New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-24
TIE "PERFECT GENTLEMAN."

THE "PERFECT GENTLEMAN"
Question of absorbing interest and tho
HIGHEST importance is pending in one of our
noicc courts. 1t is practically what consti-
tutes a "pcrgcct gentleman" Several months
400 \ person who from his not being occupied
in any productive industry was considered
"prrfcct gentleman " became engaged IN an
cpistolary controversy over very intricate
question of accounts, In which alter StrlfIhS
balances and including sct-Ofs matter Oh
somcnhcro from $40 to so was involved
They velc not ordinary accounts OF course
They related to wagcrs of money upon various
events: debts not collcctablc by law-a"S
being made only for vulgar common people
but cla,scd as a superior sort OF Obligation aS
debts # honor" Tho "pcrfcct gentleman
is known by the scrupuousnesS with which ne
paws this cias, Of obligations for which no con
sideraton was ever given and which cannot
be collected by legal process. II sometimes
happen, that the "perfcct gentleman neSlec''
TO rav the accounts Of vulgar trad smcn en-
gagged in productive industry, but that Is nero
" the bridesmaids misfortune and OF small con-
sequence. The "rcrfcc' gentleman" j. some
time, compelled by financial limitations t.
choose between paying a bet or debit and
in such cases h. mast pay the former or sacri-
nco III, social standing.
In the present ca>r the controversy over
Lich-la, financial Transactions I'D 10 an intor-
change OF notes which, beginning IN % tone Oh
rmdAlity and confidence gradually developed
into an issue OF ycracty. Il l. not u co''aiy
20 % into the narrowing details further inan
t. say that the correspondence stopped AZ
point whcrr a perfect gentleman conceived
that his motives had been impuened. his pct-
sonal honor called In question and h" himself
subjected - the indignity Of an insult. Being
a "porfcct gentleman" he felt that he could
not brook it. 1t was All attack upon his honor
over debt # honor and Of course there
was but one thing 10 do and that was TO make
il an affair 81 honor" There was no other
way 10 maintain his claim = be "porfect
gentleman" An affair OF honor a. IS well
known. is where two "perfcct gentle men, who
belong 10 several clubs and mover d. any
work settle n difference Of opinion about
some thing by firing pistols A. each other III
violation Of law, after which they run away
10 cscane arrest, and for several days there
after arc very much talked about by other
''pcrf.c gcnlcmcn' in clubs. To BRING oa
TIL, "aTar Il honor properly became The
cnoroSSinc theme IN the mnd Of the aforesaid
.p.ff.c. gentleman" After much ponder No.
thinking be decided that the proper tang O.
do va, TO catch hii late correspond m in some
public place and slap his fare THIS would
give dignity to the dispute by bringing it to
the attention Of the general public, and would
yiudic-ito the slappcr's claim t. bee considered
perfect gcntlcman.'
1t would also. if the s.apcc was perfect
gentleman" lead up to tho desired affair OF
honorn in which the S!appor and the slapoc
would fire pistols at each other and both be
como celebrated. II the slapc, should take
any other course than ask the Slappcr t. fire
pistol al him-vhy then that would mako
an end of the slapoc AZ "pnrlcct gentleman
whereas the Slap,ors hurt honor would be
avenged and he would be adraucd several
degrees in the highest class OF perfect gentle
men" Tho fr.t opportunity for this demon
straion occurred lat wocl; at the Horse show.
In accordance with his well maturcd plan The
"perfcct gontcman' Walked up to the inii-
vidual who had wounded bis scnSibil.ti and
in a graceful, high toned way slapped his face.
Whcreupon the other instead OF asking HIM 10
pau,c a moment while he could write him
note inviting him like perfect gentleman"
to the field Of honor, turned him over to the
police At tho police court he was put under
bonds and his trial for breach of the peace
and assault impends. This unexpected result
led him 10 remark with an acrimonious sheer
that he did not know that it was customary
for gcntlcmcn-emp haszins the word-to settle
their differences in police court. He has
since taken the public into his confidence and
published all tho correspondence which led to
tho collision, rcmarking at the same time that
he could not understand how it was possible
for him as u perfect gentleman" to do any
thing under the circumstances except slap the
others face.
so now we shall have it settled when tho
case comes TO trial whether "pcrGcc. gentle
man" can slap another persons face in per-
fcctly gcntemanly way over a " debt of HONOR
with Wow to an "afair of honor" without
being dragged ANONYMOUSLY before an ordi-
nary police count for the niraction Of vul-
gar low-toncd statute law.