The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-25
OUELING IN SPAIN.
The Amount of Blood Required
to Satisfy Wounded Honor"
BUT CUSTOM ALLOWS 1T
General Brooke Determined to Stamp It
Out OF Cuba - Leniency OF the
Courts - The Use OF Pistols
and Other Weapons.

General Brooke not long ago recalled
to the Cuban courts their duty to apply
the laws existing in the island against
dueIing.
In Spain the same thing happens
with regard to dueling as in Cuba-tha
penal code Furnishes it, but custom al
lows it: and this custom, stronger than
the courts and the police causes very
irregular and lax application of the
laws, and dueling continues, though
not to such an extent as in France or
in Italy.
In the early part of the present CEN
fury, and up to the beginning of the
reign of Isabel IL, military men still
fought duels and for the most trivial
causes. General ,Cordova, in an inter-
esting volume of Memoirs" published
some TO years ago in Madrid, relates
some curious incidents in connection
with this subject: among others, that
of a duel fought between General Sc
vane, while minister of war, and an
officer of the army Civilians were at
that period not less combative than
military men; Senior Mendizabal, while
prime minister, fought a duel with
Senior Isturiz, a deputy in the opposi-
ton. The weapons used We're pistols,
and neither Of the combatants was
wounded. At the present day duels are
more frequent between civilians than
between soldiers. Journalists, public
men and young men Of the higher
classes most often settle their disputes
on the field of honor" Rarely is either
combatant killed, and in the great ma
jority Of cases neither of them is
wounded. This is to be accounted for
by the fact that the seconds usually
endeavor to give the combat all the
danger. The duel to the death is con-
sidered barbarous. Almost always.
when it is possible to do so, it Is ar
ranged that the duel shall be fought
with swords. and shall terminate as
soon as the first blood is drawn. Very
heavy swords are chosen, SO that the
combatants may soon become fatigued,
and the moment either of them receives
the slightest scratch. from which
single drop of blood flows. the seconds
declare that the duel must not go on,
and that "honor is satisfied" Then
they suggest that the combatants shall
| shake hands: and as these events al
most always take place in the morning,
| the conclusion is a fraternal and
| abundant breakfast.
The Use of Pistols.
|
/ ranged, if possible. that only few
shots shall be fired, and that time shall
not be given the combatants to take
| aim. Sometimes each of them fires
only one shot, and that in the air. 1t
also happens that the seconds agree
to load the pistols with harmless bull
let's. In this case the combat is pro-
secret lament that the duel should
have been so sanguinary. This strate-
gem is employed when the adversaries
are men who are no longer young, but
Of good social position, and who go to
the field. not because they are blood
thirsty. but for the effect it will pro-
duce. This variety of duel is the one
most pleasing to political personages.
Canovas, CASTELAR,, Sagasta, are
among the public men who, in spite
of having had a long life and passed
through periods of revolution, have
fought no duels One day Senior Sas-
telar spoke in offensive terms in the
congress of the king OF serv,a: :, : =
Servian colonel, resident in Madrid,
challenged the distinguished orator;
the latter answered that not even If
the king of Servia himself had de-
manded reparation from him would
he give 1t, as he had parliamentary I'M
munity in his observations.
The most sensational duel which has
|
ent century was that between the Duke
de Montpensier, son of King Louis
Philippe and brother-in-law of Isabel
| H., and the infante Don Enrique de
Bourbon In 1870 both aspired to the
throne of Spain. The infante publish
ed a manifesto in which he gravely
insulted the duke who challenged him
| Montpensier, being the offended person
had the choice of weapons. He chose
the pistol in the use of which he was
master. The duel was fought on the
outskirts of Madrid. The infante free
twice without touching the duke. The
latter at the first shot did not touch
him slightly in the shoulder; the thirc
bullet hit him in the forehead killing
him instantly. Montpensier had actet
loyalty, and was in the right according
to the ethics of dueling. Nevertheless
|; the death of the infante rendered hin
unpopular; for the same public opin
ion which would have censured hin
if he had not fought in defense of hi
wounded honor censured him hecaus'
he had had the fortune-or the mis-
: fortune-to kill his adversary.
Courts Not Concerned.
The courts do not occupy themselves
with dueling in Spain, except in tn
event of either comba tants death. II
this case it becomes the duty of tn
physician to report to the authorize
that the death was caused by wounds
and this renders inevitable the inter
vention of justice; to determine where
by whom and how the wounds were in
ficted. But the slayer is not Away
prosecuted. The judge, when he i
convinced that there has not been a
assassina ton. but duel, has an unde.
standing with the physician, and til
latter declares that what has occur2
was an accident; that the victim. fo
instance, in trying a pistol, shot him
self; or that having a sword in b,
hand. he slipped and ran himsel
through the body. If the judge is sc
we're and is determined to apply tn
law, the slayer leaves the country
and the courts find him guilty of he
mcide. This case is rare, for the due
lists are persons of good social stand
ing, and the judges treat them Wit
indulgence. Most of the judges are ad
vocates of dueling, and practice
when the occasion offers.
The civil governors and the mayor
have curious way of intervening.