very well, y said "Pepe,h but in that
case you must deal with me, not with my
principal
The German agreed, and a few mo-
ments later lay dead upon the ground
with e ball through his arm and both bis
lungs.
The other fatal occasion followed upon
the episode which made Pops famous and
secured him his Spanish knighthood and
decoration. Indeed, the only personal
difficulties which Pope has had since the
war were the result Of his espousal Of the
Spanish cause. He early became an
American citizen, and took that view Of
his citizenship which induced him to re-
main loyal TO the Union during the war,
but he retained the warmest affection Tor
his native Spain, and even as early as
1853, in the excitement in New Orleans
following the Lopez ihbustering expeli-
tion, became, by his brave defense of
Spanish residents, the object Of such
hatred BY the Cnbans as subjected him to
many attempts at assassination. The
anti-Spanish excitement broke out again
in New Orleans Ia 1869, and during this
period he challenged q Cuban who he'd
been guilty Of a petty outrage upcs de-
fcnse1ess Spaniard. The man declined
to fight, and Pope posted him as
q coward. His indignation being thor
| oughlg aroused be issued French, English
and Spanish posters and placed them con-
spicuonslyl all over the city, challenging
Cubans and fhbustera everywhere to
mortal combat. Quite q number, both
In New Orleans and Ia the West Indies,
accepted at first, and many crossed the
Gulf 70 face The defiant champion Of
Spanish loyalty, for the unparalleled bold
ness Of the old man spread like wildfre
throughout the Spanish world. But one
after another Of those who fastened TO
respond weakened when they learned OF
sPepe's" wonderful skin with arms and
dSuntleas courage. Some changed their
purpose OF open fight to midnight assassi-
nation; others, to escape the dangerous
contegt with semblance Of honor, resorted
70 those 5Ockeying tactics with which
sPepS' had already become familiar be-.
| fore the war, and which had SO much tC
do with bringing dueling into disrepnte
among southern gentlemen. AT last one
truly brave man was found in the person
Of M Austrian officer, q soldier Of fortune
who had espoused the cause Of the Cuban
revolutionists. Like s'Pepe't he was an
accomplished swordsman, but pistols
were chosen 70 most nearly equaliza the
antagonists.
The conditions were, distance thirty
PAGES, FIRE and advance When the word
was given Hpepe'f remained motionless,
with hts face turned away from the
Austrian who, reserying his Ere, aa'
vanced with steady deternssnRtign. HI
raised his arm to fire when he had reached
q point near enough, as he thought 4
ensure his aim. Upon the Instant Pops
wheeled shout, ~andShring quick az though
his bali transported the Austrian. 4
was some months before the woundet
man died, but his fate effectually de
TERED others nom facing Pepa ia CHI
cAnee Of Cuba He WA long the oEiec
ettempts q demonstration.