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

The courts do not occupy themselves
with dueling in Spain, except in the event
of either combatants death In this case
ii becomes the duty Of the physician TO re-
port to the authorities that the death was
caused by wounds, and this renders inevi-
table the intervention of justice; to deter
mine where by whom, and now the WouluS
were inflicted. But the slayer is not al
ways prosecuted. The judge, when he is
convinced that there has not been an as
sassination. but a duel, has an understand
ing with the physician, and the latter de-
clares that what has occurred was an ac-
cidcnt. that the victim. for instance, IN Try
ing a pistol, shot himself; or that. having
a sword in his hand. he slipped and ran
himself through the body. If the judge Is
severe and is determined to apply the law.
the slayer leaves the country, and the
courts find him guilty of homicide. This
case is rare. for the dueliStS are persons OF
good social standing. and the judges treat
them with indulgence. Most of the judges
are advocates of dueling. and practice 1t
when the occasion Off rs.
The civil governors and the mayors have
q curious way Of Intervening. If they re-
ceive notice that duel is about TO be
fought at certain place, they are obliged
to send the police there To prevent it The
ccnbatants and their seconds are taken
before the governor or the mayor, who eN-
acts from them their word of honor that
the duel shall not take place. Sometimes
the combatants give this promise in posi-
tive terms: at others they promise only not
to fight in the territory which the
governor or the mayor has jurisdiction.
An affair between Cen Martinez CampOS
and Cen Borrero that took place few
years ago and gave rise to a good deal of
comment may perhaps be remembered.
When the two adVerSarieS stood facing
each other ready to gin the combat. the
captain general of Madrid appeared on the
ground and arrested them. They refused
to give their word of honor not to tight,
and they We're in conseque nee forbidden to
leave their houses; and as Borrero was the
offending person, he was placed on trial.
He was afterward ordered to leave Mad
rid and so the matter ended.
Romantic Episode.
In 1874, when Gen. Serrano. Duke de la
Tore, was chief of the executive power.
there occurred an episode like those which
abound in the novels of Dumas. The Igual
dad republican paper, published ar
ticle rejecting the young mobiles who
met in the Veloz Club and who were par
tisans OF the Bourbons. The offended per-
sons agreed to challenge all the staff of the
newspaper. The challenge was accepted
Two duels had already been fought when
the governor of Madrid, to prevent seven
other ouels. which were being arranged
eXiled challenged and challengers to differ
ent points in the peninsula.
But iii Spain for every personal ques-
ton terminating in duel there are a
dozen that are settled by means of an act
Everything depends upon the skill and the
temperament OF the seconds. 1t Is we'll
known that the most ingenious theological
casuists have belonged to Spain: some sec
onds have inherited. 1t would SEEM the In
tellectual dexterity of these subtle think
ers. They know how to estimate the va
Tious DEGREES of offenses. and by means Of
complicated interpretations convert the
most offensive expression into harmless
one. and place blow in the category Of an