The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-07-26
IT WAS A REAL DUEL.
TWO DANISH OFFICERS FOUGHT IT
OUT WITH BROADSWORDS.

TWO DANISH OFFICERS FOUGHT IT
OUT WITH BROADSWORDS.
| The Furious Conflict Took Place Be
fore an Audience In Il Gymnasium
In Washington In n Building Which
Adfoined the Police Station.
~ have figured in quite number Of
varied events during over quarter Of
century Of active newspaper roper
torial life," explained an old newspaper
writer to a Star reporter, "but I never
got in but one duel when it was to a
| finish, and in the instance refer to it
| was to a finish, I assure you. l was
only an onlooker, it is true, but saw
more than I wanted to see, and more
than I would willingly again see. 1t
was nearly 20 years ago, but I have
not forgotten it.
"At the time there was gymnasium
on Louisiana avenue, between Ninth
and Tenth streets. The building ad-
Joining was the old central guardhouse,
the police station.
zone evening I was invited by a
| friend. who was a former newspaper
man, but afterward patent attorney,
and who also acted as the resident
| Danish consul, to attend the gym
nasium to witness sword combat, in
which two Of his friends were to take
part. I was told that three OF four
others would be present, and the COM
| bat would be rather lively. realized
| that part Of it fully, to my complete
satisfaction.
with the others, three newspaper
writer's, a couple Of actors and a couple
Of sporting men, we got to the gym
nasium about o'clock, but were told
that the combat would not take place
until the gymnasium classes had been
dismissed, as it was desirel that the
onlookers should be as few as possible.
'sNone Of us had any idea as to who
the participants would be or the par
| ticular reason for it, but we We're 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 a stake or something at
issue. and we were to be the judges as
we'll as referees, as it We're.
eat 10 o'clock two carriages arrived,
in each of which was single occupant,
each having a sword, what is common
lv known as "a broadsword, like that
which men-of-war's men have. They
had but little to say, and in few min
utes they were properly attired in the
gymnasium suits and announced that
they were ready for the battle
81 had seen some professional broad
sword combats and rather looked for
some heavy work, but in less than
minute we all realized that there seem
ed to be more earnestness about the
combat thar was customary in meet
ings Of professionals, it mattered not
how large the stakes were.
@The men wore the customary wire
head covering, and it was we'll they did
80, otherwise there would have been
one or two heads scattered about Oh
the floor, for the fight was fast and
furious. At the expiration Of ten min
utes these was halt called SO that
terrible cash on the sword arm of one
Of the combatants could be bandaged
by physician who conveniently drop
ped in.
''CC2.len the fighters started in hammer
and tongs ae each other, and in y min
utes one Of the men was lying on the
floor with a terrible cash in his shoul-
der and a 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
it.
"That ended it. Both men had re-
ceived at least q dozen wounds, and
the victor fell in a faint in less than q
minute after he was declared the con-
queror. Ny friend, on behalf Of the
participants, thanked us for our at
tendance, and we left after seeing the
men lifted into carriages and taken
away.
'It was several weeks before we
knew to certainty what it all 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 quarreled in New
York in regard to an official matter,
and that challenge passed and was
accepted, and that all the details Of the
settlement had been left to the Danish
consul, and that the whole party Of us
had innocently presided over real
duel.
''The strange part Of it was that it
took place within sound Of the police
station. Washington Star.
He Saw the Point.
A former attorney general Of the