The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-07
SIR ROBT. PEEL DECEIYES
Gets INTO a Gambling Transaction
Has His Face Slapped.


Has His Face Slapped.
New York, Feb. IA Paris cable to the
Journal says:
1.-THE CercIe des Capucines, one of the
SWEETEST clubs in Paris, where gambling is
highest, is agitated over the controversy
between Sir Robert Peel and Henry Mar
tin, an attache of the United States con-
sulate in Paris. OF course the contrO-
versy is about money, and equally of
course Sir Robert is the debtor. Martin
asserts that Peel owes to him some 10000
francs, and, as Martin was unable to col
lect, he slapped PeeTs face in the club
one day last week and challenged him
to duel.
Peel declined to fight on the ground
that Martins seconds, John Rust of the
Remington Typewriter company, and an
American dentist Douglas Wennenberg,
both tradesmen, were not entitled to con-
sheraton from baronet in a question
of honor and incidentally that Martin
is his social inferior.
''rhe two men met at the Cercle des
Capucines where Martin at that time was
nearly 100000 francs ahead of baccarat-
Peel borrowed several thousand francs of
Martin during the latter's run of luck,
and when Martin had lost his money back
to the Capucines he asked Peel for repay
ment. Sir Ribert, being broke, was IN
able to comply with the request, but he
suggested a scheme whereby both might
profit.
He told Martin that Their were many
valuable old masters in the picture gal
lery established by his grandfather, the
first and great Sir Robert Peel, at the
family estate, Drayton manor, in England,
which would bring big prices # they could
be offered for sale in Paris. Two obsta-
cles lay in the way. The pictures were in
entail of an estate over which the pres
ent Sir Robert had no control, and there
would be difficulty in bringing such prop
erty into France without proving owner
ship. These obstacles. Peel told Martin,
might be overcome by taking the pictures
from the frames and packing them in a
trunk, which might be passed across the
frontier. by Martin, who, as an officer
of the consulate, was entitled to take his
luggage over the border without inspec-
ton, as a matter of international cour-
tesy.
This scheme was operated successfully,
and two weeks ago Martin and PeeI ar
rived back in Paris with two famous Rem
brandts and a Ruysdael, Martin having
paid the expenses of the trip.
Peel then refused to keep his part of
the contract. He obtained a loan on the
pictures from a dealer, who refused to
purchase the property without Peel show
Cercles des Capucines and proceeded to
win more. Martin caught him in the
act, and demanded at least a small pay
ment on account Peel refused to part
with his coin, and Martin slapped his
baro11iaI countenance, as before related, in
the presence of the assembled nobility
and gentry of France, and sent to him
NGessrs. Rust and Wennenberg with a
view to a duel.
Peel having refused to give Martin sat
isfaction, it is that gentleman's intention
to post the baronet in the club as cow
ard. As he is only a visiting member,
however, the committee of the Cercle des
Capucines, in order to avoid the appear
ance of taking part in the quarrel, today
requested Martin to withdraw from the
club and present his name for member
ship before taking action
Peel, in an interview today, declared
that Martin had been dropped from mem
bership in the club for reasons wholly
apart from the trouble with him, adding
that he could not, of course, fight an ex-
PEELED member He asserts that he and
not Martin is the aggrieved party in the
financial transaction Martin said:
4" Sir Robert Peel is a blackguard. Con-
sidering his treatment of me, there was
nothing left for me but to challenge him
He would not fight. 1 believe he was
afraid, as he knew me to be too good a
swordsman for him..
Martin has sent to Sir Robert {, scorch- |
ing letter, in which the baronet is ne
nounced in scathing terms.
Concerning his own actions in using his |
position as a representative of the United
States to smuggle the Peel pictures into |
France, Martin had nothing to say"