Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-03-21

st. Petersburg-Lieut.-G Gen. Foek and
Lieut.. Gen. Smirnoff, officers until re-
Gently high in the cars favor, on
Wednesday fought savage duel that
will go ON record as one of the most
sensational as we'll as remarkable
meetings on the field of honor,
Smirnoff fell seriously wounded, and
Fock retired without a scratch, ready
for another meeting, his next comba-
tant being Gen. Gorbatoffsky, with
whom Fock had bitter score to set
tie.
Women of title, military officers of
the highest rank and other persons
prominent in the official and social life
of st. Petersburg sat as spectators in
the riding school of the Chevalier
guard regiment and watched with in
tense interest, as Gems. Fock and Smir-
non, who had won fame on the bat
tlefield and helped make history at the
siege OF Port Arthur, faced each other
at Is PAGES in pistol fight which it
was agreed, was to be to the death.
It was all like a scene in the arena
in ancient Rome, the principals ar
rayed for a life-and-death struggle,
while tier upon tier in the riding school
amphitheatre was crowded with the
aristocracy and notables of Russia, all
eager for the fight and the outcome.
The duel concerned not only the
two principals and their friends, but
the entire army; in fact. it might be
said all OF Russia, for the meeting was
to wipe out the bitter scenes dating
from the siege and fall of Port Arthur
and on which the army has been di-
Vided.
So it was that all details and pre-
liminaries had been arranged with the
care devoted to a court ball. All pres
ent were there by invitation and there
were no late arrivals, so deep was the
interest in the meeting.
The riding school was placed at the
disposition of the cOmbatants by the
commander of the Chevalier Guard
regiment, and the duel occurred with
the full knowledge and appreciation of
the military authorities.
Shortly before 10 o'clock Gems. Fock
and Smirnoff appeared at the riding
school. without saluting they took
their places and assigned their seconds.
For Gen. Smirnoff the seconds we're
his brother-in-law, vladimir NJ. Pur-
ishkevich, q member of the Duma, and
Capt. Schultz Of the navy, while for
Gen. Fock Capt. Sido, adjutant to Gen.
Stoessel, and Lieut.. Podgursky, one OF
the Port Arthur heroes. officiated in
this capacity.
The duellists were instructed to open
fire at the word of command and con-
tinue until one or the other was hit.
The word Are" was given each time
by Gen. Kireleff, the Russian author
ity on dueling At the second exchange
Gen. Fock's coat was perforated. At
the third exchange Gen. Smirnof ac-
cidentally fired prematurely, but Fock
magnanimously declined to shoot at
defenceless opponent, and the fourth
and final shots were then exchanged.
At Fock's fourth shot Smirnoff
groaned and sank forward with a
wound in the abdomen above the right
hip. He was carried in a litter to the
military hospital, where doctors were
waiting to minister to the wounded
one in the duel.
AS Smirnoff fell there was sub
dued murmur, followed by buzz of
talk in a low tone. but no unseemly
show of feeling was evident The wo-
men present were too we'll bred to
evince any emotion, and the men,
most of them, too muck used to scenes
of blood to be affected. The assem-
blage retired as though from a theatre,
and Gen. Fock departed with his
friends, while those of Gen. smirnoff
proceeded to the hospital.