The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-16
The Initial Performance in
Prince Henri's Engagement
To Fight All Italy Took Place
Yesterday.
FIGHT WITH SWORDS.
The Prince Receives Two Slight
Wounds and Quits.
His Antagonist Count Turin Has
a Scratch ON the Hand.

Paris. Aug. 16.-The Count of Turin and
Prince Henri of Orleans fought a duel
with swords at o'clock yesterday morn
ing at the Boies de Marechaux at Van
cresson. H. Leontieff acted umpire.
The fighting was most determined and
lasted twenty-six minutes. There were
five engagements, of which two were at
close quarters. Prince Henri received two
serious wounds in the right shoulder and
the right side of the abdomen. The Count
of Turin was wounded in the right hand.
Prince Henri was taken to the residence
of the Duo de Chartres and received
medical attendance.
The condition of Prince Henri of Or
leans is as satisfactory today as could be
expected. The doctors, after consulta-
tion, have expressed the opinion that no
important organ was touched but abso-
lutte rest is necessary for recovery.
Owing to rumors al Naples and else
where, the public had not expected a
duel TO come off. 1t was therefore, quite
private.
The official account furnished by the
seconds recites fully the circumstances
leading up to the encounter. The Count
of Turin, considering the letters of Prince
Henri of Orleans to the Figaro offensive
to the Italian army, wrote to him on July
demanding a retraction. This letter
could not be answered until August IL.
the day of the arrival of Prince Henri in
France. The prince replied to the counts
demand by telegram, maintaining the
right of a traveller to record his exper-
fences.
The official account then describes the
arrangements for the duel, gives the
names of the respective seconds. and says
that at their first interview they agreed
that the encounter was inevitable.
By common accord, the conditions were
settled as follows: The weapon to be the
dueling sword, each combatant toa use
that of his own country, but the blades
to be of equal length; either combatant
to be at liberty to maintain the ground he
gains, and each to be allowed the space
of fifteen meters within which to advance
or retire; each assault to continue for
four minutes; the combat to be resumed
in the positions occupied and only to
terminate on the decision of the four Sec
onds or the advice of the doctor, when
one of the adversaries is manifestly in a
state of inferiority; the conduct of the
meeting to be intrusted alternately to the
two parties, lots being drawn at COM
mencement. This latter feature of the
arrangement was due to formal objection
of the seconds of Prince Henri of Or
leans to the direction of the encounter by
q fifth party.
The process-verbal then proceeds to de-
scribe the encounter 1t says that, in the
first assault, Prince Henri was hit in the
right breast, though the weapon did not
penetrate the thoras. On the strength of
the report of the doctors, the seconds de-
cided that the combat must go on. The
second assault was stopped because the
combatants came into close quarters. In
the third assault the Count of Turin was
hit in the back of the right hand, but the
wound was slight. In the fourth assault
the umpire, Major Leontief, declared that
the sword of Prince Henri was bent and
stopped the engagement long enough to
furnish the prince with new weapon. In
the fifth assault the combatants again got
into close quarters and were Immediately
stopped, Prince Henri in counter blow,
being hit in the right lower region of the
abdomen. The doctors on both sides ex>
amined the wound and declared that
Prince Henri was rendered by it clearly
inferior to his antagonist. Major Leon
tieff and NJ. Mourichon proposed that the
combat be stopped, and this was done by
common accord.
While his wound was being dressed
Prince Henri, raising himself upon the
ground, extended his hand to the Count
of Turin, saying: ALLOW me, monseig-
neur. to shake hands with you" The
present were DR.. Tounet and DR.. Hart
man on behalf of Prince Henri, and DR..
earle on behalf of the Count of Turin.
This account of the fighting was signed
by the seconds.
The details of the duel show that the
encounter was very sharp and deter
mined. Immediately upon the crossing OF
swords Prince Henri vigorously pressed
his adversary. The Count of Turin re-
Of t1a
then, resuming the offensive, touched his
opponent. The third and fourth assaults
ended in long engagements within guard
The Temps says that the wound in the
abdomen of Prince Henri is serious, but
not alarming. Had the Count of TURNS
steel gone half a centimeter deeper, the
intestines would have been perforated
After his wound had received a prelimi-
nary dressing, Prince Henri walked to his
carriage unaided. The Count of Turin
accompanied by his seconds, left Paris
for Italy yesterday afternoon. He was
not experiencing any special distress
from his wounds.
The meeting between the seconds was
long and stormy. The representatives o
Prince Henri stated in his behalf that ht
could not withdraw his original asser
tions, as he had written only the truth
about the Italian officers and was entirely
willing to give satisfaction TO a represen
tative Italian.
The seconds of Prince Henri of Orlean:
were R. Dolentoff, governor general o.
the equatorial provinces of Abyssinia, anS
NJ. Raoul Mourichon. The Count o
TURNS seconds were General Count Ava
gadro de Quinto and the Marquis Carlo
di Ginori.
The seconds made absolute privacy
condition. and said if a soul were presen
exceDt the principalS seconds and doc
tors the fight should be stopped and tn
Count of Turin should return immediatel.
to Italy and be followed by Prince Henr
to fight it out there. For this reason