The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-04-28


ants brother officers who had been sitting
at a neigh boring table, When at length
they desisted from their onslaught he was
conveyed to the hospital, where it was dis
covered that he was one of the senior clerks
of the treasury department, and that he
had received no less than seven severe but
not fatal sword wounds.
The affair naturally created intense in
dignation among the town people who
had witnessed the scene, and one of them,
wealthy young mine owner of the neigh
borhood, was incautious enough to ex-
press in a somewhat loud tone of voice his
opinion that an attack by seven armed
men on single unarmed civilian was
nothing more nor less than disgraceful
piece of cowardice. A young naval officer
standing near by heard him, and inquired
if he really meant what he said. On the
mine owner replying in the affirmative the
officer drew his sword and aimed blow at
him. The civilian, who had not even a
stick, raised his right hand for the pur-
pose of protecting his head, which be
saved at the cost of his thumb and three
fingers. These were sliced off by the
sword as if with an amputating knife and
fell to the ground.
Just six weeks later a similar incident
occurred at Erlau, town in Hungary
famed for its wines. The victim in this
case was the chief of the local police, who,
having ventured to request party OF
hussar officers to make less noise in cafe
chantant where a concert of gypsy musi
clans was in progress, was drawn into an
alteration, which ended by his being cut
down by the officers and wounded by nine
or ten sword thrusts, some of them OF
SO serious a nature that his recovery was
for long time doubtful.
Nor should | omit the case of Count
Grotta Won Grottenegg, chamberlain Of
the Emperor Francis Joseph and captain
of one of the crack lancer regiments, who a
short time ago was placed on trial at vienna
for having hewn down with his saber Oh
the staircase of his belle amie's house
an unarmed young man of the name Of
Gartenberg, who had inadvertently 1ostled
him in the dark The count did not deny
having dangerously wounded the prosecu
tor, but claimed that he was obliged tt
draw his sword in order ito preserve in
tact the honor of his uniform"
The excuse WIS regarded as perfectly
adequate and valid by the judges of tht
criminal court intrusted with the hearing OF
the case, and the count was acquitted MOI
were the officers implicated in the atfrays
at Klagenfurt and at Erlau in any way
molested By the authorities, who held that
they had been entirely justified in using
their sabers on unarmed and defenseless
civilians.
In order to fully appreciate the position
Of the officers in the matter, ! should state
that if any one Of them, while In uniform,
is either struck or insulted without aveng-
Ing the aifFont he is dismissed the army in
disgrace, and not only expelled from all
the clubs and warned of the race courses,
hut also ostraesed by society IN such q
manner as 90 render his expatFlation lndis
pensahle While Il Is always posslbl %
aYenge, by means u duel, an insult on
/ the part Of Hn equal orof superior, Officers
are not permitted Ia meet on the 80 called
Hield OF honor Interiors, such a. mef
chants, tupiesmen, peasants, non eonmlA
sl0nad alloers, OF pFigaiza.
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