The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-07
THE FIELD
OF HONOR.
Notes From Great Britain's
DueIing Record.
CURIoSITIES OF THE CODE
Leading Irishmen Of 100 Years
Ago Who We're DuelistS
THE LAST DUEL IN SCOTLAND.
CURIoSITIES OF THE CODE
THE LAST DUEL in SCOTLAND.

The last duel fought In England took
place near Egham i'm 1862. The principles
were two renchmen--Cournet, formerly
an officer in the French navy, where he
distinguished himself. and Barthelemy,
an adventurer, formerly condemned to the
Ralleys and at the time of the duel the
keeper of house of III fame I'm London.
Gourmet had brought from Paris an i'm
portant packet for Barthclemy, but learn
ing his character simply sent IL TO his ad-
dress and declined TO have any intercourse
with him. On several occasioIa afterward
he publicly showed his contempt for him.
This led to pistol duel, in which Gourmet,
notorious duellist, was killed. Barthcl-
emy and the seconds were tried for the
felony and sentenced TO two months i'm
prisonmcnt. Convicted two years later OF
an atrocious double murder near Fitzroy
square, Barthelemy ended an infamous
career on the scaffold.
Many duels have been fought by Eng
lishmen on the continent during the last
90 years. youthful English attache
killed In tho old kingdom of Naples an
Italian marquis who pushed away his arm
from the balcony railing, where il rested
beside famous Neapolitan beauty. The
heir TO an earldom exchanged shots with
an Austrian prince. The colonel of high
land regiment fought duel with an Ital-
IAN marquis at Florence because he had
the misfortune TO oycrturn chair in the
dark. A young Scottish engineer wound
ed in sabcr duel famous Partisan duel
ist, and was himself wounded. A young
Englishman who fought duel in Paris
under the empire with young French
viscount, an expert fencer, was himself
Angeles best pupil and had much the
best of the encounter.
The Scots took practical view Of duel
ing Under the Stuarts license was
necessary to fight duel To kill man
without one was murder. Not only did
they thus reduce the number of their turbu
lent subjects, but they made them a source
of revenue. The system worked SO well
that, in order that the fisc might not be
defraudcd, in 1896 IL was made capital
offense even TO engage in duel without a
license obtained IL did not help the mat
ter IL neither party was wounded. The
most savage duel ever fought in Scotland
or elsewhere was the ono between Sir Euen
Lochiol and an English colonel, pellew,
when, after fighting till their swords flew
out OF their hands, they locked i'm close
embrace, ard Lochiel, the weaker of the
two, falling underneath, tore several
ounces of flesh out of the others throat
with his teeth, keeping them there like a
wild beast, and declaring until his dying
day-that "he never tasted swcoter NOR
sci.
Tho last duel fought in Scotland was
the ono between Captain Stewart and Sir
Alexander Boswell, son of the famous BIZ
ographer Ii was fought on the scashore
near Kirkcaldy In 1880. Boswell was killed
at the first fire.
In tho Green Islo dueling flourished 80
years ago rs much as 1t did in France
When Trinity college student asked the
provost what books he had better bring TO
college, the latter said "Never mind the
books. Bring case Of pistols. The
students were in tho habit of settling those
little affairs either just before or just after
morning prayers. All the distinguished
Irishmen a hundred years ago were duel
lists: Curran. Grattan, Sheridan, Barring
ton, Fitzgibbon, Flood and OConnell
were often "out," and i'm our day Tho
O'Gorman Mahon had % affairs 10 his
credit. The bar led tho list. Lord chan
cellors and masters of tho rolls fought like
corncts OF horse. Lord Norbuly fought
Fighting Fitzgerald" and two others,
besides frightening "Nappcr Tandy,"
n tho Irish historians tell us. Galway
was great with the pistol, Tipperary with
the sword. Two English Zines lanes, J"
Major Park and Captain Greed, went to
Ireland to find foemen worthy OF their
steel, and found them in Mr.. Matthew
and Mr.. Mcnamara, who fought with
them in private room at an inn, wound
ed them nearly unto death, nursed them
back into health and were rewarded with
their friendship.
Colonel Darlington and Mr.. Gilbert,
two middle aged married men, had dcs-
perate duel in 1859 because they did not
wish to leave nm unsettled quo crel as y
legacy for their children They fought on
horseback with sword, pistol and Tkcen,
or Irish bowie knife. First the pistols
were fred Darlington receiving some of
the charge ir his face, but he rushed or
Gilbert, killed his horse with his broad
sword, disp;ounted and, putting his skeen
to the oth,r's throat called upon him TO
"ask for his life, or pain of death" Cid
bert agreed to shake hands and be friends
but without condition or apology. Bar.
rington consented. Fighting Fitzgerald,
well known character cousin OF the
Earl OF Desmond, an Eton boy, an Oxford
graduate and an officer In the Sixty ninth
foot, fought IS duels and was thought
by many To be mad. He hired gang of
rufiians, waylaid and killed man ON the
kings highway and was hanged at Castle
bar. Among others, be encountered Mar
tin of Galway, the Rev. Richard Bate and
Captain Harvey Aston, aftcrward killed
at Madras In % duel with Colonel Allon.-
Cornhlll Magazine