The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04

] told him il would give me great pleas
ure Well he continued, as you re-
marked a few days ago that you would
like to see the duels, have arranged with
our fighting master to take you with MN
10 Halle next Friday. Ten duels are to be
fought and three of them are TO be heavy
ones. You must not fail to see them
The fighting master came little later.
He was a student of political economy, but
as he was nursing a deep cut across The
cheek and was trying TO grow some new
fish on the side of his nose, he was not
attending lectures that week. HIS race,
that morning. reminded me of paintings /
had seen of wounded soldiers returning
from the field of battle. The professor ex-
planned that the fighting master had won
a victory few days before, and though
he had received one dreadful cut, his OPP
ponent had received eleven, and had been
Obliged TO withdraw. 1t had been great
battle. As l looked at the fighting master
it seemed to me that he was capable OF
fighting a great battle with anyone. He
rose above us a tower of bone and mus
Gle.
After a little general talk, the fighting
system to me. "Our fraternity" he said,
was primarily founded to maintain physi-
cal bravery, patriotism, noble character,
and q true sense of honor among the high
er classes of German students. The hght-
ing of personal combats is, ] believe, one
of the best means TO promote these Vir-
tues We do not accept men into our ira
ternity who are not willing or not brave
enough to defend their honor or their
maj
must be of good family, he must be strong
and healthy have plenty of money. and be
willing to fight. When We find young
fellow of suitable character We take him
on probation just as they do in the Metho-
dist Church. We keep strict oversight
of him. train him to fight, and regulate his
beer drinking
Arranging the Flights.
How do you arrange the fighting
asked You surely do not fight against
your brothers in the fraternity Ger
taipIy not" he replied "All our fights
are either with other fraternity men or
with outsiders We have, in fact, three
classes of duels The first is fought for
sport and discipline. The schlaeger,
straight. light sword is used and the fight
lasts for fifteen minutes. The hghtlng
masters of different fraternities meet and
arrange these duels We place strong and
experienced fighters against strong and ex-
perienced fighters, and weak ones against
weak ones.
The second class is fought for light in
suits. and is much like the first, but it
consists of one hundred rounds, and lasts
twenty-five minutes. The third class Is
fought TO settle deadly insults. and is quite
"a different fight. The seabel, a hesNy
Curved sword, is used, and the men really
try 10 kill each other"
But 60 not the duels seem worse than
they actually are?" ! asked.
You may Judge that for yourself next
Friday over at Halle" he answered. as he
rose to 60 Remember. the train starts
Ten minutes past six in the morning.
Before daylight the next Friday morning
/ arrived at the station and found about
thirty stalwart men awaiting the depart
7ure of the train The greater number bore
scars on their faces, showing that me
business in which they were about TO en-
gage was not new to them. My host, the
fighting master came in shortly and imme-
diately sought me. After a few words OF
greeting / asked why they started before
daylight.
For two reasons" he replied. The
first is because the police are apt to nab us
II they find out that we're going; the sec
ond is because the fighting takes so much
time that we must go early in OF der to get
back the same day.
On the way over he explained that the
police of SaXony were much stricter than
those OF Prussia and as Halle was in Prus-
STA, and only seventeen miles from Leip-
sig. students deemed i. wise TO do their
fighting over there He added that he had
fought twice in Leipsig, nut it was dan
gerous tc do so.
4 In 40
Alongside me in the car sat rosy
checked boy of eighteen. who was going
out TO fight his first duel The old fighters
in the apartment joked with him about it,
asking him If his people weren't anx-
ious about him and if he was not afraid
he would spoil his cheeks, etc.
After half hours ride We arrived at
Halle, and another half hours ride on
poky one-horse car through the quaint
old streets of Halle brought us to the
fighting ground. This was large two
story restaurant situated on the banks of
the river Saale, just opposite the old
ruins of Castle Gebichenstein.
The landlord was expecting US and
as the morning was cold a bright fire |
was burning in the open stove Each |
fraternity went at once to its private |
room and few minutes later the mem
bers appeared with their fraternity caps
on One large table was reserved for each
society. The whole company took their
places and ordered beer, bouillon, and rolls.
The first duel, or mensur, as the Germans
call IL, was TO be fought for sport between
matched men from different fraternities.
The fighting costume consisted OF a pair
OF blcod-stained trousers, an old shirt,
chest protector, an arm and shoulder PAD.
neck pad, pair of goggles, and a thick
glove The padding of the arm and should
ers was wound with silk, as silk affords
greater protection against cutting than
any other cloth. Old scars on the heads
Of the contestants were covered with mar
row straps With the exception of these
and goggles the face and head were en-
tirely unprotected. The sehlaeger is thin,
narrow sword about three feet long From
the point half way back to the hilt ii is
ground very sharp; bell-shaped plate
over the hilt protects the hand OF the
fighter.
Preliminary FOrmaIities.
When everything is ready the umpire
takes his place at the side of the contest
ants; the seconds bow to him and to the
principals and TO each other; then the
principals bow TO the umpire, to the sec
onds. and to each other. Then one OF the
seconds cries out TO the umpire: I'VE wish
TO have a measure OF fifteen minutes be-
tween Sehimmel and Boeiime" and the
umpire replies: Let IL proceed" The
principals raise their swords and the UNI
pire cries out ''Bindet die klingeni" bind
the swordsD The swords OF the principals
come together; the seconds place their
swords across those Of the principals. and
the umpire shouts: Lost" ION with the
1ght) The swords of the seconds are