The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-21
1T WAS A REAL DUEL.
TWO DANISH OFFICERS FOUGHT IT
OUT WITH sROADSWoRDS.

TWO DANISH OFFICERS FOUGHT IT
OUT WITH e~RoADsWoROS.
The Furious Conflict Took Place Be-
Tore an Audience In q Gymnasium
In Washington In a Building Which
Adjoined the Police station.
II have figured in quite a number Of
varied events during over a quarter or
4 century Of active newspaper roper
torial life" explained an old newspaper
writer to a Star reporter, but never
got in but one duel when 1t was to n
finish, and In the instance | refer to 1t
was to a finish, | assure you. l was
only an onlooker, 1t Is true, but saw
more than l wanted to see, and 0
than l would willingly again see. 1t
was nearly 20 years ago. but have
not forgotten 1t.
AT the time there was a gymnasium
on Louisiana venue, between Ninth
and Tenth streets. The building ad-
Joining was the old central guardhouse.
the police station.
zone evening ! was invited by q
friend. who was a former newspaper
man, but afterward a 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. was told that three or 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 e we got to the gym.
nasium about 8 o'clock, but were told
that the combat would not rake 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 1t. 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 a stake or something at
issue. and we were to be the judges as
we'll as referees. as 1t were.
at 10 o'clock two carriages arrived.
In each Of which was Il single occupant.
each having a sword. what Is common
" known as a brOadsword. like that
which men-Of-war's men have. They
had but little to say. and in a few min
utes they were properly attired in the
gymnasium suits md announced that
they were ready for the battle.
II had seen some professional broad
sword combats and rather looked for
some heavy work. but In less than a
minute we all realized that there SEEM
ed to be more earnestness about the
combat than vas customary In meet
ings of professionals, It mattered not
how large the stakes were.
1.-THE men wore the customary wire
head covering. and 1t was we'll 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 a halt called SO that a
terrible cash on the sword arm Of one
Of the combatants could be bandaged
by a physician who conveniently drop.
ped In.
"Then the fighters started in hammer
and tongs at each other. and in IL min.
utes one Of the men was lying on the
floor with a terrible cash in his shout
der and a rap on his head which sound
ed so loud that it was heard in the pc.
lice station adjoining. The clothing of
the men was as fully covered with
blood as II they had been painted with
It.
"That ended 1t. Both men had re.
ceived at least a dozen wounds. and
minute after he was declared the con.
Queror. My 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.
ut was several weeks before we
knew to a certainty what 1t all meant
and were not told then until both men
had fully recovered. 1t TRANSFERRED that
the participants were both Danish Off.
GERS; that they had q%uarreled In New
York In regard to al official matter,
and that a 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 a real
duel.
"The strange part Of it was hat it
took place within sound Of the police
station. Star.
Cause and Effect.
Several years ago the inmates of a
small. respectable dwelling house in
Philadelphia discovered upon the white.