The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-22
THE ABSURD|TY OF
 DUELL|NG SHOWN Dr. Sambeth Humiliated by
 Fogy Custom THE EMPEROR DECIDES Peculiar Series of Accidents to Big Airship Blamed By Some to the
 Number 13-May Have
 Been Shadow
THE EMPEROR DECIDES

Berlin, May H.-fSpecial.)-Public opin-
 ion here is much occupied with duelling
 problem the full details of which have
 just come to light, though they are not of very recent date. The little Wurttem- berg town of Mergentheim boasts vol unteer ambulance corps which took into It's head to change It's leader, eleoting a pr. Sambeth to that position. His pre- decessor in office. Dr. Schumm. was much annoyed by the loss of the post and wrote to Dr. Sambeth asserting that the latter owed his success to an intrigue of shameless and dishonorable" char acter. Before the civil courts Dr. Sam betf was able to prove that his conduct in the affair had been blameless, and hls hbeller was fined s25.
 If the parties to the squabbe had been ordinary mortals there the matter would have ended But they were both members of the Army Medical Reserve and so sub 1ect to those military rules of 'honor' which even the corrosive irony of Schop- enhauer was unable to destroy. pr. Sam beth was accordingly cited before court of honor to show why he had not challenged Dr. Schumm to a duel, which 1t appeared in the course of the in- quiry the latter was anxious to bring about. The wronged man explained that he had refrained from seeking the repara- ton of arms, out of consideration for the
 divine command, human law. the dic- tates of reason and the welfare of his family" These objections, however, had not weight with his judges, who found him guilty of an offense against the honor of his station. because he had omitted to procure adequate satisfaction, comformable with his position for the se- rious insult put upon him in quarrel with a professional colleague It was further adjudged that he should be pun ished by the humiliation of simple dis charge" from his military rank.
 This judgment was submitted for con- hrmation to the Emperor. whose decision contains the following passage:
 "A rejection of duelling in principle, on the grounds of religious conviction, cannot be made the subject of Judgment Of a court of honor. though an army med ical officer who in this respect opposes the fundamental views of his colleagues can not be allowed to remain any longer in his position in the service. In considera- ton. however of the fact that, according tc the investigations which have taken place, pr. Sambeth gave no well founded cause for the insult offered to him, will as a matter of grace, apply that he at once apply for his discharge
 In other words the doctor must leave the service, if without the stigma which simple discharge would have stamped upon him. Both the Catholic and, the radical press treat this case as yet one more convincing demonstration of the total absurdity of dueling. Dr. Sehumm, they say. utters a gross and baseless libel and refuses either to withdraw 1t or to apologize. but his honor is unaffected thereby, and he remains an officer of the medical service. On the other hand, pr. Sambeth. because in obedience to the laws of God and of his country, he refuses to seek his affrontiers blood, is driven from the service.