The Indianapolis journal., 1895-09-08

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and around this arena were the dozen
or more tables. filed with the members
or the various corps. each being indI-
Gated 10y its distinctive cap
PREPARING FOR A FIGHT.
We sat awhile contempls ting the scene
OF smokers. beer drinkers and attend
ants. busted with preparations for the
next battle, until the contestants came
from the dressing room and seated them
selves. one occupying one Of the sofas
and his antagonist sitting facing him.
They were clad as they usually were in
street costume up 10 the waist. but
above that they had on nothing but a
loose cotton shirt open at the neck Each
bad an attendant TO prepare him for the
contest
First. a glove was drawn over the
right hand. The right arm. shoulder and
collar bone were encased i'm pads and
canvas. this much being done while the
contestants were sitting. After rising
pad about seven inches in diameter
was placed over the heart. and then a
sort of padded apron put on. In order 10
protect the vital parts OF the body. The
apron extends from the neck down To
the knees. The left arm and shoulder
were also padded. and last to be ar
ranged band. about five inches wide.
was wound many times about the neck.
rendering the head almost immovsble.
Just before the conflict began pair OF
iron eye guards or goggles. barely COW
erfng the sockets. were put on and held
In place by a leather strap passing
around the head. One might say after
this preparation that there would be
very little left OF the contestants bodies
exposed TO be cut. BY careful observa-
ton. however. IL Is discovered that a
contestant is bare as TO his breast, face
and head, the projections covering only
the eyes, the juguiar vein, to sever which
would mean death, and finally the heart.
1t must be granted that ample precau-
tions are taken TO prevent a fatal cul-
mination to duel, Each contestant
had four assistants--as second, whose
duties are the same as those in any
other duel, and who is armed with a
sword and is padded. to prevent acci-
II Is TO holc up the arms OF the contest
ants when they are not fighting. as the
pads on the arm and the sword are too
heavy 10 be long sustained; sword
man. whose function Ii is to see that
each weapon is straight after each on
slaught. and finally an attendant who
placed the back of the chair behind each
duelist In order that he might take a
rest whenever occasion offers. The
sword is parallel sided blade, some
three-quarters OF an inch wide, and
about a yard In the clear, outside Of the
guard. which is large and gives ample
protection for the hand. These blades
are of the finest steel, judging from
their ability to bend nearly double.
From this fact 1t may be seen that a
blow must be skillfully warded to pre-
vent the blade from bending over and
producing cut. In fact, most OF the
wounds inflicted are made in this way
antiseptics. which prevent any subse-
queDt unpieasantness from blood poison
ing.
HOW THE FIGHTING Is DONE.
Whea all is ready the contestants are
placed at exactly swords length apart,
brea st to breast. with feet braced apart.
left hand behind the back. right arm
raised over the head and sword pointing
straight upward. In this position, fac
I'M. square to the front-not shoulder to
shoulder. as in the French style OF duel
ing they await the signal OF their Sec
onds. About this time those present
stop their beer drinking for awhile and
watch the contest. The distinctly audi
tie scand of sword grinding, which con-
finued the whole morning, coupled with
tic various odors and signs of the previ-
oi-s bloody work. has tendency TO start
chilly sensation up and down ones
spinai co:ninn- The "unparteischer." or
reieiee. standing at one side with a
scoring tablet and watch In hand, hav-
ing indicated his readiness, you hear
from the seconds. following in quick
successson:
"Legen aus"-"Liegen aus"-'Losz."
Down rain three blows. with all the
force and skill the opponents can muster,
vrYr l. Ix1e~ <,sI<x g.
casionally breaking blade. The Sec
onds cry:
Halt"
They thrust in their swords to pro-
tect their men from any extra blows
Then comes searching but rapid sur
vey Of each duelist to see IL any cuts
have been received. Having none. the
words OF the seconds are heard again.
down rain the blows. and again the ex-
animation. Should there be a cut the
referee makes an examination with a bit
OF cotton, and. IL the cotton Is I'm the
least stained with blood. no matter how
slightly. base hit" SO to speak, is
scored for his opponent.
These momentary conflicts are contfn-
ued In rapid succession for about twenty
minutes, with only about such Interrupt
tions as are necessary for examinations
attendance to wounds or refreshing OF
the contestants with sip OF water. A
time. excepting In the event Of cutting
vein or an artery, or when a wound
would prove fatal without immediate
attendance. or course. the man with
the fewest number of cuts Is the winner
He also has the surgeons attention only
after his opponents wounds have been
attended 20. In this way these young
men carry on their sport for five or six
hours each week. Why the authorities
do not run an omnibus from the Land
wehr to the insane asylum for these
participants. We say 10 each other. We
don't understand. Certainly they ought
to be there. On the contrary. the uni
versity keeps fencing master. to whom
the students go for instruction, using
head masks and suitable protectors.
On this morning one OF the contest
ants, who. before the battle. was really
handsome fellow, with slightly curling
hair. fine complexion and neither cut
nor mark upon his face. was dreadfully
used up. Ii was his first battle. and con-
sequently he was cut and slasbed about
the face and scalp most horribly. Blood
was all over his features and dribbling
down over his chest and protector. His
own mother wouldn't have known him.
However. he was an exhibition OF
bravery. and 7 suppose ne was happy
IL II happens that an unwarded How
strikes a man IL will generally stop the
battle: In fact. this very thing happened
In the second duel that we saw. II had
been going on but three or four minutes
when. unexpectedly. one man was struck
squarely on the side OF the head--a most
unlucky blow. Out gushed the blood IN
a stream. as though coming from a
IvrtV. Ind h. -srf1 Inc ~