The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-16
CAUSE OF THE DUEL.
Prince Henri D'OrIeans Severe in
Criticising Italian Officers.

Criticising Italian Officers.
The duel grew out of Prince fIenri's COM
ments published in the Paris Figaro on
the conduct of the Italian prisoners at the
Court of Menelik, the King of Abyssinia
from which country the prince has just re-
turned. For quite a period he was the
guest of the Abyssinian monarch, during
which time he heard the stories which he
made the basis of criticisms In his letter
to the Figaro Prince Henri, after describing
an interview between himself and the
negus, wrote:
Naturally the subject which was most
often discussed was that of the war and
the captivity of the Italians. 1 am bound
to say that / am no longer indignant but
simply disgusted at what / hear each dav
about them Out of respect for nation
with which we were friendly / shauld have
'0e'cT1' -ssTfent if the italians had not shown
in regard to ourselves the most reprehenst-
BILE conduct. Have they not confessed that
had they entered Adds Ababa VIGOROUSLY,
they would have given no quarter to any.
Frenchman, not even the small tradesman?
They added moreover with an ironical air
that they would not have inflicted the death
penalty on the French women
Events did not permit them to accom-
plish their wishes. Although they came to
the capital as prisoners, they do not seem
to realize it; some of their officers were not
ashamed to take part in the celebration of
the anniversary of the battle of Adowa;
others wore as cuff buttons coins with the
image OF Menelik 1t was Albertone him
self who, drinking a toast to the health OF
the great Emperor, turned toward one of
our telloW-cOuntrymen and said: Are we
not courteous?' TO which the Frenchman
replied: Mon deu, sir! l never saw q
peror William
This same Albertone received from the
Emperor music box, which Menelik had
loaned him to amuse him. On the departure
of the general the music box Disappeared
probably carried off by some subordnate
The Empress asked If people had the ha bit
of doing such things in ESnrone M oti,.
where was the answer she received.
1t seems that these Italians do not have
much confidence in their felloW-country-
men. The officers asked the Abyssinians 10
give them guards to prevent their men from
deserving while going back to the coast
Following this was a communication on
the coWardice of the Italians at the battle
Of AdoWa The prince wrote: Not one
Abyssinan has Il bayonet wound and nearly
ali tho Tta1iopu cbo,i, o,vord 1t1t. ~ ~
ADySSinianS are not expert with the sword.
An Italian of the highest rank is seized
by the collar by an Abyssinian. The Euro.
pean draws his revolver. Why should we
Kill each other? says the Abyssinian. Let
us embrace Whereupon the Italian pockets
his revolver and embraces the AbySsinian
who takes him. Several italian soldiers
were taken. by women. Humble in battle,
many Italians tried to show themselves
naughty in defeat. They made proposals
which upset our ideas of honor. A certain
Frenchman has told me of two prisoners
who were brought to him in rags and bare
footed and when he strOVe to aid them he
was dumbfOunded to hear these words from,
an Italian mouth: What swine these 1tal-
ians are! What have they brought us to P ''
THE PRINCIPALS
The publication of these letters at once
gan to pour in on Prince Henri of Orleans.
An arrangement was made for duel with
General Albertone, but the Count of Turin
stepped in and demanded the privilege of
maintaining the honor of Italy. The Count
of Turin is a nephew of King Humbert of
Italy and holds the rank of major in the
Italian army. His brother the Duke of
Aosta, was selected by the King for peace
maker because the dukes wife, Princess
Helene of Orleans, is a cousin of Prince
Henri. So Prince Henri, on coming home
found one cousin-in-law begging him out to
the field Of honor"
Prince Henri of Orleans is the black sheep
of his family. He is in danger of being
deprived of his cross of the Legion of
Honor because of the discovery that his
geographical explorations i'll Asia and else
where, for which it was granted We're
never really accomplished by him. He has
been implicated in number of scandals,
official and private. His father, the Duke
of Charities, has been bankrupted it is
said by his excesses. The princes cousin
the Duke of Orleans, is the legitimate heir
to the throne of France. The late Count of
Paris, grandson of Louis philippe, whose
eldest son. the Duke Or Orleans. died be-
fore the King after the death of the Count
of Chambord, united in his person the heir
ship of both branches of the royal family
of France. He had one brother, the Duke
of Chartres. Both the Count of Paris and
his eldest son, the present Duke of Or
leans were we'll known in the United
States. the father having served on General
McClean's staff and the son having ac-
companied his father on a visit to New
York and Washington a few years ago.
Prince Henri of Orleans is the elder son Of
the Duke of Chartres. If the Duke of Or
leans dies unmarried the Duke of Char
tres will become the heir to the kingdom
and his son will be the heir after him
The Duke of orleans is banishcd from
France. and like his father before him
has his regular domicile of exile in Eng
land.
A comic phase was given to the matter
by the sudden intervention OF a wel-known
fencing expert in Paris called Thomeguex
who had a duel some time ago with Cheva-
lier PM brother of the lieutenant who is
so anxious TO cross swords with Prince
Henri Life has been duh of late. so the
other morning NJ Thomeguex decided the
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