The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-21
A GERMAN BEER DUEL.
The Biggest Hog in the Crowd Drank
seventy-eiRht Glasses.
Brom the Chicago Inter Ocean.


Brom the Chicago Inter Ocean.
I have known young students at the
University of Kouisbsrg, where believe
more beer drinking is done than at any
other university in the German empire,
challenge one another, on a summers after
noon, In a drinking contest of fifty large
glasses Of Schie6erdecker beer. The one
who could not drink that amount before
midnight would be obliged to pay not only
the reckouinss Of himself and his opponent.
but also those Of all the students who were
present. In the event OF both consuming
that amount, two or three OF the oldest fell
lows would be chosen to decide the very
difficult question as to which Of the two
was ths more Intoxicated, and he would
have to pay all the debts incurred. / re-
member well ono occasion In 1885, when
such Q wager was made at the Flora, in
Konisberg OF the two participants one
was = native OF Lithuenta and the other of
New Zealand. They commenced at 4
o'clock p. m. At IL 80 o'clock p. m. each
drank his tiftieth glass amidst laundering
applause. They rose quietly from the ia
BILE and showed themselves to be as sober as
they were before the duel began. In this
instance each paid his own score. and the
lookers-on were compelled, much to their
chagrin, to do the same.
One Of the most notable beer battles, how
ever, that am acquainted With took place
at Gottingen in 1884.
Twelve young students, who gloried in
their ambiguous repute as beer drinkers,
and every one OF whom asserted that he
could drink more than the other. deter
mined to decide the ID omen ous question by
Homerio beer drinking contest.
Nothing was talked of for days before
but the coming combat, and several hun
dred students assembled in the large deoo-
rated hall 70 witness the great event.
Punctually at o'clock p. m, the twelve
young fellows took their places at q speoi-
ally arranged table. A president and vice
president were elected; a young student
was appointed to wait upon each of the con-
testants, behind every one OF whom stood
cask OF beer; containing about 100 largo
glasses Of beer; then timekeeper was
chosen for each man, whose duty is was to
mark down the number OF glasses drank
and the time taken by the man. The presi-
dent called silentlum, made short sppro-
pirate speech, ordered a salamander to be
rubhed-an important part OF the stu
dents beer drinking ceremony-called for a
song, which was sung with that pathos aud
power common to the Germans, and pro-
claimed the duel begun. There was no
riotous behavior, song and fun sbounded,
and quarrelsome voices were never heard.
Every two hours the number Of glasses par
taken OF by each COMPLAINT was called out
amidst the hurrahs or jeers, as the case
might be, of those standing around. A
photograph OF the proceedings was taken
every three hours. and many ridiculous
and mirth-provoking scene the picture por-
trayed. Al the sixth hour only seven we're
capable Of drinking more; at the ninth
three; at the tenth hour only one solitary
student still drank oopious draughts. The
latter's record, which Is the greatest know
of. on this occasion was seventy Weight large
glasses of beer, or about sixty-four pinis.
all In ten hours. The smallest number was
fifty-three.