The times., 1898-09-06
PANDO AND A DUEL.
One Result of the SpnDinrd's Visit
to Ne Xico.
From the New York Sun)

tFrOn the New Nork sum-
City of Mexico, Aug 22-The recent visit
to this city of Gen. Pando, Capt. Gen.
Blancos chief of staff in Cuba, led TO
duel between Barron Starke, the iron king
of Durango. and the Marquis de Sasmera
1t is said that his mission was TO induce
the Mexican government to relax the neu-
trality a little. AT any rate. whatever IL
was 1t demanded secrecy, and as he could
not have secrecy at the Maison Doree.
where he stopped first, he accepted an in
vitation 10 go to the home of the Marquis
| de Sasmera.
Gen. Pando had been the guest OF the
marquis only few days when one night
Sasmera returned home late from the Ca
sino. An uproar followed his return A
gendarme galloped up to the house, dis
mounted and broke into the hallway just
in time to see Gen. Pando retire TO his
room bleeding from hole in the neck. a
| messenger hurried a few minutes later to
| the Spanish minister, and when that Off
| cial arrived Gen. Pando entered a hack
| with him and the two drove to the Span
| ish legation
| Three distinct stories about the affair
| travelled about the city. One of them
was that the marquis. upon his return
! home, was sternly reprimanded by his
/ wife for keeping late hours; that he re-
/ piled with such vigor that she screamed
| for help, and that her cries brought Gen.
/ Pando upon the scene. The marquis, in
| furiated att interference in his domestic
affairs rushedgat Gen. Pando and struck
at him with dagger without however,
/ doing more serious damage than slight
| scratch.
! The following day Gen Pando depart
1 ed for Vera Cruz, where peace having
been declared and the blockade raised. he
| took the first Spanish steamer for Bata
/ bano. going thence by rail to Havana.
| All the Jockey Club the American social
| rendezvous Baron Starke repeated
another story regarding the affair This
/ story brought out an explanation from
/ the marquis. accompanied by a demand
for an apology, The Spaniard said upon
/ his honor that 1t was all case of mis-
taking each other for burglars. He came
! home late that night, and his wife, in
nervous fright cried out that there were
! thieves in the house The gallant Gen.
Pando rushed to her assistance unarmed,
and, seeing the marquis approach in the
/ dark hallway, pounced upon him, under
/ the impression that he was capturing the
( burglar. The marquis thought that he
/ was being assailed by the thief. and thus
it happened that he inflicted upon his
distinguished guest the wound before he
discovered his mistake The marquis, in
; his letter deprecated greatly the refer
1 ence to his wife in Mr.. Starke's remarks,
and demanded full and public apology.
! Mr. Starke replied that he had simply re-
/ peated a story which was universally
1 current and for which others were re-
! sponsible. A challenge followed and last
! Sunday. the principals, with their sec
| onds. went into the adjoining state of
HidaIgo, where pistols at thirty yards
| decided the issue.
The duel took place near Piedra Iona
| station on the Hidalgo Narrow Gauge
| Railroad. eighty miles from the City of
Mexico. Starke seemed TO regard the af-
fair as a reckless diversion. while the de-
meanor of the marquis indicated sup
| pressed excitement. The seconds con-
| trary to all expectations, We're men of
| less Importance in Mexican society than
| the principals, the vigorous efforts OF
! President Diaz to suppress the code du-
| clio, having made distinguished people
less eager than in former years 20 act
| in affairs of honor AT the signal two
| shots rang out almost simultaneously
| Marquis de Sasmera fell with a bullet in
| his body. The shock lasted but a second
| and then he raised himself to a sizing
| posture and gazed at his opponent Bar
ron Starke was already in the hands of his
| seconds. The bullet from the Spaniart1' 5
weapon had graZed his face. tearing his
| left eye. The physical net result so far is
| thai- Marquis de SaSmera viii probably
| recover entirely. while Starke has lost
| one eye and may lose the other.
Criminal proceedings have been insti-
| tuted against the principals and seconds
by the officials of the state of Hidalgo
and the federal authorities here in the
city. While the government will un-
! doubtedly push the cases with vigor there
| will probably be no serious punishment
inflicted on either party. inasmuch as the
| sentiment in the capital is entirely with
the marquis, who, according to Mexican
law. is the prime aggressor in sending the
! challenge