The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-14


serratism Of the crcolcs. and many were
the quarrcls that arose from trivial caus-
es Nor was this all. Many Frenchmeu
came from Paris, and their
criticisms We're especially nauseat-
ing to the patriotic citizens At
one time a savaut aud member Of the
Academy of Science Of Paris came to the
city with grand project Of some sort
concerning the hydraulics of the Missis
slppl This was published, but the
article was so overbearing and dlctatOrlal
that II aroused the most intense resent
ment. One day as this sayant, the
CheValler IOmasi he was called, was cX-
planning his theory to a friend and boast
fully saying that he would either
stop the river or narrow it within
the bounds of science" native
standing by remarked that it was head
strong stream, and that perhaps TOmasls
calculations, being made on the smaller
rivers Of Europe, would not suit so vlo-
lent current. With a ContemptuOus
wave of his hand, the chevalier lmpa-
tlenUly said: How ignorant you Ameri-
cans are! Know that in Europe there are
streams beside which the Mississippi
would be but a mere riln' The creole
| blazed up with wrath at this objectionable
insult. Sir" he exclaimed, Il will never
allow the noble Mississippi to be insulted
| in my presence by an arrogant pre-
tender 10 mowiedge!n With tiirt
of his glove, by way Of emphasis, in
the face of the aStouished chevalier, the
creole turned on his heel and sauntered
| OF. OF course the affair ended in duel.
The antagonists met-one eager to vim
dictate the American river, and the other
| cherishing the public insult Both fought
| well, but II was soon evident that the ma
| tive was the better s7Ordsman. After
many of his thrusts had been parried, he
saw an opening, and, turning aside his
! adversary's weapon, he drew the blade of
! his own rapier across the mouth of the
| slanderer.
After several days of wrath and pain
| the chevalier appeared on the streets
] with an unsightly bandage on his face
| vanquished but still unyielding.
| Though speaking caused him cOnsid-
| cradle pain, he seemed to take more de-
| light than ever in his offensive habit of
| criticism.
If 1t had not been for the abominable
| character of your vile steel, your
wretched American steel would have
| taught this upstart not to outrage the SEN
| sibiliues of a French gentleman Why,
my weapon bent double, ike lead. Had
! it been of genuine French make"
| Here Tomasi branched into a long discus
sion on the superior temper of European
/ steel.
There are dozens of tales of duels fought
in the old days before and just after the
war; but among them all know of none
more sensational than the following, al
| though the truth of all of it is not vOuched
! for
There was in the city at one time a
| young man named Ma pleasure-lOving
| young fellow, of one of the best families
In the state. Like most of his associates,
he was an habitual Opera-gOer; and, more
over, almost every season, he had some
amour with pretty dancer One sea-
son NJ made the acquaintance of a
girl who had already struck despair into
the hearts of some dozen admi-
rers. She was a dancer at the old
French opera, and her beauty would have
made her noticed anywhere. M soon
became her most favored follower. But all
did not run smoothly, for there was a rival
in the way. He was a Spaniard from one
OF the South American states, who was
spending the winter in New Orleans. He
was of most cruel and revengeful
| spirit; yet. as he was rich and handsome,
and as he took pains to conceal as much
| of his moral hideOusueSS as posi-
| Bile, he had been the favored ad-
mirer of Mile. Leah until Ms
arrival upon the scene With wonderful
! tact, she kept the rivals unknown to each
| other, all the while trying TO get rid of
| the distasteful Spaniard. She had not
allowed him to visit her for some time,
| but at last was forced to invite
| him to call on her, forgetful of the
| fact that she had prOmised-tO receive
| M" that very night. 1t is unnecessary
! to say that a dispute followed when the
| men met, ending in challenge to meet
within three hours, with only one friend
accompanying each.
In one Of the narrOwest and darkest
! streets of the French quarter, there
| stood an Old wooden shanty somewhat
Isolated IN the midst of vacant lot 1t
was built of boards and nailed to a sort
of boX-like frame there had once been
roof, but half Of it was gone, and there
! We're no windows and only two doors.
| Several ducls had taken place here. and
J here the TWO men were to meet. Without
| delay the adversaries, each grip
| ping a creole rapier, stood face to
| face. In spite OF his bravery, NJ
! could not help feeling awed somewhat by
| the uncanuniess of the hour and the
| gloom of the mouldy old shanty, but he
| suspected no treason on the part Of his
| foe. From the outset the Spaniard
| seemed to be doomed. His hand was
unsteady, his movements uncertain, and
| his vindictive thrusts were wild and only
served to expose himself. He was being
! forced rapidly to the wall and seemed
completely in the others power, when
his second called out for them to stop,
saying there was something wrong abOut
the weapons, The two seconds took the
weapons aside to examine them. The
Spaniard's friend managed to get posses
sion Of both, rush to the door,
and give signal; Whereupon
/ two desperate-lOOking fellows appeared,
and together the four soon knocked down
and secured the two creoles. The second
was so severely wounded as to be unable
t. move, Young NJ. was held by the
two Spanish rustans while his rival, after
heaping the vilest insults upon him,
slashed him across the face with a rapier.
The young man succeeded in breaking
away from his captors, and flung himself
upon the Spaniard; but he was unarmed,
and received wound after wound until
he fell dead on the floor. Leaving the
dead principal and the wounded second,
the four murdorers fed and probably left
the city in some early-sailing shooner. Tor
they were never heard of again.
Much hot blood flowed on the field of
honor in the old days, and even up to a
very recent date duels were not unknown
here but the practice has gradually died
out, and nothing is now left of it-nOth-
ing save some old inscriptions, Died on
the field Of honor, in the st. Louis Gene
terry.
FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.