New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02

I.ATTER-DAY FRENCH DUELS
Theatrical and journalistic Dueling-A Harmless Prac-
tice with Many Precautions Duel as
Social Passport and an Industry

, duels every morning of the week. in sea.
son. Sometimes photographs are taken,
while ut certain encounters moving pict-
ure films are run off. either To record the
affair for the amusement OF the partici.
pants OF for commercial use in cinema"
theatres. II is said that women OCCASION
ally attend duels, and ;nat lately several
OF them have tried to get up Affairs among
themselves. Persons ~ no social position
whatever. and of 10 pretensions ~
honor in the traditional sense. nova
days fight duels far oftener than real
"aristocrats." who for nc most part
avoid them as too common aud ordinary
for distinguished persons.
Accidents frequently happen Al DUES
with swords though lc"er with pistols.
since these are not loaded. except for 4
pinch OF powder. Critics particularly hate
being stuck III the right arm with a
sword. since they earn their living VIA
writing. and since a wo;lnu requires dc
taton to A steno2rJ ohnr for short
period. Occa sonally man gets a nasty
wound. by accident. or through the ig-
norance or cumsiness Of his opponent
IT is the technical directors duty 10 pre-
with a bad accident record soon lcses al!
of his business.
This weeks incident is a decisive blow
at the folly and nonsense Of duellnS be-
tween dramatic authors and critics.
Abel Hermant. celebrated critic. wrote
unfayorably Of 81 Embuscade' in Ia
Journal" Henry kistemaeckers sent Al
fred Capus and Victor Marguerite 10
him. NJ Hermant chose Leon Bailby and
Henry Bernstein as his seconds. These
gentlemen said that the criticism wasn't
personally insulting or offensive. and that
NJ. Hermant held himself free to say
what he pleased Of the literary value OF
a work without intending personal offence
10 the author VI. Kistemaeckers's sec
onds replied that NJ. Hermant's article
showed that he was incapable OF fair
/ aprreciation OF work on its merits. and
that its tone showed personal hatred or
VI. Kistemaeckers. NJ. Hermants men
denied that position. An agreement being
| impossible. Marcel Provost, OF the
| Academic FRANCHISE. was named as ar
bitter by the vote of both parties. Jesn
Joseph- Renaud was appointed 10 assist
I VI. Provost aS tcCHIIi'di aofiSN'' """'
ever that may mean-perhaps that NJ.
I Joseph Renaud is an authority or
| honor"
/ NJ. Provost judged that there was no
nersonal attack against VI. histemaec6-
ers. direct or indirect in VI. HeFmant $
article. and that there was therefore 40
cause for q duel SO nothing remained
hut that the newspapers should VIII.
| heavy editorials on dueliing. honor crit
! cism. and the dramatic form in uteratut'.
Aside from 'LEmbuscade, the chie'
PRODUCTIONS Of the week have Deen La
Demoiselle de Magasin. by NM Fonson
| and Wicheler. at the Gymnase lie
Champion de rAir." oy Emile Cooley, Al
the Chatelet and La Maison DlNsee'
| hv 4. Fernet at the Odeon.
! To be chronicled also is the departure
! for an American concert tour OF VI. Mura-
| tore. the BARITONE. and OF Nine. Lima
! Cavalieri: the announcement OF the de-
: tails OF revival OF "Cyrano de Der
cerac." bv Edmond Rostand. who nss
| bc.n in Paris for few days; further tax
by him about his pieces. Faust AN"
LA Derniere Mutt de Don Juan inc
death OF ". Grevet Dancourt. the actor
tho success of Mile. Lipkowska ano ID
| RakIanorf az Monte Carlo: the continue
,to, of "Servis" as the most SUCCESSFUL
riecc OF the season. and the slight, almost
feeble, impression made DIV pefn~i'
Shaw's You Never Can TEL