Evening journal., 1889-10-17
HISTORY OF DUELlNG.
REMARKABLE DUELS IN ENGLAND
AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

the Offended IL Was Not Always Neces-
sary to Draw Blood.
Authorities differ on the origin of dueling
Among the ancient Greeks and Romans dis
putes were frequently settled by personal en-
counters, but there are no records of any
meetings which resembled the more modern
duel. with it's elaborate code Of rules as 70
challenges, seconds and so forth.
Practically the first duel on record was to
vindicate the chastity of Gunhled, daughter
of Hardknut, and wife of Henry III Of Eng
land. According TO Blackstone the first le
gal mention Of duels is to be found in the
laws Of Gundebald, published in sol, and
preserved in the Burgundian code, The
"ordeal by batteln was to settle civil and per
sonal disputes.
FIGHTING A WHOLE DAY.
On the day appointed, piece Of ground
sixty feet square was inclosed With lis.s, and
on either side was set a court for the judges
Of the common pleas, who were present in
their scarlet robes. The court sat at sun
rise, the combatants were bound to fight till
the stars appeared in the evening The cham
pions were dressed in a coat of armor, bare
legged from the knee, bareheaded and with
arms barred 10 the elbow. Their only weapons
were u NdIktb OF lOlI EBIntIbu hultiu OF
leather and baton or stave Of an ell long
Each swore two oaths first as to the right Of
the issue and second against sorcery and en-.
chantmcnt.
~ have this day neither eat drank, nor
have upon mo either bone, stone, ne gras
nor any enchantment sorcery or witchcraft,
whereby the law Of God may be abased, or
the law Of the devil exalted
laf -, -. ~.
other with their primitive and harmless
weapons until the stars appeared And the
conditions were such that if the tenants
champion maintained his ground and made
it a drawn battle, Judgment was given for
him as being already in possession. On the
other hand, If either combatant yielded he
became infamous, and ceased to be a "liber
ct legalis homon
The ordeal could be refused by women,
priests, infants, or persons over sixty, OF
lame, or blind; by peers of the realm on ac-
count Of their dignity, and By citizens OF
London by charter; and also in cases Of very
strong prima facie evidence.
IN 1909 a duel was fought between Sir
George Wharton and Sir James Stuart, both
Of whom were killed. During the last quar-
Ter Of the Seventeenth century dueling was
Ia AtAi AiA iti Al ANb- -MIs tAlltI
ward Lord Jermyn was severely wounded
in old Pail Mall by Col Howard. IN 1907
Sir II. Belasis fought a close friend, and
Pepys, in recording the event, says: 1T is
pretty to see how the world talk OF them as
q couple Of fools that killed one another out
Of love"
The most trivial circumstances led to duels.
Two doctors quarreled early in the century
as to which was the better physician. They
fought under the gate of Gresham college
One Slipped his foot and fell. ''Talle your
lfe,n exclaimed the other. Anything but
your pliysic,n was the answer, and the mot
seems to have ended the dispute.
Among American statesmen duels were by
no means uncommon. In 1904 Aaron Burr,
vice president killed the celebrated Alexan-
der Hamilton in duel. In 1906 Andrew
jackson, afterward president, killed Charles
Dickinson in duel, and was himself danger
ously wounded. lii 1926 Henry Clay, the
well known statesman, fought with John
Randolph Clay had given his vote in favor
Of Quincy Adams for the presidency, which
was denounced by Randolph as a coalition
Of Puritan with blackleg,n for which Ian
guage he was challenged by Clay. Two shots
having been exchanged without effect, the
uuSi Was Dl tht ttNbnQot
Even Sir Walter Scott was quite ready to
fight duel with Gen. Gourgaud on account
Of some reflections he had made on that Off
Ger in his Life OF Napoleon Writing to
William Clark in 1927, asking him to be $50
ond in case he is challenged, Scott says; "If
the quarrel should be thrust on newly,
will ballz him, Jackie He shall not dishonor
the country through my sides, can assure
him.
"PIsTo1s AND COFFEE"
Duels In England were generally fought
with swords until the time when it ceased to
be fashionable TO wear a sword with plain
clothes. Then pistols were generally used
The French code of 1856 named fifteen PAGES
as the proper distance for contestants but
Byron speaks Of twelve yards, and this was
the usual English distance.
Another method was q volonte, when the
comba@hts We're pleeed at a distance Of
thirty-five to forty PAGES, and each allowed
20 advance to one Of two lines drawn at an
interval Of fifteen PAGES. Another was called
a ligne parellele the combatants advancing
along parallels traced at distance Of fifteen
PAGES. Occasionally other less orthodox
methods were observed, such as a la barriere,
in which the opponents we're placed so many
PAGES from f-ed line, to which they were
compelled to advance, each firing when he
chose. If one OF the parties fired and missed
he was compelled TO advance to the barrier
and then receive his adversary's shot.
A story is told of duel OF this kind, where
a young officer was opposed by notorious
duehst, whom he missed. His opponent
marching up TO the barrier, brutally said, "a
am sorry for your mother and shot the
wretched youth through the brain.
In ireland, as may be expected, duelinE
throve. But, paradoxical as it may seem
Ireland had as much to do with the decay O.
dueling as with its rise. Hot headed, sensi
tive and rash, Irish gentlemen fought O.
every provocation. And the people, delight
ing in a fight, and feeling that morbid pleas
ure in a death which is their characteristic
still, supported them with their presence
and made matters easy for them in the jur,
box. Men Of the highest dignity and mos
responsible position were ready 70 eat fire o.
taste steel.
Ridicule had great deal to do with tn
abolition of dueling. The order of Pistol
/ for two and coffee for one" was supplemente
| by a message sent by Mrs. O'Connel to tw
combatantss Mrs. O'Connell presents he
compliments 70 the two gentlemen and hope
the survivor VIII come to supper" Such re
marks were repeated and quoted until due
lists earned more ridicule than honor.
The practice dies slowly in Europe.
| France there are still duels, but they partak
largely Of a farcical nature, and the allegc
belligerants generally take care that the
run no risks. In Germany the practice {
dueling still continues, and although fatal n