Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-09
A SENSATIONAL DUEL.
An EnglishmAn and q Russian Count Meet
With Pistols-The Countess Implicated.


With Pistols-The Countess Implicated.
A Berlin special to the New York Sun says:
A terrible duel took place near the Russo
Polish frontier only short time ago, the prin-
cipals being an Englishman, the heir to a
baronetcy, and Count Pryzenski, a colonel in
the Russian army and the husband of a young
and very beautiful wife. The lady has two
brothers, one in diplomacy and the other an
officer in the Russian navy. They were both
on leave and on a visit to the Countess P. at
Berlin. The Englishman was on intimate terms
with the Pryzenskis and rather too much SO
with the countess, Berlin scandal mongers
ayerred.
A ball was given at Potsdam to which the
countess, her two brothers and the Engllshman
were invited. The latter drove to the ball
with the countess in a brougham. In the mid
die Of the festivities the countess suddenly
complained of feeling faint, which she
sscribed TO the heat, and begged her husband
to allow her to go home The Englishman
politely offered to escort the countess home,
Remaining that he, too, had quite enough Of the
ball The offer was accepted When the pair
arrived at the residence Of the countess in Ber-
lin he was invited by the latter to go in. He
accepted and waited in the drawing room while
the countess went to her room to exchange her
ball dress for q tea gown About ten minutes
later the countess maid, a Russian,
who afterward deposed to the fact was
sent by her mistress to ask her English guest
to come to her boudoir for the purpose
of inspecting an object Of art which the coun-
tess wanted him to see. Half an hour later,
when the husband came home and attempted
To enter his wife's boudoir, the door was locked
from the inside, and on yielding to the i'm
patient onslaught OF the suspicious spouse he
saw the Englishman standing near the sofa.
upon which the countess crouched with her
face buried in her hands In his hand was the key
OF the door There was a second or two Of
deathlke silence, and then the Englishman.
pale. but firm. made a statement exonerating
the countess from all blame and assuming the
entire responsibility for his presence and the
locked door. The admission was made to the
count and the two brothers of the countess
standing in the doorway. the indignant wit
nesses Of their sisters disgrace.
rhereupon the count drew a revolver, and
the Englishman, after summoning the three to
stand aside and the demand not being COM
Piled with, seized a chair, and whirling il
around, made a dash for the doorway. The on
SET was made with such desperate suddenne.s
that the trio fell back and the staircase was
gained. As the fugitive leaped headlong down
the incline the count fired three shots. one Of
which took effect. but not seriously, and the
fugitive made good his escape.
Naturally q duel followed. The weapons
were pistols At the first shot the Englishman
was desperately wounded He reeled and fell
70 the ground, but by supreme effort managed
70 raise himself on one knee and in that position
nred and shot his opponent dead. While tax
ing aim he had his hand tightly pressed against
his wound, from which the blood was flowing,
and directly after firing the shot he rolled over
unconscious TO the ground For some time af-
terward he wayered between life and death.
He is said to have fought many duels. but is by
no means a fire eater. The scandal mongers
pretend that the love was chiefly on the side of
the countess, and il is said that the lady's sud
den indispositiOn at the ball due as much
70 jealousy as to the warmth OF the atros-
pierre