Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-04
INT'ERE S TING DUELs.

INTER S TING1 DTJELS.
THE YANKEE md THE ENGLIsAMAN
WHO DIDN'T FIGHT.
A Citrate Who Was Made a Dean
and Who Just Missed a Bishopric.
Dancing Under Compulsion--A Fa-
nous French Female Duelist.
/. The stories Of American duels are OF
great interest and are among the most
famous in the whole history Of dueling,
but they are too well known to be re-
peated. The minority have been dcsper-
ate tragedies when good men and true
have been led to kill each other often
through misrepresentation that lost the
world many noble and helpful life.
One. however. that was not so disastrous
was between an American and hot
headed foreigner. What the quarrel was
history staicili not. Perhaps it was so
small us to be quite overlooked, but at
sall events it was arranged that the two
take their places on kegs of powder, with
a lighted. fuse placed in the bunghole of
each. The kegs. of course, were empty.
but as the foreigner saw the fire slowly
burning down to the supposed volcano
below him his courage failed him and he
fled.
Still more interesting is the story Of
the Yankee skipper and the Englishman.
In the earlier days there was not much
love lost between the two factions, con-
sequently it was no very hard matter to,
pick. quarrel, especially when each
thought the death of the other would be
a service not only to his country, but to
the world. In this particular case the
skipper of weather beaten Yankee
whaler met an Englishman in foreign.
port and had an alteration with him,
perhaps over n matter Of precedence.
A duel was arranged, and ut the APP
pointed time the Engishman appeared.
bringing with him two swords, as though
the Yankee had the choice of weapons. He
inferred that the armory OF the whaler
contained no such Injuries. But the. skip
per would not accept the proffered weap-
ons. whereupon the other brought out q
handsome pair of dueling pistols. These,
too. were refused, and the Englishman
demanded in establishment what his oppo-
nent did want to fight with, whereupon
the Yankee replied he had brought his
weapons with him aud produced pair
of well sharpened harpoons. The Eng
lishman. of course, protested. but as the
choice Of weapons did not lie with him
he was obliged to accept the harpoons.
When the Yankee raised the murderous
looking piece, the Englishman knew that
arm, experienced in piercing the lodging
whale, could not, fail. to miss him. The
unwieldy harpoon began to shake in.his
awkward hand. and he flung it down,
leaving the exultant Yankee master of
the situation.
Another interesting duel fought with
out the use OF ordinary weapons had for
one of its principals the Duke of Rich
mond, then. viceroy of Ireland. His title
to fame rests on the fact OF his being a
great duelist and a six bottle man, able
to drink all his staff and gentlemen guests
under the table. On visit to friend
in the west of Ireland the duke complain
ed that he had no one to drink with him,
and his host, wishing to remedy this de-
tciency, sent for curate famous for his
liquor drinking. After five bottles had
been disposed of by each the curate COM
planned that it was too Nlow work and
proposed bumpers of brandy. These were
Immediately filed and as quickly emptied.
Fresh bumpers We're then filled for each,
but as the representative of the church
stretched out his hand to receive one he
tel helpless to the floor. On the follow
Ing day the duke made him dean. re-
marking that il he had been victorious in
the drinking duel his curacy would have
been exchanged for bishopric.
"A little rltpr fhny {b;, <l,,
Or. Young, going with some ladies to
Vauxhall. then the rendezvous Of all the
beauty and fashion of London, PLAYED
ON the German flute to amuse them. Just
behind them came boatload of officers.
and when the doctor ceased playing one
Of them insisted that he should continue
or be thrown into the water Wishing to
avoid a dispute before his friends, he con-
tlnued; but, arriving at his destination,
ne sought out his tormentor and demand
ed satisfaction with swords and without
seconds early the following morning.
When they met, however, and had taken
their places, the doctor instantly drew out
huge horse pistol and, pointing it at the
oficer's head, compelled him to dance a
minuet. The officer had no choice but to
obey and for quarter OF IN hour kept
up the dance. The doctor then lowered
MS pistol, saying as they were quits they
might now arrange another affair with
seconds and the officer might have salts
I faction.
1 But II England was an uncomfortable
place to live in those days, France was
still worse. Such state of affairs ex-
listed that in l041 was instituted the "Sa.
vior's truce" whereby duels were prohib
ftted from Wednesdays until MONDAYS