The evening world., 1894-07-08
DESPERATE FIGHT WITH SWORDS,
After His Wife Got a Divorce, Gilbert
Pursued His Enemy TO Paris,
Blood In His Eye,
CHALLENGE sCORNFuLLY REJECTED.
He Got Fencing Teacher, Learned How b
Attack to Kill, Then Publicly In
suited Santa Maria.
Copyright 1894 BY tn. Pres. Publishing Company.


Copyright 1894 BY tn, Press Publishing Coupany.
New York World,
Especial Cable Despatch to The World,
LONDON. July 1-Information reaches
me that the long-talked-of duel between
Aud!net Gilbert. of New York. and Senior
Manuel del Pillar de Santa Maria, OF
South America, a gentleman concerned
in the famous Gilbert divorce suit, has az
last been fought. and that Senior Santa
Maria has been severely, perhaps fa-
tally. wounded.
The proceedings since Mr.. Gilbert ar
rived in Paris last February up to the
moment Of the duel have been extraordi-
nary. even in the dramatic history Of
duelling.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Gilbert.
after the conclusion Of his wife's suit
for divorce, publicly announced in The
World his intention Of challenging 6enoP
Santa Maria, and repeated this declare.
ton to The World correspondent on ars
rival at Havre.
dlately challenge Senior Santa Maria.
But the latter refused to fight, am
told. on two grounds. First, that the
| New York court, in giving Mrs. Gilbert Z
decree Of divorce, despite her husbaudsa
charge of improper conduct with Senior
Santa Maria, showed that Mr.. Gilbert
had no grievance against him; second.
because Mr. Gilbert had allowed too Ions
time to elapse after first making the
charge before sending a challenge. Senor
Santa Maria also declared that Mr..
Glbert's seconds were not gentlemen
under the rules of the code. They are
| said to have been maitres d'armes Of q
Paris fencing school.
On the other hand. 1t is said in behalf
of Mr.. Gilbert that If Senior Santa Maria
had accepted his challenge because Of
alleged relations with Mrs. Gilbert, her
husband, as the injured party, would
have had the choice of weapons.
Gilbert was an expert pistol shot, but
knew little about swords in February.
while Senior Santa Maria was finished
swordsman. but knew nothing about
| pistols.
Moreover. according to the French
code. ii husband actually assaults an
opponent by Shaping his face or by
some other overt insult, the latter has
J the choice Of weapons.
Therefore Mr. (,iher. ANNA 10
been bidlng his time. occupying the i'm
| terval in practising at foils for many
hours a day with NJ. Ayat at the Anjou
Fencing Club. No. 129 Faubourg St
Honore.
My informant says that Mr.. Gilbert has
shown desperate purpose and great
originality in his work. He told II.
| Ayat ut the start that he wanted to
learn at the earliest day possible how to
use a sword go that he could fight with
the certainty of killing his man at whats
| ever risk to himself. He did not want
to learn to defend himself: he wanted
| simply TO learn to attack
! NJ. Ayat consented to teach that style
OF lighting. and within the last few
weeks it began 10 be known to a few in
| Paris. including Senior Santa Maria, that
Mr. Gilbert had attained such proficiency
| in this very unusual method OF sword
| play that the foremost amateurs found
! It no easy matter to defend themselves
against him in the little friendly trials CT
| skill which form so large a part of the
I training OF 4 swordsman.
| Meanwhile Senior Santa Maria was az
actively practising at Margnac's, Rue
I Joubert
! But Gibert's grim determination to
push duel to the death was. regarded
| by the few In the secret as boiling III for
his opponent. whatever his SKILL
! II my Information is correct-and il
| comes in a letter from a leading member
Of the English official colony in Paris
/ his expectation proved well founded.
( In thar letter. which 1 have seen to-
night. II Is stated that the two have
met on the Belgian frontier, that the
conflict was desperate and short, AMI
that senior Santa Maria was run through
the liver.
No mention is made NJ Mr. Gilbert hns-
! ing been wounded, so he probably es-
capped, and is awaiting outside of France
the results % senior Santa MRria's
wound.
senior santa Maria was taken to Paris
and, although ty no means out OF dam
ger, it is thought that he VIII ultimately
! recover.
/ learn on the same authority that Mr..
Gilbert prov )ket a challenge from Senor
Santa Maria by publicly attacking him
on boulevard fIaussiran. There was an
exchange OF blows, and both men came
nut with black eyes Then there were
decision III jury d'honneur before the
BALLARD SMITH