The herald., 1898-10-02

Park several duels have been fought. A
year or more ago youne man. = member
of well-knnwn family. was found dead
In ono Of these rooms. In his pocket was
letter saying that his purpose was to
commit suicide and giving directions In
regard to various personal matters. He
had been killed In duel. The circun,-
stances were all known, but neither the
surviving principal nor any OF the sec
onds was arrested It Il customary for
each Of the principals to write letter Of
this kind. Usually its existence does not
become known, because fatal result 10
almost as rare as In German students
duels.
There 10 a local literature of duelling
which il much read. On the shelves of
the Havana book stores can usually be
found a pamphlet which gives COM
plete account of duels fought for period
Of years. The compiler is an ardent
admirer Of the code. His pamphlet gives
the names Of the principals and seconds,
the causes Of the challenges, and the
incidents Of the combat. A few fatal
endings are recorded. Quarrels over
politics appear to be common cause
of duels. Then there are those insults
unprovoked." which In the United States
would be called barroom squabbles. In
some cases a discreet hint 10 given that
a woman's honor has been rashly ques-
toned and atonement made. A sug-
gestion is also occasionally conveyed
that q disagreement arose at the gam
ing table This Is apt to have been the
cause when the principals are members
of the Circulo Militar. or Spanish MIL
tary Club. Formerly high stakes were
played for at this club and the officers
Quarrelled. Some names that were well
known In Havana a decade or two ago
appear in this pamphlet.
Another handy volume which can be
had at the book stores is a complete
treatise on arms and duelling. A por-
ton Of its contents was published in one
Of the newspapers few years ago. The
duellist, this treatise declares, is a noble
and generous type created by the fam
tasy legend. AS to the actual crossing
of weapons Moliere's sage advice that
the art consists in giving and in not re-
ceiving is quoted approvingly. 1t is
further declared that the two principal
reasons which Justify the existence Of
duelling are the force of public opinion
and the insufficiency Of the laws to pro-
tect individual honor.
The duel, the author says, has an i'm
mense advantage in that 1t gives re-
spectability even to the vanquished. Re-
flectively, he adds that the code of honor
is at times as impotent as the Penal
Code. The French writer's are quoted
extensively and approvingly in laying
down the conditions under which repa-
ration for wounded honor may be sought.
Causes which may be made the ground
of challenge are described as the Of
Tense simple, the offense with INSULT and |
the offense with blow and wound. The |
first offenseis admittedly the most diff |
cult to differentiate. The second is |
first offense is admittedly the most diff
easily disposed of because an insult Is |
an insult and can be instinctively ap-
pretended. Regarding the blow or the |
wound the rule for determination Is the |
French maxim, "Qui touche frappe"
C'Who touches strikes").
Three arms are recognized as legiti-
mate duelling weapons. They are the
sword, the sabre or cutlass, and the
pistol. Most of the Cuban duels were
formerly fought with the sabre or cut
lass. Its use was upheld on the ground
that while the cut and the confusion
from 1t disfigured, 1t did not make a SER
ious wound. The skill required for its
proper handling Is also cited as point
in its favor, while its superiority over
the sword in several respects is pointed
out Nevertheless, in recent years the
sword has come to be popular weapon
'or duelling, and the Havana fencing
schools encourage 1t. The pistol is sell
lom employed in Cuban duels.-New York
|