Wichita eagle., 1890-02-18
-wxsSSNNiilxSE
4a1kM 80 @dYW
DUELING m EUROPE.
Trial and Sentence of Successful French

The trial of u. Belz, alias Villas, in the
criminal court of AK goes to show that
dueline. as it exists in France, is some
thing far more serious than it is gener-
ally believed to.be in this country. AZ.
Bez was the editor OF a paper called The
Bulletin Officiel du Comite Revisionniste,
and NJ Louis Pierot6 was employed in
The Petit Provencal of Marseilles. The
manuscript of romance intended for
the feuilleton of The Petit Provencal1vas
submitted by III. Belz to the editors Of
that journal. M. Pieroti was charged
with the duty Of reading it. He reported
against it, and it was declined as I'M
available. The affair was made the sub
Ject OF a newspaper controversy, in
which III. Belz considered himself sufn-
oiently wounded to call for q settlement
upon the field. After considering the
case, the seconds decided that there was
no cause of quarrel, and the thing was
believed to have blown over, when NJ.
Belz again came to the attack in an in
sultiDg article in his paper, ending with
a sneer at u. Pierotti, alluding to his
nationality. Pierotti, as his name indi-
Gates. was born in Italy, bat he was a
naturaiized citizen Of the Trench repub
lie. a fight then became inevitable.
The weapons We're, as usual, swords.
After d short and fierce encounter
Pierotti was run through, and he fell
dead in the arms of his seconds. While
his body was lying IN the Hospice dc la
Conception, where it was taken in the
carriage of his adversary, his wife and
little daughter were waiting for him at
the Hotel de Marseilles, where he had
promised to meet them to see the re-
turn OF the troops from the review.
II. Belz then went to a dinner party,
where he loudly glorified himself on
the result of the combat, which so en-
ragged the rest OF the company that they
forcibly elected him from the dining
room. He then proceeded to banquet
OF Boulangists. after which he was ar
rested and admitted TO bail. The other
day he and the four seconds in the duel
appeared before the criminal court OF
AK on a charge OF homicide and COM
plicity therein.
When Belz came upon the stand to re-
ply to the president of the court he gave
with a staggering air the following ac-
count OF the affair:
IN. Bouge had charge of the combat.
In one hand he held his watch and in
the other a cane. Pierotti and l were
both naked to the waist. lie defended
himself very well. In fact ne astonished
me. The point Of my weapon struck sew
eral times the guard of his, and his sword
pierced my glove, but without wounding
me. At the last moment he rushed at
me with a coup de fouet Then l riposted
and ran him through"
The President-You must have used
extraordinary force to drive your weapon
completely through your adversary.
BeIz-Why, not at all. Ipushed the
steel quite naturally. Then, seeing that
he was wounded, stepped back and ex-
claimed, You are bleeding" And he
was dead.
The President-What was then done
with this unfortunate young man?
Belz On n careless toneeEverybody
seemed 10 have lost his head. They all
began to cry, aed faith, it wasn't anus
ing.
The President--Did not Pierotti re-
ceive several pricks in the arm before he
received his mortal wound?
Belz-No: those scratches were made
Ifter the thrust.
The President-And SO for few lines
thought1cssly written, fcr a quarrel with
out reason, in which you do not figure as
having had the beat of it, we find our
selves in the presence Of the corpse of an
Intelligent and kind hearted young man,
who was beloved by everybody, and is
now torn forever from his little family.
VOLTA Ia moralite du duel,
Belz-Therc might have been two dead
men instead OF one.
He received two years imprisonment
But the strangest state of affairs exists
ia the German army. y Paris CORE
spondent of Courier des Etat Unis writes:
Among the officers the thing is sim
pie enough, and it follows its natural
course on one side of the Rhine as well
as on the other. But that is not the case
when q civilian becomes mixed up in the
affair. In France the officer insulted by
a person outside of the army is inspired
simply by his own feelings in the matter.
He goes to his superior, or chef de corps,
and explains the case. The latter, after
having looked carefully into the
matter, advises him only TO fight
or not 10 fight, rs the case may
be. In Germany an officer insulted
under the same conditions is not free TO
give to the affair the sequel that he
might desire. There exists in each regi-
ment tribunal of honor to whose de-
cision he must submit. If this tribunal
permits him TO fight, the officer, without
further hesitation, goes ahead; but, ii
the decision forbids him TO go upon the
dueling ground, the case becomes seri-
Gus for the insulted officer, because
every officer who does not obtain salts
faction for an insult is obliged to quit
the army. And ii is the same if the in
suiter refuses reparation. Under these
conditions, the German officer may be
compelled, in spite of himself. TO hand
IN his resignation. Even if the tribunal
decides that the insulter is not worthy
TO cross swords with an officer. the lat
ter, finding himself in the impossi6ility
of exacting satisfaction, has no other re-
course than TO resign. And if he does
not resign in twenty-fours, he viii be
compelled to do 50 by the tribunal Of
honor.-New York Sun.
A Letter Nine Years an IT'S
y registered letter, supposed TO con-
tam something valuable, was returned
TO the Baltimore possofice recently.