Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
WASHINGTON DUEL

There was Enthusiastically modern
American duel fought on the Washington
monument grounds on Tuesday last. 1t
/ was an affair OF fstA
4 Now. In these days. when the cable col
nmns OF the newspapers are enlivened with
| % many accounts Of farcical French rapfer
duels. and whenthe hopelessly highfalutin'
historical novels of the hour furnish their
interminable series Of narratives Of swash-
hncklers "atfaira;o OF honor with the con-
| ceited shoulder-shruggings. the grimaces
tho grandiloquent phrases. the sweeping
mock courtestes. !, and 30 on, Of principals
and seconds. it may. prove Of interest to
know just how this characteristicaliy mod
ern American duel ON the Washington
| monument grounds came about ana how 1t
| was fought.
| On Tuesday evening, about o'clock. q
| tall young WaShingtonfan twenty-five
years old or thereabouts, well known around
| town, was playing q game Of billiards with
friend In an avenue billiard parlor his
name isn't Jack, SO that Jack VIII do Tor the
| purpose OF this narrative.
Up to Jack came another tall young
| Washfngtonian Of about the same age.
| equally well known, accompanied by
friend. As this tall ones name is not Joe,
| Joe walked up to within two feet OF JACK,
who stood with his billiard cue in his hand,
| watching the lay Of the table.
| You're a knocker." said Joe to Jack In
| matter-of-fact tone. You have been
knocking me-"
Yes said Jack to Joe, II have been
knocking YOU What are you going to 90
| about it?''
II am going to try to knock your block
off," replied Joe in the same even tone.
"Here?" said Jack. biting the end on
cigar.
mo. I don't want to stand for a pinch,
and 1 don't suppose you do. either" replied
Joe. But want 1t to happen tonight :.
Well. l feel like handing you Few, too.
said Jack. in a perfectly oh-hand manner.
| monument grounds suit you!
| First rate" said Joe.
"AIl right" said Jack putting up his cue.
| well go over there"
A number of mutual friends OF the Two
| tall young men heard the talk between
| them. but they paid attention to their cigars
and said nothing-it is not the American
way to butt in in such circumstances.
Say, there, you Bill and Jim and Ed,
| come on along with me to the Monument
lot" said Jack to three men known to him
| sitting standing about the billiard ROOM
Sure" they all said, gathering around
| Jack.
'Traipse over to the Monument grounds
| with me. will you fellows?-you George
and Sam and Fred" said Joe, addressing
three others of the men grouped around
| the room.
'sure thing" they replied together, and
| took their places at the side OF the man
who had picked them out to see that ne
got what was coming to him in the i'm
| pending fight.
Without any more conversation the eight
| men boarded an open 18th street car bound
reached the Monument grounds and walked
| quietly to a spot where they inquired there
would be no Interruption by government
| watchmen. There they halted. and JACK
| and Joe removed their overcoats and under
| coats. There was just about enough light
| from the distant arc lights for the two
men to make each other out with fair dis
| tinctness.
~. DOCS Is Up ZIP suit you for referee" said
yes" replied Joe, Jim and I have al
| ways been friends
Jim. the man chosen for referee. then
| Two minute rounds sfor you fellows"
he said. and all the time you want be-
tween rounds-that's fair enough for both
and no hitting in the breakaway. The man
that hits below the belt loses out You
4 don't stand for that. When call the
fight off. you,ve got to quit. understand
! Sam" addressing one Of the outsiders.
You get y9ur watch out and keep time.
There was no bowling or smirking. no
hands placed on bosoms, no f1ubdub Of
| any sort whatever The two men didn't
| even shake, hands, as is the rather imbe-
| cile practice 1f the prize ring. They didn't
didn't. d 1%71 .
It Awas'a virtually even and perfectly
square fight. and It lasted eight rounds.
Both men are athletes and good boxers,
and they fought to. hurt each other, and
| did hurt each other. But there were no
| foul blows. no efforts on either side to take
| undue advantage. The friends of the two
| combatants watched the battle with keen
interest. but Without comment. All of
them would have had something to say,
however, had there been any underhand
work on either side.
The two men were pretty badly messed
| UP at the wind-up of the eighth round.
| 'That'n do said the referee, a small
man, bringing his hand down decisively.
jobs to hang on to, and there's no need of
| your mauling each other UP any more. It's
| q stand-off. If Jacks been knocking Joe,
as he admits, then it's up to him now to
That's all right" said Jack. through a
badly cut pair of lips. "If he's satisfied, I
am. I've knocked him. yes. but it's all on
| now. so far as J. am concerned.
well, that suits me-" said joe 'All 1
wanted was to stop the knocking
We'll, get your coats on and we'll get
away from here" said the referee.
| The two principals didn't at the termi-
| nation of the fist duel, fall on each others
| necks and weep. calling each other broth
| ers They didn't clasp hands and swear
| eternal fealty and affection toward each
other. American men are not publicly
emotional, and they never .tslop over
| when perfectly sober. as these two were
They simply walked over to the car track.
and. with their friends, took different cars,
| so as not to attract attention with their
bruised countenances. They stopped at
drug stores to obtain lotions and liniments
| and ointfnents for their hurts, and then
| they went home about their business.
| Very different all this from one of those
| spotlight, chilly dawn affairs with q pair
of fancy-shirt-frilled young Frenchmen
| bowling and scraping to each other in dane
| ing-master fashion before scratching each
| other with blunted napier points-but there
| was certainly lot more of sense about it.
Recognized Genius.