New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29
AN ANTISEPTIC. DUEL.
FEATURES OF THE FINANCIAL DISTRESS iN
THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC ,..
Buenos Ayres October 10.

rax NJ atsurdity in the taking Of elaborate pre-
coptons AGAINST the possibility of either OF the
combatants getting hurt Perhaps this was AZ
mart a concession IN the law; though why any
one should deem il needfu to make any CONCESSIONS
70 the law in such country as this Is "one OF
those things that no fellow can ind out. Ii
that were the object. however. 1t was certaihy
successful. from a logical if not from legal
noint of view The law forbids mortal comoats
But IL the combat be so arranged that no danger
10 life or health can possibly occur. 1t Is not
mortal. and therefore does not come under the
prohibition. lf
Well. at any rate, this was the drama senior
Espnosa and Senior Larsen del Castano. members
of the Lower House oil Congress. were opponents
in debate Leaving the Chamber, they reheweo
the discussion with much animation IN the iooo',
Then they accented their words with Dio"s Vi
the fist, planted on each others face. fopowin9
these came some fine single-stick play WIN theH
heavy canes and at last they pulled OUT ther
pjstols Here friends interfered and parted theui'
IL would not do to have the whole matter iouShV
out there in q moment The comedy must DC
prolonged for the enjoyment Of the spectators DO
a duel was arranged. Should a couple OF poems
or ordinary folk of any kind. do such thing. tneV
would DO clapped into prison in a hurry, buu
here were two Members of Congress- one OF Ihein
also Judge and the other an Army officer, chaiiehg-
ing each other in the very precincts of the Capitol
and numerous other Deputies, Senator'S, judges,
etc. assisting In the ARRANGEMENTS. the whole
thing being announced as public as church les
tiyal or q new issue of deprecated currency ana
never q thought Of any one interfering Inc IDEA
is that "who makes may break the law OF any
thing else. The announcements were most ter.
al 60 "a
wounds would do.
We'll the Mace selected was Senior B. Victorca's
farm. at Moron. and thither went the corsoatants.
their seconds some doctors and surgeons, and .
select throng of spectators-mostly high Govern
ment officials. First, they sat down to breakfast
After that they would fight. But while they were
still at table up comes fool of policeman. who
either has not been properly seen" or who Is
too stupid to understand anything.
81 am looking for couple of Deputies, Senors'
he says. .... ,,....
what do YOU want of them?' Senior Victorica
asks. have they been robbing anybody, that you
should arrest themp'
"Oh. for that" replies the policeman, with
fine flash Of genius, all the Deputies rob every
body. No. it isn't stealing That's no crime
But I'm told they are to fight duel, and Pm
going to stop it.
quite right; too says Senior Victorica Il
,rnow about that duel but it doesn't come off here.
It's at Senior Lelovi's farm, a mile down the road.
Here, I'll send one Of my men down to show you
the place"
So off went the policeman. Senior VictOrca's
man timed the wink 70 Senior Lelov and the latter
told the policeman that the duel WIS indeed to occur
there, but not for two or three hours yet Where
fore, he would best have some breakfast, and make
himself at home until the bloodthirsty wretches
arrived The officer fell into the trap and in the
meantime the duel came of, all undisturbed, at
Senior Victorca's 1t was agreed that one Of the
men should scratch the other with the point OF
his foil; possibly draw drop of blood. That
would do no harm unless blood-posoning followed.
Well, that could be prevented. So the combatants
each took bath, and sponged himself all over
with an antiseptic preparation And then the
foils were carefully rendered aseptic aisos Now.
gentleman" said the doctor, as he took the 'foils
from the bath of carbolic acid, you may scratch
each other with perfect safety"
Four rounds fought. In the first, Senior
Espinosa got scratch on the little finger of his
right band, not deep enough to draw blood. In
the second, Senior Larsen was wounded in the leg ;
that is the foil tore his trousers, but the skin re-
manned intact. In the third, no casualty occurred.
In the fourth, Senior Larsen got a scratch on one
cheek, which drew four drops of blood, and Senior
Espinosa received puncture as great as the sting
of wasp in his right arm. There the battle
ended. Antiseptics and healing compounds, were
literally applied to the CHASTITY wounds, honor
was declared to be well satisfied, and the two adj
versaries fell upon each others necks, crying,
Henceforward we are brothers." -.
An enormous transaction in real estate is said
to be on the point OF consummation. The agents
of Baron Hirsch, the great Jewish phianthropist.
have for some time been looking about the country
for an eligible site for founding Jewish colony.
They have finally selected some thousand or
more square leagues of land belonging to the
National Government in Chaco, and have made
for it offer of 900 in gold per square
league That the Government will accept the
offer there can be little doubt The sum OF
81 100000 in ready cash, and in gold at that.
will be perfect godsend to the bankrupt treasury.
Nor will it be bad bargain on the other side.
The land is well worth the price being well
watered and highly fertile There are no forests
to clear of, but the fields are ready for the
plough. Every year many farmers realize in net
profits from their wheat fields more than the
entire first cost Of the land.
Despite the abundance of grain, however, there
is an actual famine in this city, due chiefly to
the octro A heavy tax is levied on all grain
and fodder brought into the city. The most
evident result is starvation in the stables The
horses attached to street cars and public coaches
are in most deplorable condition. For weeks
they have lived on halfrations, and now are in
various stages Of decline 1t is not at all I'M
common to see them fall down in the streets
through sheer weakness caused by lack of food,
When hitched in pairs they lean against each
other for mutual support, and when htched singly
it is often evident that they are held erect only
by being well strapped. to the shafts of the
vehicle
Next year, it is announced, there will be a
still further increase Of municipal taxes The
municipal debt, funded amounts TO nearly $751;