The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-18

terminating in duel, there are dozen
that are settled by means of an act
Everything depends upon the skill and the
temperament of the seconds. Il Is Wen
known that the most ingenious theological
casuists have belonged to Spain; some se-
couds have inherited. il would seem, the
Intellectual dcNterity of these subtle
thinkers. They know how to estimate the
various DEGREES of offences. and by means
of complicated interpretations convert the
most offensive expression into harmless
one ana place a blow In the category of
an Involuntary movement" The docu-
meut in which it is declared that there Is
no cause for lighting and that the two adj
verSaries, although they may have INSULT
ed or struck each other, have never ceas-
ed 20 entertain for each other the highest
esteem, ana to regard each other as gen
tlemen. is called an act Sometimes these
masterpieces Of casuistry are published IN
the newspapers.
In cuba the custom of dueling presents
characteristics analogous 20 those which
1t offers in Spain. II is in Havana that
duels are most frequently fought and Of
ten for the most trivial causes, The
young men Of fashion fight duos; and 1t
Is a curious fact that lawyers are also
much given TO duelling. Among them in
stead of appealing 10 the courts for re-
dress Of grievances, an appeal to arms
is frequently made. Even the present
president Of the supreme court, Senior
Gonzales de Mendoza. a man Of dispassion-
ate temper and circumspect conduct, has
fought duels.
one of the most famous duellists of Gu
ba was Narona Murias. who, while still a
young man, was killed in the lost Sepa-
ratist insurrecton. He fought at
least fifteen duels, and in one
of them he killed his adversary.
He published a book entitled my Duels,"
In which he gives the history Of his meets
ings. One of the peculiarities Of this man
who fought so many duels was that he was
meXpert in the use of arms, and as his
health besides, was not good, he almost
always went to the fed handicapped. He
was without doubt extraordinarily brave.
and he had blind faith in his fortunate
star.
Another Young Havanese, Augustin Ger
vantes, who has fought number Of duels
published six or seven years ago, book
on "Duelllng in Cuba" The Havana pa
pers announce the approaching publica-
ton of the second part OF this work, which
will contain an account of the duels fought
by the author since 1891. Cervantos IS an
excellent swordsman, equal.ing, in the
opinion of competent judges, the most skill
ful in France. With his valor he unitos
GOODNESS and serenity, which make him a
formidable opponent.
In Havana most of the duels fought had
their origin or were arranged on the
Acera. The walk bordering the Parque
Central, on which the Hotel mglatcrra ana
various cafes are situated is thus called
This Is the place OF meeting, az night for
the well-dressed youth Of Havana. Here
the insulting expressions are uttered and
the blows struck which give rise to duels
Although there were never wanting there
previous to the separatist rebellion Span
ish officers and government employees, dis
putes rarely occurred between them ana
the Cubans, but generally between Gu
bans When the instruction broke out,
the native element disappeared from the
Acera, because it went. In great part, to
fight for independence. The vacancies
that we're left were filed by Spanish of
ficers During the war no duels were
fought Now, since the sovereignty OF
Spain has ceased, a new period Of dueiins
has begun; and this has obliged Gen
Brooke to recall to the courts their duty
to fulhH the law. which, under The SOW
ereignty Of Spain, was applied with as
much mildness in Cuba as in the mother
country
Someumes, for FORMS sake, a prosecu-
ton was begun, which soon terminated
without Furnishing any one. Not even when
one Of the combatants was killed was the
law applied with severity. In the time
OF ten. IoldNAejh a oNVi wiz" nm" ="
great deal Of noise was fought between
a young man of rank, Alberto Jorrin, and
an artillery officer named D'OusouVille.
Jorrin was an athlete and skilled In the
use Of arms. He had been nsulted by the
officer and challenged him TO combat
with the sword. The whole city ranged
itself on either side in this duel, influenced
In some degree by political feeling, because
Jorrin was a Cuban and the officer q
Spanard Judges in the matter held Il
for certain that Jorrin would kill or at
least wound his opponent. To the surprise
of everybody. the contrary happened.
Hardly had the combat begun when D'Ou-
souville wounded Jorrin in the abdomen
so severely that he died In few hours.
There was no prosecution. The captain
general confined himself to transferring
the officer 10 the eastern part Of the is
land