The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-03
DUELS AT ANNAPOLIS
A CUSTOM THAT CULTlvATES THE
FIGHTING QUALITIES OF CADETS.
Very Few Go Through the Four Years
withons an Appearance on the Field of
Honor-The Contests Strictly Governed
by Rules and Referees.

Withons an Appearance on the Field Of
Honor-The Contests Strictly Governed
by Rules and Referees.
Writers may write and preachers may
preach, but the world-our world at least
will take TO its arms the boy who is as
anxious to fight as to play. 1t predicts
great things of him and Is willing to help
him along. OuU of THESE battles come
blackened eyes and bloody noses, but not
any harm. Self confidence is born of them
and the ability to make the hand guard
the head There used 10 be an old fellow
in Goliad county, Tex, who expressed his
utter condemnation of "a neighbor In this
way: "Smite him on one cheek and he'll
turn the other. Smte him on the other
and he'll have you arrested. Then he
spat in disgust.
1t is not known that the authorities or
the Naval academy at Annapolis encour-
age fighting. There is nothing in the pub
lished rules urging the cadets to follow
the advice of dead Sam Randall and "get
together" as often as possible. But 1t is
certain that they do not discourage 1t.
There are tales among the embryo admi-
rails, handed down from class to class, OF
how the preccptors have stood afar and
WdUCncu IDc lnIOuRh bpy BidSoe9,
grunting at each well delivered blow and
betting gleefully among themselves on the
results. The consequence of this laxity is
that the younger cadets-those in their
first year-come in a very little while to
believe that the powers are very friendly
to a fighter and would offer active encour-
agement to fighters if it were necessary
which it isn't This state of affairs does
not conduce to study, but it does conduce
to the development of muscle and the fat
tening of the fighting instinct. Not long
ago cadet took leg leave of the academy
and wandered into Baltimore where he
spliced multiplicity of main braces.
AS a result he first whipped cab driver,
then whipped friend of the cab driver,
and then whipped two policemen who had
walked up in time to see the end OF the
! fray He got back to the grounds badly
! battered, but standing up well under his
! canvas The affair made some noise and
| persons went TO Washington to obtain the
| cadets dismissal There they met Fight
| ing" Bob Evans and mistakenly detailed
| the circumstances, requesting his inilu-
! ence. WHAT beloved that veteran.
Dismiss boy like that! Licked four
men in one night? Damme, sirs, are you
| crazy? What in the blue - do you
think naval officer is for? When he
| graduates, give him to me Put him on
| my ship want 100 like him.
In the matter of humping his fellow
| there are certain rules governing the cadet
They are leges non scripte, but ironclat
nevertheless. The epithet Liar" must b'
resented with an instant blow. All in
suits must be accounted for on the spot
The only spots exempt are the chapel ant
classroom. The combatants are immedl
ately separated by any one standing near
A first year man is permitted to separat
seniors. After that the code has play. III
combatants name two seconds each. Thes
lay the matter before a member of tn
senior class. He fixes the place and dat
of the encounter. The place is always al
open space behind the gymnasium. 1t
not turf, but is ground worn bare an
: hardened by many feet. 1t has been REQ
dened time and again by the best blood i
America The time is always the after
, noon of some Saturday. The rules al
Marquis of Queensberry-three minul
rounds with a minute rest between. III
exception is that no gloves are uset
Wrestling is not permitted, of cours'
Occasionally, however, when one of I'll
5 combatants has had two years trainin
in the sparring school and the other is
: newcomer, the old style of rough an
tumble fracas is allowed
, Always "a senior class man is master
ceremonies, appellate court and supren
court in these fistic litigations. The Sc
onds are there to handle their men, but a
3 points of dispute are submitted TO the SCI
r ior. His decision is never questioned.
/ fight is fought out until one of the men
| deemed incompetent by his seconds, WI
q ! throw up the sponge. Then he is borne
the hospital The sponge never goes l
until he is made fit for cot Woe to ii
warrior who cries enough or quits wht
he is able to continue. Nothing is lie
r him save to depart to civil life. His elias
: mates and the men in his dormitory wi
not speak to him. He is "coventried.
There is no instance where these ba
knuckle duels have had IA fatal termin
ton The participants are endowed Wi
o the blessing OF youth and are always
q condition.
1t sometimes happens that cadet go
, through his four years at Annapolis wit
out an appearance on the field of homo
y but the occurrence is as rare as bla'
i swan. The courage of such men is look
on with gravest suspicion by their cor
: rades. Indeed n fight is regarded necs
sary complement to an education al
= escape would seem impossible to any mi
who could be made to resent an insult
All of this does no harm. Enmities ei
with the duel 1t is required that I'll
should be so. The opposing youngste
become faster friends than ever. Is 1t :
Lucius O'Trigger who says: 1T is asto
ishing how well you like a man when "
9 have fought with himY War is proi'
:. sion with these wards of the governner
= With them courage is a necessity Ea
q battle strengthens it. The checks of fol
n mothers ut home would blanch if tn
y knew that their darlings were pommele
h but their respected and respectable fathe
q would dance upon one leg and howl wi
= delight 1t Is in us and it cannot be talk
b out or bred out. AS Fighting Bob
3 ouires, "What in the blue sheol are nav