The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-18
AN ECCENTRIC BARON
He Amuses the Gar Of Russia and
Uses a Lion to Aid Him i'm a Duel.
Alexander III Refuses to Paw DoubIe
Price for Trousers Campos's
Strange Experience.
New York Tribune.

III Nudn circus eXh1DltlOn given
by one Of his titled subjects in Copenhagen.
The invitation was coucncd in language so
respectful and attractive that his Majesty
decided to make an exception in his favor
and visit the performance The director
and owner Of the circus is Baron de Fircks.
the scion of one of the wealthiest families
or the Baltic provinces, and now one of the
most eccentric and original characters os
the Danish capital.
While on visit TO Hungary a few years
ago he fell in love and married a beautiful
Hungarian who performed in one OF the
Buda-Pesth crcuses. His family ouarreled
with him on this account and he left his
home for Denmark. AS he is exceedingly
wealthy in his own right, the rupture with
his people made comparatively little differ
ence to him. He has lived in a handsome
palace in the Danish capital and has graft.
fed his peculiar tastes in his own fashion
These tastes have brought him in conflict
with the Copenhagen police a number OF
lines and only his wealth and connections
nave saved him from serving sentence be-
nlnd prison doors. When the Baron takes
a promenade he is accompanied by a Sou
danese negro of herculean frame, wolf
two monkeys and trained lion which obeys
ms every Woru ana gesture. II is natural
10 expect the appearance of this peculiar
cavalcade in the streets of populous city
leads TO unpleasant results. People scream
horses -un away and the police interfere
He has been arrested almost every time he
took his promenade and has become one Of
the largest sources of income to the police
department., as he always pays his fines
Steps were taken not long ago to expel him
from the city, but the Interference of King
Christian prevented their execution
NOVEL WAY OF FIGHTING DUELS
The Baron Is also the hero OF q number
OF peculiar duels, which have added 10 his
strange reputation. Not long ago he OBJ
Jected to the attention of a young Danish
officer to his wife, insulted him and ao-
cepted a challenge to fight with swords
AT az the appointed hour the lieutenant and
MS seconds were on the field of honor pre-
pared to administer punishment to the
Baron: What was their surprise. how
ever, to meet instead of the Russian his
| huge negro body-guard, who calmly an
| nQunced that his master was not feeling
Wen that morning and had sent the negro
to represent him. The Soudanese without
waiting for replies, declared that he was
| opposed to handling swords and intended
TO box with the lieutenant in the English
| fashion. Without further ado he APP
| preached his adversary and struck him
terrific blow. The affair naturally ended in
| the police courts. The negro was con-
| denned TO pay a fine and remain several
days in prison The Baron paid the money.
| fled and declared the incident closed
But a second "duel' caused even more
talk in Copenhagen. for it was probably
| the first time that a wild beast took an
| active part in settling the dispute between
| two human beings. young society man
L
] his house, also displeased the Baron by
| paying court to his wife. AS the request
| to cease his attentions had no effect, the
Baron invited him to dinner one day. ac-
cording to the Danish papers, fed him well
| and then asked the young man to follow
him to his private room. When once there,
| De Fircks announced that he had decided
| to punish him for his conduct in a bizarre
| fashion. He then left the room. The young
| man attempted to follow him, but was met
at the door by the trained lion, which
| grfnned Savagely at the poor fellow. He
fled to corner of the room and remained
| quiet as possible. But every time he
| made the least noise the huge lord OF the
| desert would raise his head and growl.
| For six long hours the Baron kept his
| prisoner in terror. He then released him,
saying that he supposed the punishment
had been sufficient, and he would not care
| to have second tete-a-tete with the beast.
He was never troubled by the young man
again.
The Baron finally decided to utilize his
influence over animals in a practical way
and open circus. 1t was the opening per-
Torrance which the imperial family was
A few days ago the Czarewitch and two
OF the Greek princes Visited the he famous is1ss
of Iceland. the residence of the Danish
kings in the middle ages. In the course OF
centuries many sovereigns have visited
| the cathedral and marked their height on
one of the old columns. 1t was. this col
| umn which interested particularly the
was there recorded was Peter the Great.
The mark on the column showed that he
was eighty Danish pouces, or two metres
five centimetres, tall: Only one sovereign
was taller-King Christian ], of Denmark,
| who measured two metres and fourteen
centimetres. The height of the Car Alex
| ander III, one Of the tallest monarchs in
| Europe, Is also marked on the column. It
| shows him 20 be seventy one Danish
| pouces, one metre eighty-Six centime-
tres. The Car is taller by five centime-
tres than King Christian TX, of Denmark.
and by ten centimetres than King George.
of Greece: The Czarewitch Is much smaller
than the King of Greece.
A NEW YACHT FOR THE CAR.
| His Majesty Of Russia has given orders
In Copenhagen for another private yacht
This will be the third owned by tho
| Car since he succeeded TO the throne.
The first two were named. respectively.
the Dershava and the Polar Star. Fortu-
troubled in finding persons ready to fur
| niSh mis- new yacht, as he was In losZ.
when the Dershava was placed in COM
| mission The murder of Alexander III was
| still fresh in the memory of the people,
and the air was filled with stories OF
| threats against the life of his son. 1t was
difficult for the members of the imperial
household to find a contractor who would
assume the responsibility OF nttlng up me
boat and answer for the conduct or the
workmen to be engaged. Although oppor-
tunity was offered, no merchants asked
| to be allowed TO deliver the furniture for
the Yacht although under the former
/ reign it had been the ambition or every
one, apparently. to be a purveyor to the
But there was reason for this. Imme-
| diately upon his accession to the throne the
| new ruler had inaugurated regime OF
| economy, and it now became known that
|, he examined personally all accounts. He
| dealt summarily, too. with those who tried
| TO impose on him. The Italian, Tedeschi,
| who had become court tailor and owned
! | one of the largest business houses in st
, | Petersburg, once sent his Majesty pair oil
! | trousers for which he demanded 80 rubles:
| This seemed excessive to his Majesty, and
| he asked his adJutanf what he paid Tor MS
| trousers. When the /adjutant replied Is ru-
bles the Car became furious, ana sent an
officer the sameN day TO Tedeschi WITH
| the order to remove the imperial eagle
from his sign. This story, which soon be-
. came known, created a deep impression In
| st. Petersburg, and few merchants ever
| dared to overcharge his Majesty
> | Among the most absent-minded men OF
Spain was Gen Martinez Campos. who was
| killed a few weeks ago by the explosion OF
bombs A few months ago he passed tht
evening at the club, and at late hour
| started home. He was clad as ciNlilaiL
As was his custom, he walked along qule
| streets unaccompanied by friend or al
4 | jutant. AS he turned a corner suddenly Ins
General jOstled against a man coming IRON
: the opposite direction. The stranger begged
: pardon and went on his way. A nlonen
= later the General discovered that ms golt
watch had disappeared. The tnle1, o.
course he thought could only be the stran
ger whom he had just met. lie therefor
hurried after him. caught him by the throa
and cried in a stentorian voice;
i ''Give up the watch, scoundrel. or IL
: | choke your -, 40. -.
H. ew.-f. I.Faf hnv Taf