St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-10
FLooUET's COUP DE CoCHoN.

FLOQUETS COUP DE COCHON.
BouIanger Wounded by a Scien-
tific, Well Timed and Very Dan
gerous Thrust.
The prevalence of dueling in France
at present, and the recent passage at
arms between NJ. Floquet and Gen.
Boulanger, has given rise to a great
deal of discussion on the art Of carte
and tierce, most people inclining
to the belief that the swords
manship of the pair of gentle
men was of rather low order. 1t had
been said, and truly, that it is easy TO
be a fencer, but very hard to be good
one, and out of the hundreds of men in
France who can handle the small sword
or foil nine-tenthS are but tyrOS Ia the
real art Of fencing. They know the
passes, rispOstes, and guards, and
when practicing with their maltre
d'armeS can do all to make fair
display with man whose business it is
to make them think they understand 1t,
but when they get in front of an Oppo-
nent, either in friendly bout, or in the
more laughable alleged combat mort,
their science is forgotten, and it be-
comes broadsword play rather than the
tineSSe and judgment OF fencing.
From time immemOrial men have
fought and settled their disputes by the
shedding of blood. Public sentiment
became aroused to the idiocy of men
Slaughtering one another as a
satisfaction for wounded 'hOnor,"
and in many cases for trifieS light
as air. In all countries it was made
a criminal Offense to engage in the duel,
but i'll France, where the element of the
monkey still prepOnderates, men liked
to go through this insane system of OBJ
tanning satisfaction, though the blood
less issue of most of the affairs made it
appear Sif cheap nOtoriety was the OBJ
ject sought after.
The duel being done away with in its
serious form, schools were formed for
the purpose of practicing fencing as an
exercise. This was when it came into
force as an educator, and it ably filled
the bill, for there is no more graceful
paStime in the world or one which so
calls into play the united energies of
mind and muscle.
Polling is the most scientific branch
of all workmanship. 1t is that which
calls for the greatest quickneSS of eye
and wrist, and is also one on which the
strong and weak alike meet on the same
plane. Strength is no advantage except
it allows a man to hold out longer on
continued assaults, but if applied in the
use of the weapon it becomes a draw
back instead of an advantage.
There are four lines in fencing, and
on them depend the terms, quartz,
tierce. second, septime, octave, quinte
and other variations of the guard.
Quartz and tierce are the positions of
the engagement and the play, feints
and thruStS are made into any of
the others. Besides these simple move
ments are doubles, or feintS into
one position and the lunge delivered
with another. These are embraced in
the coupe, cOule, frappe, double, une-
deuX, une-deuX-trOiS and the dozen
other change of engagements or double
disengagements which form the adj
vanced part of the art. The position is
a graceful one, and when two swords
men OF ability meet the display is very
we'll worth seeing.
In the Boulanger-FlOquet encounter
the thrust which put an end to the
affair is technically known as the coup
de cochOn, or pig thrust, taking its
name from being delivered at the base
of the Windpipe. 1t is only resorted to
when your adversary rusheS you con-
tinually, and is one of the most danger
Gus of all passes. Throughout the
duel Gen. BOulanger took the lead
and made pass after pass at his OPP
ponent, thereby placing himself at a
disadvantage, as the position of attack
is by far the hardest work, and that in
which the most openings occur. That
Mr.. Floauet understood this we'll is
seen by the fact that most of the few
slight wounds he inflicted on his OPP
ponent were made by rispostes well
timed between Boulanger,s headstrong
attacks.
The coup de cochon is usually fatal
thrust, and it is, therefore, seldom if
ever delivered in an ordinary duel, and
i'm the most of the schools is not taught.
Its delivery is thus described by writer
in the Boston Globe: The foilS being
engaged in carte, the moment the
attack is made the dueliSt, other
than he making the attack straight
ems the foil arm to its fullest
extent, and drawing the left foot up to
the right, drops the point of the weapon
and lowers the left hand as in making a
thrust. thereby presenting line of bod Y
: fully covered by the OutStretched foil.
The point is thus held straight in the
| line of advance of the opponent, and if
| the movement has been well timed it
must reach the throat or upper part of
| the chest of the attacking man.
The same thrust delivered lower, and
with the difference that compile lunge
is made, makes the most desperate and
deadly thrust known to swOrdsmen,
and has been known to result in instant
| death of both contestants.
In affaires d'hOnneur-if these miser-
| able exhibitions can be so called-fenc-
| ing is the fairest and most manly style
of fighting; but he who has ever felt
cold steel in his body rarely relishes a
return. 1t is on the principle that a
burnt child breads the fire. Dueling
will never cease to be the road to fame
of some insane men till the law compels
it to 5e la mort IN earnest, and one of
the two be sacrificed, to the warning OF
| the rest.