Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-05
LAWS AGAINST DUELING.

Statutes to Which the Attention of
Every Grand Jury is Called.
The law in relation to dueling in force
here is unusually severe, as may be seen
fro m a reading of sections 1164, 1165. 1166,
1867 and 116S of the Revised Statutes of
the District of Columbia, given below. Al
though the practice Of dueling has long
Stree been discontinued here, yet upon the
charging of every new grand jury by the
judge presiding in the Criminal Court the
attention of the grand jurors is particularly
CO He'd to the law p. ohibitirg and Furnishing
these engaging in the code. This Is done
because of an ancient requirement of the
law, and the court invariably so explains.
The laws in question are as follows:
Sec. 1164. If any person SHALL in the Dis
trict challenge another to fight a duel, or
shall send or deliver any written or verbal
message purporting or intending to be such
challenge or shall accept any such chal-
Ter &c or message, or shall knowingly carry
or Celiver any such challenge or message,
or shall knowingly carry or deliver an &C
ceptance of such challenge or message to
fight duel in or out of the District, and
such duel shall be fought in or out of the
District and either of the parties thereto
shall be slain or MORALLY wounded in such
Guel, the surviving party, and every person
carrying or delivering such challenge or
message, or acceptance of such challenge
or message, and all others aiding or abet-
ting, shall be deemed guilty of felony. and.
upon conviction, shall be punished by i'm
priSonment and confinement to hard labor
| in the penitentiary for a term not exceed
| ing ten years. in the discretion of the court.
Sec. 1165. If any person shall give or send.
| OR cause to be given or sent, to any person
| in the District. any challenge to fight duel,
or to engage in single combat with any
deadly or dangerous instrument or weapon
whatever, or If any person in the District
shall accept any challenge to fight duel or
| to engage in single combat with any deadly
| or dangerous instrument or weapon what
| ever, or shall be the bearer of any such chal-
| lenge, every person SO giving or sending, or
| causing to be given or sent, or accepting
| such challenge or being the bearer thereof,
| and every person aiding or abetting in Civ
I shall be deemed guilty of high crime and
misdeameanor and on conviction, shall be
| punished by imprisonment and confinement
| to hard labor in the penitentiary for term
rot exceeding five years, in the discretion of
| the court.
| Sec 1166. If any person shall assault.
! strike, heat, or wound, or cause to be as
| saulted, stricken. beaten. or wounded, any
person in the District. for declining or refus-
| ing to accept any challenge to fight duel,
| or to engage in single combat with any
| deadly or dangerous instrument or weapon
| whatever or shall post or publish. or cause
| to be posted or published, any writing charg-
| ing any such person declining refusing
| to accept any such challenge to be coward.
| or using any other opprobrious or injurious
| language therein, tending to degrade and
disgrace such person for so declining or re-
| fusing such challenge, every person so Of
Tending, en- conviction thereof. shall be pun
ished by confinement to hard labor in the