The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-25

place a few years ago and gave rise
to good deal of comment may perhaps
be remembered When the two adVcT-
saries stood facing each other, READY
to begin the combat, the captain gen
eral of Madrid appeared on the srounu
and arrested them They refused 20
give their word of honor not TO, ngnt,
and they We're in consequence toTplu-
den to leave their houses; ana as Boz
rero was the offending person. he was
placed on trial He was alterWaro
ordered to leave Madrid, and so the
matter ended.
A Romantic Episode.
In 1874, when General Serrano, Duke
de la Tore, was chief of the executive
power, there occurred an episode IKE
those which abound in the novels OF
Dumas. The Igualdad. republican
paper published an article rejecting
on the young mobiles who met in the
Veloz club, and who were part1sans OF
the Bourbons. The offended persons
agreed to challenge all the stan OF tine
newspaper. The challenge was accept
ed Two duels had already been fought
when the governor of Madrid, to pre-
vent seven other dues, which were be-
ing arranged, exiled challenged and
challengers to different parts of the
peninsula.
But in Spain for every personal ques-
ton terminating in a duel there are
dozen that are settled by means of an
act. Everything depends upon the skill
and the temperament of the seconds.
1t is well known that the most ingen-
ious theological casuists have belonged
to Spain; some seconds have inherited,
it would seem, the intellectual dexterity
of these subtle thinkers. They know
how to estimate the various degrees OF
offenses, and by means of complicated
interpretations convert the most ofens-
i've expression into d harmless one,
and place a, blow in the category OF an
involuntary movement. The docu-
ment in which it is declared that there
is no cause for fighting, and that the
two adversaries, although they may
have insulted or struck each other,
have never ceased to entertain FOR
each other the highest esteem, and to
regard each other as gentlemen, is call
ed an act. Sometimes these master
pieces of casuistry are published in the
newspapers.
The Custom in Cuba.
In Cuba the custom of dueling pre-
sents characteristics analogous to those
which it offers in Spain. 1t is in Ha-
vana that duels are most frequently
fought, and often for the most trivial
causes. The young men of fashion
fight duels; and it is a curious fact
that lawyers are also much given to
dueling. Among them, instead of APP
pealing to the courts for redress of
grievances, an appeal to arms is fire.
quently made. Even the present pres
ident of the supreme court, Senior Con
zales de Mendoza, a man of dispasson-
ate temper and circumspect conduct,
has fought duels.
One of the most famous duelists of
Cuba was Varona Murias, who, while
still young man, was killed in the last
separatist instruction. He fought at
least is duels, and in one of them he
killed his adversary. He published a
book entitled my Duels," in which he
gives the history of his meetings. One
of the peculiarities of this man who
inexpert in the use Of arms, and as
his health, besides, was not good, he
almost always went to the field handi-
capped. He was without doubt extra
ordinarily brave, and he had a blind
faith in his fortunate star
Many Fought in Havana.
In Havana most, of the duels fought
had their origin or were arranged on
| the Acera. The walk bordering the
| Parque Central on which the Hotel In
glaterra and various cafes are situated.
is thus called This is a place of meet
ing, at night, for the well-dressed youth
| of Havana Here the insulting express
sions are uttered and the blows struck
| which give rise to duels. Although
there were never wanting there, pre-
vious to the separatist rebellion, Span
| ish officers and government employees
| disputes rarely occurred between them
and the Cubans, but generally between
Cubans. When the Instruction broke
| out, the native element disappeared
| from the Acera, because it went, in
great part, to fight for independence
| The vacancies that were left were filled
by Spanish officers. During the war ne
duels We're fought. Now. since the SOW.
ereignty of Spain has ceased, new pc
Rod of dueling has begun, and this ha:
obliged General Brooke to recall to the
| courts their duty to fulfill the law
which, under the sovereignty of Spain
was applied with as much mildness il
Cuba as in the mother country. Some
| times, for FORMS sake, a prosecution
was begun, which soon Terminated
without Furnishing any one. Not ever
when one of the combatants was kille.
was the law applied with severity. Il
the time of General Po1avieja due
which made a great deal Of noise wa
fought between a young man of rank
Alberta Jorrin, and an artillery office
named D'Ousouville. Jorrin was al
athlete and skilled in the use Of arms
He had been insulted by the officer AM
challenged him to combat with tn
sword. The whole city ranged itself OIL
either side in this duel, influenced t
some extent by political feeling, be
ficer a Spaniard. Judges in the matte
held it for certain that Jorrin woul,
kill or at least wound his opponent. T.
the surprise of everybody, the contrar,
happened. Hardly had the combat be
gun when D'Ousouville wounded Jorril