The daily Alaskan., 1904-03-08
AN EVEN CHANCE
 WITH DEATH

Havana. where the command was sent after tls surrender of Santiago, cele- butn. Che results of the campaign. Dmm. he evening Che regimeutal sur ecau Major Norris. deliberately insult- ed a gouus ueutcnanL Beruom who was sr.us opposite him at table Der tram wa. surrounded hy number of fuuIor officers. Norris by several sur gons who happened to be on duty at Uav.r1 at the time and who had been invited .o participate .n the festivities. Norris accused Beruam Of cowardice before Santiago. Since Ber,ram bore pn untNcepuonalle record his compan- Ions were as,onishej at Che doctors charge. Bcruam left the table and sent one or them to demand retrac- lon. It was refused and he sent a chauenec. The doctor agreed to give satisfaction. but as tlo challenged par ty demanded the privilege of choosing ue method of the contest He declared that his method would involve certain 'y ,he death of one of Jle antagonists and stipulated tla, Berunm should sign am ngrlemmt before knowing of the terms to accept thom. This Der tram was obliged to do or remain un- der the ban of goVald.ce. When the nrarfmiu1ries were completed and the Dau,r was signed Norris made known hls way of d-lune Two pellets, the one harmless. the other containing prus- sic acid in concentrated form would be placed in cup. The principals should each draw and swallow a pellet
 Some of Bermms brother officers begged him to refuse to fight on the forms on account of their unmilitary character. but he suffered so severely under the surgeons aspersIous thot he declared he would rather run one chance in two of death than live under 9.'amv. He fulfilled his agreement and Hfter the dinner was over party ar officers. including an the surgeons who had sat together at table, the two rr.r.-raI- and two of Ber,rlm's com- UIrr. assembled ina room above where l. mrlue. had been held, ready for tua dua.
 Norris chose onc of the surgeons and Rwmm another I0 prepare tho pellets. both a.reeue fHat t.e mlior of the r--meut act as -urrrv.-.u- umpire. The three roHr.d .o au adjoining room. where they w,r. -aH. 'nu- while. There was evidently a want O. har- monv among them. and tic uIior.s voice could ua heard raised n protest. Che words certain death being d.s- rn.Iy audible While this was going on Surgeon Norris sat cooily reading a uiea. Journal Eeruam thinking Of lal terrible even chance between life aud death The consequence was that slau a, the eud of au hour the men returned From the other room Beruom was worry nervous.
 Gentlemen. arc you readyt asked tdaua.or. who held the cup.
 HH.l replied .u tlc affirmative.
 -Tul- olr" continued the major "ca1aH- t.e pellets. as agreed upon. Tho surgeons who have prepared them have surrounded the fatal one with w.utr-ro.n.
 lie hold the cup first to Norris as the rauem- officer who chose a pellet and swallowed lt Berum. whose hand remb'eJ. did the same with the re- maiuiu- pola.
 Presently Norris said:
 "Berram oommiserate you. cracked my reue, with my teeth, and yet taste nothing
 At the same moment Bertr1m went deadly naIe The outer coating of his pellet had h-cu dissolved and there was sr0u- flavor OF wiuterEreen.
 "lf yuu have anything to say" s0id one Of tho surgeons. "I should advise you lo say it quickly The drug. you know. acts instantly and ve have al- lowed only to0 minutes for ifs incl0sure To loo dissolved"
 EHruam was standing when he took tle ue.Ie. but now tle certainty Of death weakened his knees. and he sank . back on a lounge. One of those present brought him writing materials with which to vutca last message He took ! the pen hrt was unable to write Nev- ertheie~s his p.ucE was goad "Itworks quickly" bc said. with some coolness. "Thc nerves or my fingers are already | poweI.ess
 "Sneas WM. y0u have .o s8y," said one of tae surgeons "Your tongue will soon be raw.ygd"
 ! Bortr3m spoke tow words then found lt impossible to orticulate fur. ! thCr He sank lower on the sofa and closed his eyes. The surgeon whon he had chosen To prepare the food of death went to him anl felt of his heart
 "The whisky quick" be shouted ! "Great heavens. Pm afraid he's gone"'
 Whisky had been kept at hand, and ! half a umoiar was poured down the ! lieuteu81ts throat
 CT say. Ber-ram.r cried the surgeon, you ahe mistaken, You have not swal- lowed poismr
 ! Bortgam slowly opened his eyes and ! looked wildly about him.
 "This is not a dual." continued the ! surgeon. "It is a medical experiment to test if man may be killed by the imagination. The pellets were both made Of bread