The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-13
WANTED TO FIGHT A DUEL.
Two Young Men Agree TO Settle
Troubles With Pistols.

One on Time Ready and Anxious, but
the Other Keeps Away from the Field
Of Honor-The Prompt Principal Ar
rested by Detective Morgan - The
Absentee Sent the Challenge-Riv-
airy for a Young Lady the Cause Of
the Trouble.
! The code Of honor is not a dead issue in
! Savannah yet. Two young men intended
| to fight duel yesterday afternoon, but
\ one did not show up and the other was
| arrested. 1t would be more charitable
| possibly to think that the failure of the
other principal to appear on the antici-
pated field of carnage was due more to a
fear of being arrested than afraid of
fighting.
OF course a girl was at the bottom of
all the trouble. Two young men, Mehr-
tens and Daniels, have been paying at
tention to the same fair one. Mehrtcns
got ahead of his rival night before last
and took her out to see the carnival
parade. While standing in front of the
De Soto watching the procession Daniels
came upon the pair. His jealous nature
had been fired by several WHISTLES and
when he saw his hated rival he deter
mined on revenge.
ABUSED HIS RIVAL.
Mehrtens was surprised when Daniels
came up and began to abuse him. evil
IDENTIFY with the intention of bringing on
a fight
This is no place for a quarrel - said
Mehrtens. Another time would be more
suitable; name place and hour and 1 will
meet for the settlement Of all differ
ences"
''All right" answered Daniels. "Meet
me tomorrow afternoon at $50 O'Clock at
Garwe's store, at Henry and West Broad
streets, and we will arrange a fight"
Mehrtens and the lady walked of to-
ward the park, and those who had over
heard the conversation supposed the
young men meant to have it out in pugil-
istic fashion, but Daniels wanted some
thing liable to be more fatal
A CHALLENGE PASSED.
Yesterday morning he sent Mehrtens a
challenge to mortal combat in the Ogee-
chez road at $50 o'clock, and Mehrtens
promptly accepted the challenge
A party who had heard of the threat
ened duel notified Chief of Police Green,
but as the proposed field of honor was
OuIoIuG VI tuG lLlllLS ne COQlu 40 nOLDllg
as a police officer Chief Green, how
ever, reported the facts in his informa-
ton to Solicitor General Fraser and De-
tective Morgan was sent out to the scene
with orders to arrest the young men
as soon as they appeared and bring them
to the solicitors Office.
MEHRTENs READY But DANIELS MISSING.
The detective went out and secreted
himself near the conflict ground about
3:15 O'Clock to await developments.
Promptly at $50 o'clock Mehrtens and
several friends arrived and began to
make preparations. Detective Morgan
stepped up quickly and surprised Mehr-
tens by telling him he was a prisoner.
The seconds got out of the way as quickly
as possible, and although the detective
waited nearly half an hour Daniels did
not appear. Mehrtens was then taken be-
fore Solicitor General Fraser and required
to give peace bond.
"a He denied that he had intended to fight
W duel, but admitted that fist tight
had been arranged. Mehrtens friends,
however, insist that arrangements had
been made for deadly conflict and that
the seconds, who escaped arrest, had the
pistols. They also claim that Daniels
staid away from the meeting through
cowardice. He had expected Mehrtens
to refuse the challenge, but it's quick ac-
ceptance took away his fighting quail
ties.