Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-02
IT WAS A REAL DUEL.
Two DANISH OFFICERS FOUGHT 1T
OUT WITH BROADSWORDS.

The Furious Conflict Took Place Re-
fore an Audience In "a Gymnasium
In Washington In n Building Which
Adjoined the Police Station.
Il have figured in Quite-a number of
| !aried events during over 4 quarter Of
century of active newspaper roper
torial life" explained an old newspaper
writer to n Star reporter, but 1 never
got in but one duel when it was to 4
finish, and in the instance l refer to it
was to a finish, assure you. L was
only an onlooker, it is true, but 1 saw
more than l wanted to see, and more
than 1 would willingly again see. 1t
was nearly 20 years ago, but l. have
not forgotten it.
AT the time there was gymnasium
on Louisiana avenue, between Ninth
and Tenth streets. The building adj
joining was the old central guardhouse,
the police station.
"One evening 1 was invited by a
friend, who WAS, n former newspaper
man, but afterward Il patent attorney,
and who also acted as the resident
Danish consul, TO attend the gym
nasium to witness q sword combat, in
which two of his friends were to take
part. l was told that three or four
others would be present, and the COM
bat would be rather lively. 1 realized
that part of it fully, TO my complete
satisfaction.
with the others, three newspaper
writer's, couple OF actors and couple
of sporting men, we got to the gym
nasium about o o'clock, but were told
that the combat would not take place
until the gymnasium classes had been
dismissed, as it was desired that the
onlookers should be as few as possible.
None of Us had any idea as to who
the participants would be or the par
ticular reason for it, but we were told
that it was desired that we should be
present to see that everything was con-
Quoted properly. From this we inferred
that there was stake or something at
issue and we We're to be the judges as
well as referees. as it were.
at 10 o'clock two carriages arrived,
in each of which was single occupant,
each having Il sword. what is common
ly known as n broadsword. like that
which men-of-war's men have. They
had but little to say, and in few min
utes they were properly attircd in the
~
they were ready for the battle.
Il had seen some professional broad
sword combats and rather looked for
some heavy work, but in less than n
minute we all realized that there SEEM
cd to be more earnestnesS about the
combat than was customary in meet
ings of professionals, it mattered not
how large the stakes were.
head covering, and it was well they did
so, otherwise there would have been
one or two heads scattered about on
the floor, for the fight was fast and
furious. At the expiration of ten min
utes these was 4 halt called so that a
terrible cash on the sword arm of one
of the combatants could be bandaged
by physician who conveniently drop
ped i'll.
'Then the fighters started in hammer
and tongs at each other, and in II mir-
utes one OF the men was lying on the
floor with q terrible cash in his Shout
der and n rap on his head which sound
ed so loud that it was heard in the po-
lice station adjoining. The clothing of
the men was as fully covered with
blood as if they had been painted with
IL
THAT ended it. Both men had re-
ceived at least n dozen wounds, and
the victor fell in faint in less than 4
minute after he was declared the con-
qucror. My friend, on behalf of the
thanked us for our at
and we left after seeing the
men lifted into carriages and taken
away.
cit was several weeks before we
knew to certainty what it ali meant
and were not told then until both men
had fully recovered. 1t transpired that
the participants were both Danish Off
GERS; that they had auarreled in New
York in regard to an official matter,
and that n challenge passed and was
accepted. and that all the details of the
settlement had been left to the Danish |
and that the whole party of us
had innocently presided over n real |
Iuel
THE strange part of it was that it |
took place within sound of the police |
station. Star.