Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-17
Surgeon Failed to Challenge
SIanderer to Duel.
ALL GERMANY INTERESTED
Emperor William Permits Him to
Apply for Discharge.
NUMBER THIRTEEN IS BLAMED
Figured in Two Ways In Mishap to
Airship Of Prof.
Schultz.
Special Ceblegram 70 The star.

Special Ceblegram 20 The Star
BERLIN. May IT-Puhlic opinion
here is much occupied with a dueling
problem. the full details OF which have
Just come TO light, though they are
not OF very recent date TIE little
Wurttemberg town OF Mergentheim
boasts a volunteer ambulance corps.
which took into its head 10 change
its leader, electing a DR. Sambeth to
that position. His predecessor in Of
fee, 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 a
shameless and dishonorable" char
acter. Before the civil courts Dr. Sam
beth was able to prove that his con
duct in the affair had been blameless,
and his libeler was fined So
II the parties to the squabbie had
been ordinary mortals. there the mat
both members Of the Army Medical Re-
serve. and so subject TO those military
rules of honor which even the cor
rosive irony OF Schopenhauer was un-
able TO destroy pr sambeth was &C.
honor" to show why he had not chal-
lenged DIR. Schumm to a duel which,
III 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
his family" These objections. how
ever. had no weight with his judges.
who found him guilty OF an offense
against the honor OF his station. be-
cause he had omitted to procure ade-
his position. for the serious insult put
upon him in quarrel with a profes-
sional colleague. IL was further ad-
judged that he should be punished by
the humiliation of simple discharge"
from his military rank.
Decision of Emperor.
This judgment was submitted for con-
frmation to the emperor, whose decision
contains the following passage:
"A rejection OF dueling in principle. on
the grounds OF religious conviction. can
not be made the subject Of judgment
of court Of honor. though an army
medical officer who. in this respect. OPP
poses the fundamental views of his col
leagues. cannot be allowed TO remain any
consideration. however. OF the fact that.
according to the Investigations which
have taken place. DR.. Sambeth gave no
well founded cause for the insult Of
fered to him, VIII, rs q matter OF grace
allow that he at once apply for his dis
charge"
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 yet one
more convincing demonstration of the
total absurdity of dueling. DR.. Schumm.
they say, utters a gross and baseless
libel, and refuses either to withdraw IL or
to apologize, but his honor is unaffected
thereby, and he remains an officer of the
medical service. On the other hand. DIR.
Sambeth, because in obedience to the
laws of God and of his country ne re-
fuses TO seek his affronter's blood. ia
driven from the service.
Aftectation of Military Caste.
Dueling is one OF those survivals which
in Germany would perish at once with the
arrival of democratic regime. 1t is an
affectation of military caste, and OF
those who ape its manners and customs.
One of the standing difficulties OF the
war. minister I'm the reichstag Is to ex-
plain why dueling is enforced by the
highest organs for the execution OF that
same law which forbids it. In the present
there would be an overwhelming
in favor of the effective prohibit
ton of this relic of the primitive device of
trial by ordeal.
Somewhat analogous to the case OF DIR.
Sambeth is that of Prof. Czerny, great
authority on cancer. and one OF the most
eminent doctors in Germany, who was
lately compelled to retire from the army
obi sal hoo 1,Ga ha
preston to pronounced radical views In
with the recent general cleo
ton.
Superstltious people will be convinced
that If the Schultz airship had not broken
its Information on the 18th of last month
and aggravated its offense against the
cosmic laws of number by making its
first ascent of the year with thirteen
the exciting and perilous adventures
which befeli il the other DAY. The huge
aerial craft. which is 40 feet i'm length.
left its hangar at the LAM engineering
works at Rheimnau, to the south Of Man
helm, shortly before noon, and for some
time maneuvered successfully at an al
titude of about 1000 feet Half an hour
later. as it was returning from the east
ward to its home, the spectators who
were watching its evolutions were hor-
with a steep slant.
Luckily 1t fell on a meadow, but the
force of the impact was so great that
several persons in the front car were
thrown out Prof. Schultz OF Danzig.
designer of the airship. turned a somer-
sault as he described an extensive curve
space, but escaped with nothing
worse than a severe shaking. One of the
engineers was. however. seriously injured
and was carried TO a hospital uncon-
scious.
Swept Across the Rhine.
Lightened of half its human load and
OF the water ballast. which had been
hastily dropped from the rear car the air
ship sped UP to a height of 1900 or 400
feet, and. as the only accessible motor
now refused to work, 1t was swept across
the Rhine before the wind. Those still
on board FASTENED to put an end to their
unpleasant predicament by opening the
gas valves. The vessel again descended
with such precipitancy that. according to
one account, all the occupants were
thrown out by the collision of the rear
car with the ground. The airship got
entangled with the branches of some
trees, and as the wind at this momen-
drouped fhe soldiers-Who In this eoun-