Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-12-11
HONOR In GERMANY
Peculiar Cause of Probably
Fatal Duel.
TRIUMPH OF TIE MILITARY IDEA.


A Young Onicer Forced to Fight While
Scoring the Imputations on tbs
Honor of His Wife aud His Friend
Atrocities of the Chinese Insurrection'
The Upper Glasses Charged with the
Rising, Their Object Being to Get Rid
of Foreigners and Christians-Foreign
News Notes.
BERLIN. Dec. IA duel with some I'M
usual as well rs sensational features has
just taken place at Worms, the principals
being Mr. Schoen, wealthy art patron
OF that city, who has been conspicuous as
promoter of the famous Beyreuth Wag
merriam festivals, and Second Lieutenant
Ziemssenn. of the One Hundred and
Eighteenth infantry, who is connected
with some of the most distinguished fam
lilies of Germany. As usual, a woman WAS
the cause. Rumors have for some time
been afoat to the effect that Herr Schoen,
who was one of the closest friends of the
lieutenant, had been guilty of abusing the
confidence reposed in him by that official,
and had wrought the ruin OF his friends
wife, beautiful woman, who enjoys an
enviable popularity as a social leader
Was a Loyal, Faithful Husband.
Finally these rumors came to the ears
of Lieutenant Ziemssen. but he refused
to give them the slightest credence, and
continued his cordial relations with Herr
Schoen. The friends who had with re-
luctance caused the facts Of common re-
port to be brought to his attention, were
not satisfied with the manner in which
the officer received the news OF what was
being said Of his domestic relations and
an intimation to this effect was conveyed
TO him, but it met with no recognition
The next step taken by the scandalized
fellow officers of the lieutenant was to
lay the case before military council OF
honor, composed of Ziemssen's own
colonel and other officers of suitable rank
and experience.
Stands Up for His wife's Honor.
After hearing the circumstances re-
lated this tribunal summoned Lieutenant
Zemssen before them and invited him to
justify his course. He declared that he
had no reason to suspect his wife of any
wrong-doing; that on the contrary he had
every confidence in her, as we'll as in the
loyalty of Herr Schoen's friendship, and
that he didn't feel called upon because
evil disposed persons had INDUCED in
malicious scandal.mongering to have q
falling out with his friend, nor to humili-
ate his wife by dragging her name into a
public quarrel. He was inclined to think
that the whole affair was a we'll arranged
plot devised by enemies against the peace
and happiness of himself and family.
The German Military Idea.
Notwithstanding the lieutenant's pro-
tests, however. the verdict OF the council
of honor was that under the circumstances
he was bound by the rules of honor pre-
vailing among officers and gentlemen to
challenge Herr Schoen, and failing to
adopt this course he must resign his COM
msnd, as he would no longer be consd-
cred fit associate for his fellow officers.
There being no alternative, Lieutenant
Ziemssen submitted to the inevitable. Sc
lec;ed his second, and sent challenge to
Herr Schoeu. A suitable rejoinder was
made, and the meeting occurred early
yesterday morning at a point on the
Rhine a few miles outside the historic
city. The witnesses were two professors
OF the university, a brother of Schoea,
Ziemssen's colonel, and an attache OF the
German legation at Paris.
Ziemssen Shot to Kill.
Though Zemssen had avoided hostile
meeting as long as he could he showed in
the hour of danger that be was no cow
ard, and that he was not disposed to evade
the letter or spirit of the decree of the
council of honor He not only did his
share of the firing, but he fired to hit, and
his quondam bosom friend fell with
"A bullet hole through the lungs Items
sen escaped unhurt while his antagonists
wound is so serious that the physicians
give no hope Of recovery.
Gossip About the Affair.
The affair has given rise to an extraor-
binary amount Of gossip, and two parties
may be said to exist-one claiming with
fervor that Ziemssen should have been al
lowed to judge OF his own domestic
affairs and not subjected to coercion from
outsiders, while the other faction held
that the matter has been settled in the
only way that it could be settled honora-
bly,, and that nothing but Ziemssen's final
winging Of his man has atoned for his
slowness in bringing about the meeting |
on the field of honor.