Gilpin observer., 1913-07-24
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men were in a restaurant along with the lady of
their affections.
A duel agreed on, and such the wrath
ful haste of the Jealous suitors that they rushed
forthwith to the apartments Of the woman with
out troubling to secure pistols swords Um-
breas were substituted for rapiers, and the fight
followed. Ttntard was the victim The ferrue
of his adversarys umbrella gouged out an eye,
and he fell, half swooning from the pain. The
maddened victor stamped upon the wounded
mans face and skull and Tintard died within
few days from Inflammation Of the brain.
In contrast to the gruesomeness of this hap
pening, there the happy issue to the predica-
ment of an 1rishman in Spain who was chal-
lenged by an hidalgo famed for skill in fence
The Irishman, having no art Of swordplays was
not minded to lose his life unnecessarily. and.
like the Kentucky parson, set his wit for defense.
He chose shlalahs for weapons, explaining, with
perfect truth, that these the national weap-
ons Of his country
The don demonstrated in vain He investigated
the nature Of the unknown fighting tool and
what he learned caused him to withdraw the
challenge.
Tho Most FrsakIsh Of All.
Undoubtedly the most freakish Of all duels was
one fought in 1903 in Paris. The principals were
rivals, between whom the woman in the case
refused to choose. The weapons selected were
bunderbusses. the ground the ar-for the
shots were to be exchanged from balloons in
process of ascension. The seconds exhibited an
astounding amount of sporting spirit by accom-
panying the principals aloft
At the first fire the envelope of balloon
penetrated and the gas exploded. In the
fall to earth both principal and second
killed. Thus simply was the woman relieved Of
choosing.
Two other rivals Henri Deagrave and
Alphonse Riviere, who confided the arrangements
for an affair of honor to their seconds. AS the
xl.o
who physician, conceived the idea of leav-
ing the issue to fate, in the shape of poisoned
pellet.
To this end, he made up four black pills. One
Of these contained prussic acid When the meet
Ing occurred. Delagrave won the toss Of the coin,
by which his adversary forced to take a
pellet first Riviere selected of the black
balls and swallowed 1t. brief interval proved
that he had not taken poison. Deagrave then
took his turn, and he also escaped. Again 1t was
the choice OF Riviere, who stared for a long time
at the twin pellets in which lay hidden his life
his death. Finally he seized pellet hastily
swallowed It, Within a few moments he
dead
the affair left to chance in the of
an Englishman challenged by Frenchman. The
Englishman without skill either for fence
shooting while his adversary renowned for
both. The Englishman had wish to be muir.
dered, and set his Ingenuity to devise means
Of equality in the encounter. AS a result OF his
pondering, he stipulated that the duel should be
with pistols. but that only one Of the two weapons
should be loaded with ball, and that first choice
of them should be left to toss The weapons
thus aportioned the combatants should fire from
stations only two PAGES apart This, of course,
meant almost certain death for the holder of
the pistol with the blank charge. The skilled
duelist the toss and had first choice. He
spent considerable time In examination OF the
twin weapons balancing them first and then
the other. in his hand. IN an effort to distinguish
between the weights. he knew that the fully
loaded one must be the heavier But chance is
stronger than. any skill At the fire the French
fell dead. while the Englishman suffered
only some scorching from the blank charge.
About the middle OF the fourteenth century
there occurred in Paris duel unique in all his.
tory formal combat between a man and dog.
under the authorization of the king. Aubryde
Montdidier was murdered. and his body buried
in wood outside the capital. His dog found
the grave and remained guarding It until driven
away by starvation Afterward the faithful beast
led searchers to the spot, and thus made known
the crime.
Soon afterward this dog flew at the
throat of the Chevalier Macaire. The suspicion
thus directed against the Chevalier finally culm-
mated in the kings edict that the guilt inno-
cence of the accused. should be put to proof by
trial Of combat between the man and the dog
a huge hound.
The affair was carried to conclusion in due
form In the arena the dog when loosed instantly
sprang for the throat Of his enemy, and sunk
his fangs there in death grip. All the mans
efforts to save himself we're futile. When at