The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-01
GENERAL BoULANGER.

A duel has been fought on Count billions
estate, near Paris, between NJ. Floquet,
the French Prime Minister, and Gen.
eral Boulanger, the well-known mem
ber of the Chamber of Deputies. Gene
raj Boulanger has for months past been the
most prominent figure in French political
circles on account OF his warlike attitude to-
ward Germany.
The duel was the direct result Of violent
personalities used in the Chamber Of Depu-
ties, during which General Boulanger de-
nouncei NJ. Floquet as an impudent liar.
Boulanger proposed the dissolution or the
Chamber, and the proposition was rejected.
The General thereupon resigned his seat.
During his speech Boulanger said the
Chamber of Deputies was falling into ruin
and decay, and that the Monarchlsts were
watching for the death agony Of the Repub-
lie. He would do his duty by demanding
the passage of resolution that the Chamber
ask President CarnoG for dissolution.
NJ. Flo1uet reproached General Boulanger,
who was always absent from the Chamber,
He said it was not for a man like Boulanger
to Judge of its leg slative labors and criti-
else hardworking members. What had Boz
LANCER donel
The General replied that he had made an
appeal to the country. =.
NJ. Floauet retorted that the country had
answered him in the Charente election, in
which Boulangers candidate for the Cham
Der of Deputies was defeated.
Bouanger characterized Floquet's speech
as only the utterance of badly educated
school usher, and then branded him as an
impudent liar.
Boulanger then left the Chamber, and
vote of censure was passed upon him, when
the body adjourned.
After the sitting, NJ. Floluet sent his sec
onds to General Boulanger's house with a
challenge to fight duel. NM. Clemenceau
ger at home, but at a Paris newspaper
Office late at night Count Dill
lon and NJ. Laquerre acted for Boulanger,
and the four umpires soon had the arrange
ments made for the meeting the next morn
ing.
General Bou,anger was cheered by the
peop.e on emerging from the Prcsse office at
half-past o'clock in the morning on his way
to the dueling grounds, and he responded to
their plaudits by raising his hat. He drove to
Neuiliy in brougham and arrived first al
the place of meeting. He paced walk
with his seconds while awaiting the coming
Of M. Floquet, who arrived at ten minutes
past ten o'clock. While the seconds were ex.
p'orng the garden searching for convenient
spot for the duel, NJ. Floquet, without betray.
ing any emotion, walked to and fro con.
versing with friends. At the same time Cen
eral Boulanger, with an obtrusive affecta-
tion of indifference, kept twirling his walk
ing stick about and consulting with his
watch as though impatient to begin fighting.
There was large crowd outside the grounds.
At twenty minutes past ten o'clock NJ. Lai-
SAINT, who directed the duel, brought together
the points of the swords and delivered the
word of command. General Boulanger imme.
diately made vigorous lung at M. Floquet,
wounding him slightly on the left thigh. The
combatants W ere Immediately separated, wher
it was found that Boulanger's right hand
forefnger was scratched.
In the second round Boulanger advanced
with extreme violence to the attack. Floauet
stood on the defensive. The General made
desperate lunge forward, slightly wounding
the Prime Minister'S left breast. Unable to
recover from tbs impetus of his lunge, be
actually ran his neck onto the sword
which NJ. Flo1uet had kept pointed straight
at him. A terrible cash in the throat was the
result, the blood spirited forth in torrents
AMI Boulanger fell unconscious into the
arms OF his seconds. The surgeons in at
tendance Immediately toot measures to
stop the flow of blood. and later on con-
veyed him into Count Dillon's house on the
estate. NJ. Floquets sword penetrated two
and half inches at a point between tho
jugular vein and carotid artery.
The duel was fiercely fought, and lasted
Just four minutes. General Boulanger tried
hard to kill N. Floquet. and threw himself
upon him again and aga'n.
The Prime Minister, it was easy to see, was
totally unused to handling sword, and it is
a matter Of the greatest astonishment that so
unskilful fencer should have been able to
parry his adversarys lunges 20 successfully.
Premier Floquet was given grand ovation
on his return to Paris.