The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-29
HE is STABBED BY HIS HOST
INCIDENT CAUSES GOSSIP AT
MExICo'S CAPITAL.
Results In Baron Starke Losing an
Eye and Marquis de Sasnera
Receiving Bullet in
His Body.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

CITY Of MEXICO, Aug. 28.-The re-
cent visit to this city of General Pando.
Captain General Blanco's chief Of staff
in Cuba, led to duel between Baron
Starke, the Iron King of Durango and
MARQUIS de Sasmera- 1t Is said that
Pando's mission was to induce the
Mexican Government to relax Its neu-
trality a little. Whatever 1t was. 1t de-
rnanded secrecy AS he could not have
secrecy at the Maison Dore. where he
stopped first, he accepted an invitation
to go to the home of Marquis de Sas-
mera.
General Pando had been the guest OF
the Marquis only few days Wnen one
night Sasmera returned home from the
Casino. An uproar followed his re-
turn. A gendarme galloped up to his
house. dismounted and broke into the
hallway Just in time to see General
Pando retire to his room, bleeding from
a wound in the neck. A messenger nur-
ried a few minutes later to the Spanlsn
Minister, and when that official arrived
General Pando entered hack with
him. and the two drove to the Spanish
The following day General Pando de-
parted for Vera Cruz, where, peace
having been declared and the blockade
raised, he took the first Spanish steam,
er for Batabano, going thence by rail-
to Havana
Three distinct stories regarding the
affair travelled about the city. One of
them was that the Marquis upon his
return home was sternly reprlmandeo
by his wife for keeping late hours; that
he replied with such vigor that she
screamed for help, and that her cries
brought General Pando upon the scene.
The Marquis, Infatuated at interior
ence in his domestic affairs, rushed at
General Pando and struck him with
dagger.
Baron Starke repeated at Jockey
club another story about the AFFAIR.
which brought out an explanation from
the MARQUIS, accompanied by demand
for an apology. The Spaniard said:
upon his honor, that 1t was case or
mistaking each other for burglars. He
came home late that night and his VIE,
in nervous fright, cried out that there
were thieves in the house. Gallant
General Pando rushed to her assistance.
Seeing the Marquis approach in dark
hallway, Pando pounced upon him. un-
der the impression that he was captur-
ing q burglar. The Marquis thought
that he was being assailed by th1ef.
and thus ii happened that he inflicted
upon his distinguished guest wound
before he discovered his mistake.
The Marquis in a letter deprecated
greatly the reference to his wife In
Starke's remarks, and demanded full
and public apology. Baron Starke re-
piled that he had simply repeated a
story. A challenge followed, and last
Sunday the principals with their sec
onds went into the State of Hidalgo,
where pistols at thirty yards decided
the issue.
At the signal two shots rang out, al
most simultaneously. Marquis de Sas-
mera fell with a bullet in his body. The
shock lasted but a second and then he
raised himself to a sitting posture
and gazed at his opponent. Baron
Starke was already in the hands OF his
seconds. A bullet from the Spaniard' s
weapon had grazed his face, tearing out
his left eye. The physical net results
so far are that the Marquis de Sasmera
will probably recover entirely. while
Starke loses one eye and may lose the
M