Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-16

involuntary movement me document
in which It is declared that there is no
cause for fighting. and that the two adVer-
saries, although they may have insulted or
struck each other. have never ceased to en-
terrain for each other the highest esteem,
and to regard each other as gentlemen, Is
called an act. Sometimes these master
pieces of casuistry are published in the
newspapers.
The Custom In Cuba.
In Cuba the custom of dueling presents
characteristics analogous to those which it
offers III Spain 1t is in Havana 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 duel
ing. Among them, instead of appealing to
the courts for redress of grievances, an APP
peal to arms is frequently made. Even the
present president of the supreme court,
Senior Gonzales ne Mendoza, a man of dis
passionate temper and crcumspect conduct,
has fought duels.
One of the most famous duelists of Cuba
was Varona Murias who, while still a
young man, was killed in the last separatist
insurrection. He fought at least fifteen
duels. and in one of them he killed his adj
versary. He published book entitled MY
Duels, in which he gives the history of his
meetings. One of the peculiarities OF this
man who fought SO many duels was that
he was inexpert in the use of arms, and as
his health, besides, was not good, he almost
always went to the field handicapped. He
was without doubt extraordinarily brave.
and he had a blind faith in his fortunate
star.
Another young Hayanese, Augustin Ger
yantes, who has fought a number of duels,
published, six or seven years ago, a book on
"Dueling in Cuba The Havana papers
announce the approaching publication of
the second part of this work, which will
contain an account of the duels fought by
the author since 1894 Cervantes is an eX-
ceilent swordsman, eQualing, in the opinion
of competent judges, the most skillful in
France. With his valor he unites GOODNESS
and serenity, which make him formidable
opponent.
Many Fought in Havana.
In Havana most of the duels fought had
their origin or We're arranged on the Acera
The walk bordering the Parque Central, on
which the Hotel Inglaterra and various
cafes are situated, is thus called. This is
The place of meeting, at night, for the we'll
dressed youth of Havana. Here the insult
ing expressions are uttered and the blows
struck which give rise to duelS. Although
there We're never wanting there, previous to
the separatist rebellion, Spanish officers and
government employees, disputes rarely oc-
Cured between them and the CubanS, but
generally between Cubans. When the in
Surrecticn broke out, the native element
disappeared from the Acera. because it
went, in great part, to fight for ndepend-
cnce. The vacancies that were left We're
filled by Spanish officers During the war
no duels We're fought Now. since the soy
eIeignty OF Spain has ceased, new period
of dueling has begun; and this has obliged
Gen. Brooke to recall to the courts their
duty to fulfill the law, which, under the
sovereignty of Spain, was applied with as
much mildness in Cuba in the mother
country. Sometimes, for FORMS sake, a
prosecution was begun, which soon termi-
mated without Furnishing any one Not even
when one of the combatants was killed
was the law applied with severity. In the
time of Gen. Polaviejs a duel which made
a great deal of noise was fought between
a young man of rank. Alberta Jorrin, and
an artillery officer named D'OuSouvile.
JCrrln was athlete and skilled in the
use of arms. He had been inSulted by the
officer, and challenged him to a combat
with the sword The whole city ranged it
self on either side in this duel, influenced in
some degree by political feeling, because
Jorrin was Cuban and the officer a Span
lard Judges in the matter held it for GER
tain that Jorrin would kill, or at least
everybody the contrary happened. Hardly
had the combat begun when D'Ousouvilie
wounded Jorrln in the abdomen so severely
that he died III a few hours. There was no
prosecution. The captain general confined
himself TO transferring the officer to the
eastern part of the island.