New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
A DIPLOMATIC DUEL.
MOBILES THAT WERE NOT MOBILES

duels fail to excite great degree Of interest The
rcent encounter, however, between Count Francis
| Deym, the Imperial Ambassador at the Court q,
st. James, and Count Francis Lutzow, his forme,
Secretary of Legation, owing to the prominence ~
the principals and the wealth and station Of tbe,
families. has been the chief topic of conversation
in clubs and private houses for days. The
fortunate termination of the meeting has neitbe,
| given rise to unfavorable criticism nor subjected
the combatants to the charge of cowardice
The challenge which ended in the duel wa,
made months ago in London. and arose. as il
usually the case, over a member Of the fair ser
Early last year Count Lutzow married q
young lady from Meckenburg, in GERMANY
| For reasons which have not been made
| public. the Ambassador failed to invite her 70
his State receptions Count Lutzow, who ha,
| the spirit of a H0tspur, naturally regarded the
| treatment Of his wife as personal insult and
| demanded satisfaction from his chief on the field
| of honor. Owing 10 his representative place. the
Ambassador did not feel at liberty to respond to
the demands of his subordinate without consult
ing the Emperor and Count kanOky, Minister Of
Foreign Affairs. lie sent detailed account Of
the dispute to Vienna, where his actions and
delay were approved. Efforts were made at once
TO prevent the impending duel. Count Karl
Kinsky, another member Of the Embassy, was
diplomatsts His earnest efforts, however. were
in vain; the Secretary refused to be appeased.
He resigned his Office in consequence. and soon
afterward returned TO Austria. But his anger did
not abate or become dormant He renewed the
challenge under circumstances which made further
procrastination OH the part of the Ambassador i'm.
possible.
Count Deym returned to this capital few
weeks ago. AMI after securing permission from
the Emperor, prepared TO fight his former Sec
retary. In the presence of several friends and
seconds. the duel took place in one of the cavalry
barracks of the city. Two Shots were tredi
neither duellist was injured. The men. however
had stood on their honor; satisfaction had
been given. According To current rumoS. In
fact a reconciliation followed the encounter. II
is even said that the young Secretary was cor.
WINGED that the treatment of his wife was the
result of misunderstanding. BE that as IT may
the Emperor received Count Deym prior to hI
departure for London, and treated him with
marked consideration. He paid no such honor
however, TO Count Lutzow, who has since beer
dismissed from the Imperial service.
The lives of the two men who have been brought
into prominence again by their duel are NOT
without interest Count Deym, who, like his
opponent, is a member of one of the haughtiess
Of the diplomatic corps. Some time ago he re-
signed from a responsible post to accept place
in the Reichsrath. He was subsequently chosen
a member OF Parliament and became an active
leader of the Conservative party His character
and manly qualities insured his popularity in all
political factions, and he often called upon
to arbitrate in party disputes. Tall, brOad-shoul'
dered and erect his cavaler-ike appearance at
tracted the eyes Of adj visitors TO the gallery OF
the House. Political Debates however, did not
prove so attractive to the Count as diplomacy.
Four years ago he was sent TO represent lis Maj.
esty at Munich. The successful administration Of
his duties at that capital induced the Emperor 10
intrust TO him the mission TO London, where ne
has become one Of the most esteemed members OF
the diplomatic corps!
While in Parliament one of the Ambassador
colleagues was Count Francis Lutzow, who repre-.
scnted the mobiles of Bohemia Members of the
same party and of the club, the were
naturally upon friendly terms. Two years after
the departure of Count Deym from Vienna, Count
Lutzow resigned his place in Parliament and
was attached to the embassy in London, TO which
he had formerly belonged. The cause which in
duced him to renounce political career the
subject of considerable comment at the time.
Lack Of sufficient private funds and the refusal
of his father, at time Ambassador, to in.
crease his allowance, led the young Count 70
bring suit TO compel his father TO grant him
81, 900 year. On the ground that the Austrian
law obligeS parents 10 maintain their chdpu
in a manner suitable to their birth and condition
if possible, the lower courts decided the case in
favor of the plaintiff. The defendant appealed
to the superior tribunal. After considerable de-
lay the old Count succeeded in proving that ne
had other children 10 support and was unable To
pay his eldest son such sum of money. The
annual allowance was therefore reduced tc
5000 gulden. \ second appeal resulted in de-
feat.
The family dispute made residence abroad de.
slrable to the young man. lie returned 10 Lon
don, where he remained until The outbreak Of the
unfortunate quarrel which ended in the notorious
duel The duel is without precedent in the history
of Austrian diplomacy.
Few issues of the "Almanach de Gotha" have
given rise to so much comment as that which was
published short time ago. Ii declares that the
members of the family of Roschutz- Rothschutz,
who for half a century have borne the titles Of
Baron and played prominent parts in society have
no right TO the privileges and honorS of nobility.
Before the name of MISUNDERSTANDING
says the "Almanach," disappears forever from
these PAGES, II is necessary 10 say that the editors
were knowingly deceived by a member of the
alleged baronial family in 1887, when they first
Included the name in the baronlal lists Philip
Joseph RoSchutZ, who was born in 1912 and was
sprung from family of artisans was able for a
generation, by means of forged documents and
papers. To convince all editors OF genoa ogical and
heraldic publications and courts in Europe of tie
existence of baronial family of RoschutZ- Roth
schutZ. lie was not ignorant of the fact that in
the prlncimhty of Ratihor there was an old noble
FAMILY 10y name Of Roschutz, and that another
ancient race bearing the name of Rothschuu
lived in MeisScn He combined both the names
and the cOats-Of-ams of the two families. That
fla ririn off ba shar biah
III question.
despite the presence of atteStcd documents,
the claim of descent from the two widely separated
families gave rise 10 suspicion on the part of tho
Colleges of lleraldry. Investigation proved the
correctness of tie suspicion. Philip Roschutl
was brought 10 trial in Breslau in 1859. On the
night of December 1, before the trial was ended,
the defendant placed himself beyond the jursdc-
ton of an earthly judge by committing suicide.