The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-29
STRANGEST DUEL.
Divers Fight Beneath Water With
 Sedges and Shark Knives.

Palermo Cor Louisville Courier Journal. Before Judge Pisada appeared Rado, the famous diver accusing his colleague, Cap podo, of changing the tactics of duel be- tween gentlemen into ''murderous as-
 sault"
 Having received information that a coal
 barge sunk in the feighborhood of Santa
 Anne lighthouse" he said, T hastened to
 the spot to see whether it would be pos
 sble to raise the ship. While investigating
 Cappodo, my competitor, suddenly came
 down and began roofing around my ves-
 sell"
 The Judge-Was the coal barge your own property?
 Rado-It was. according to divers law,
 stipulatin that diver has the right to
 pick up anything within a radius of ninetv-nine feet from the spot where he
 descended. The law also says that the first conner in the legal proprietor Of any property found within the space limited Rado continued
 q greeted my colleague in gentlemanly fashion, suggesting that he probably didn't know of my presence. He repneu he didn't care one way or another ana assumed a threatening attitude. Then
 challenged him to deadly combat, accord ing to the duello code of Sicily. The Judge-What were the weapons agreed upon?
 Rado-Hammers and shark knives. We were to use them alternately, but 1t was agreed that If attacked by A shark while fighting we should both turn against the
 enemy-and continue the duel after the monster was finished or driven off. The weapons were produced in court two sledge hammers, weighing about ten pounds each, and two knives, the blades,
 with a tremendous point, sharp at both
 edges. Each knife measured four feet without the hilt. Rado continued:
 Our first bout was with hammers. I fought Cappodo until he was on his knees and cried for mercy He said he hadn't his usual strength, and as gentleman, should give him chance with the knife. did, provided counting the signals was left to me. The traitor Cappodo made a lung for me before I had uttered the word three I thought he was aiming for my eyes and warded off the glow by raising my upholstered arm. But Tn the further course of the duel I noticed to my horror that my enemy was trying to drown me
 by cutting the rubber tubes supplying me with air"
 Three men came forward to say that they were Rado's helpers and had seen every phase of the duel, as the water was uncommonly clear.
 "We couldn't hear their words, of course, but we could see evry move ment and had agreed among ourselves to
 keep any intruding shark at a distance, for we desired the duel to come off ac- cordng to the ancient code of honor. As to the sharks Cappodo's men were of the same mind as we. If any had come
 nosing around we would have finished them in short order, to enable the gentle
 men to do their fighting Rado continued:
 "We fenced and parrled for ten minutes or more, making little progress. but 1t became more evident to me every minute that my opponent was bent on foul play. 1 The men above seemed to have discernad his evil intentions. too. for they repeated ly gave warning signals to me. As it developed that I am as much of an ex-
 pert with the knife or sword as Cappodo I asked him to return to sledge hammer. He agreed after a last bout with the shark knives
 "fIe made desperate lung for me, and 1 as I bent low to myself I saw him | strike at my air tube. Then l knew that my life depended upon quick action and, | letting go of my weapon, I rang the bell. | My men responded at once. but they will | tell you that I was nearly drowned when 1 they pulled me into the boat l This was corroborated by Rados men. | They said the air tube was cut clean ! through, and insisted that Cappodo com
 mitted the foul act with criminal inten- l tions. Their boss diver, they testified,
 was unconscious when relieved of his 1 togs. The water had entered his neck. nearly suffocating him. and they worked
 over him more than and hour before he l came to.
 1 Cappodo and his men not only denied l the above version. but all testified that | Rado cut his own air tube in an attempt | to ward off give blow. The trial 1 lasted three days, four parties swearing exactly opposite what the other parties swore
 l "To get at the truth I would have 10 l subpoena the fish. Holsters and oysters that saw the fight" said the Judge. and l he fined each duelist 100 francs on general l principles at the same time non sutins | the charge of murderoue assault.