St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-07
a STRANGE DUEL.
The Principals drew Lots and
One Swallowed a Prussic Acid

one Swallowed a PruSSiC Acid
Pill.
Boston Evening Transcript.
A duel which occaSioned a great sem
Sation at the time OF its occurrence. was
one between Henri Delagrave and Al
phonse R!viere, the cause being the
success of the former in wooing Young
lady to whom they were both attached.
Riviere insulted his successful rival by
slapping him on the cheek in a gaming
saloon, and it was agreed that duel
should take place, in which the life
of one should be ended. The details
were left to their seconds to arrange,
and, until they faced one another
upon the field, neither of the young
men knew in what form they were to
brave death. On the following morn
ing four men met in a quiet wood.
They were Riviere, with NJ. Savalle.
his second, and Delagrave, who was ac-
cOmpanled by doctor named Rocquet.
The latter informed the rivals that NJ.
Savalle and himself had arrived at the de-
ciSion that,i in order to secure afataI result
to one of the principals, it would be best
to leave out of the question swords or
pistols and TO trust to the more sure
action of deadly poison. As he spoke
he drew from his pocket little box, in
which lay four black pellets, all ex-
actly identical In size and shape.
''In one of these" he said. 81 have
placed sufficient quantity of prussic
acid to cause the almost instantaneous
death of any one who swallows it. NJ.
Savalle and | will decide by the toss of
coin which of you is to have first
choice. and you shall alternately draw
and swallow a pill until the poison
shows its effects" While speaking the
last words the doctor Spuu in the air a
glittering gold piece, and, as it fell, Sa-
vale cried, ''Tailsl" 1t fell with the
head uppermost, and Savalle said: "The
first choice is yours, III. Delagrave."
The two whose fate was contained in
those innOcent-looking black ball had
shown no sign of trepidation while
the doctor explained the awful
for the death of one of them; and Della
graves face was perfectly impressive as
he selected and washed down with a
glass of claret one of the globuIes.
land now, Monsieur Riviere," said the
doctor. Rivere extended his hand and
took pill, which he swallowed with as
little appearance of concern as his op-
pOnent. A minute passed, two. three.
and still the duelistS stood motioniess.
ut is your choice again, Monsieur Del
agrave." said the doctor, "bnt this time
you must swallow the pill at the same
instant that Monsieur Rivlere swallows
the one you leave for him." Delagrave,
paused fer moment, looking in silence
at the two balls that lay before him,
The closest scrutiny showed not the
slightest difference between them;
one was harmless, but in the
other rested the pail Of eternity-the
silence and peace of that sleep which
knows no awakening in this world.
With start he drew his eyes from the
box and. putting his finger and thumb
into it, drew forth one of the remaining
pills. Riviere took the solitary one re-
manning, and both men simultaneously
gulped down their fate. A few seconds
passed without any perceptible move
ment on the part of either of them. and
then Riyiere threw up his hands and,
without sound, fell fat upon the
grass. He turned half round, gave one
convulsive shudder, and, as his rival
bent over him, breathed his last. The
fair cause Of this awful tragedy was so
Mortified at it that she refused to see
Delagrave again. and the memory of
those few minutes weighed so heavily
upon him that he followed Riviere to
the grave in few months time.