Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
CODE DUELLO DISCUSSED
In the Annual Congress of the
German Adelstag.
NOT A BRAND OF DISH0N0R
For Nobeman to Refuse to Accept Chal-
Ienge to Fight Duel
IF HE HAS GOOD GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL
It Was Agreed to Appoint Court of Honor
With View to the Regulation off the
Duel Court-The Kaiser's Hand
in This.
NOT A BRAND OF DISHONOR
IF HE HAS GOOD GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL


of the German adelstag dhe nobility
was convened today. Among the ques-
tions discussed of special interest to the
aristocracy of Germany was that of the
duello, appropos of the incidents which
are now exciting society and the general
public alike, This question was discuss
ed exhaustively and 1T was finally re-
solved as the result of the debate, that
it is not brand of dishonor for noble
imam to refuse to fight duel if the
grounds of his refusal are honorable. 1t
was also agreed to appoint a court of
honor with a view to the regulation of
such differences as have hitherto been
referred to the duel court, which had,
as its fixed principle, the settlement of
disputes by pistol or rapier This pro-
nouncenfent, together with the growing
force of current opinion In regard to the
code duello, may nave the effect to mod
dfy the existing custom, but it Is very
doubtful whether 1t will be efticaeious in
eradicating it, as it is generally felt that
the custom is too firmly fixed. The en-
peror's prohibitory order against dueling
has utterly failed to lessen the practice;
indeed, duelling has been more frequent
since the issuance of the kaiser's decree
than ever before. The duel which was
fought between Lieberech Won Kotz and
Baron Won Schrader, near Potsdam, yes
terday, furnishes an instance of the diff
hcuity of getting quarrel settled by
means of court of honor. The friends
of both of the principals were unceasing
in their efforts to prevent fight, but
courts of honor, composed of officers of
two regiments, instead of making an at
tempt to reach pacific settlement of the
affair. decided that Won Kotz ought to
accept a challenge from Won Schrader.
Won KotZ opposed this method of set
ting his charges against Won Schrader,
whereupon the court decided that in the
event of his refusing to accept the chal-
lenge he must at once cease to be an Of
fer The emperor, at this juncture, In
tervened urging Baron Won Schrader to
refuse to accept the decision of the courts
of honor, while near relatives of both dis
putants entreated them not to engage in
a duel for fear of the social odium that
would attach to the encounter. The
knowledge that the leading section of
society would cut them, however, finally
compelled them to fight.
Baron Won Schrader is still lying I'M
conscious in the hospital at Potsdam
and is lingering at the point of death.
His wife Is ceaselessly watching at his
bedside and a host of members of the
court circle are calling to inquire as to
his condition. The emperor has also tel
egraphed to him a message of sympa-
thy.
In the meantime Won KotZ Is holding
protracted receptions to those who come
to congra tulate him, number OF whom
when calling upon him have just come
from the hospital, where they have left
a sympathetic message for Won Schra-
der.
Won Kotz confidently expects to be i'm
prisoned in a fortress for his part in the
affair. His second in the duel, Captain
Won Kotz, and Won Schrader's second,
General Won Bissingwill, will also be sent
to fortress without doubt. The public
are now asking the question whether the
emperor will take other measures to
show his d!spleasure and his discounte-
nance of future duelling.
The Vossische Zeitung, in an article on
the subject, says: when high court Of
ficials set such an example of law break
ing 1t Is mockery to ask the people to
unite in a struggle to defend religion
and morality. Won Kotz has more af-
fairs of the same kind on hand. Must
there be more victims and nothing done
to prevent these sacrifices? Can the
supporters of due1ling believe that the
issue of such an encounter proves that
one combat is right and the other
wrong2 1t is barbarous reference to
the ordeal and disgraceful to modern
Ideas making the aristocracy contempti-
BILE to the social democracy"
It is learned from an inner source that
the ernperor's desire that the Prince of
H'urstenburg shall accept the office of
chief marshal of the imperial court is
associated with his intention to appoint
him successor to Prince Hohenlohe, the
Imperial chancellor. This Is taken as
sign that the iatter's influence is waning.
The Hamburg Correspondents alleges
That q difference exists between Chancel-
1or Won Hohenlohe and DR.. MIGUEL, the
Prussian minister of finance, over the
conversion of the Prussian tours The
truth is that the Prussian cabinet agreed
to the conversion as he proposed. DR..
MIGUEL is aware that the attacks which
are being made upon him emanate from
underlings in the foreign Office and treat
them as harmless.