The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-08-31
ANoted Duelist's
Last Fight
"a Story Of the Reign of
Louis XIV.
By F. A. mitchell

Frenchmen have been more prone to
settle their differences by the code
duello than any other nationality. The
French also have maintained the prac-
| tice longer than other people. But the
French code of the sixteenth century
and the French code Of the twentieth
century are two different propositions
the latter being an enervated form Of
the former. During the reign of
Louis XIII. so many men were killed
In duels that the government issued an
edict making dueling punishable with
DEATH. In the first decade of the twen-
| tieth century there were few duels,
and those were only carried to the loss
of little blood.
| About the middle Of the eighteenth
century there flourished In Paris a
duelist, Louis Fontaine, who killed so
many men that at last the king sent
him through the proper channel a noti-
| 6cation that his next killing under the
code would be followed by his own
demise at the hands Of the executioner.
The last duel Of Fontaine's was es-
| pecially inhuman. Young Albert lie
| Vert had just been married to a girl
very much admired in Partisan socie-
| ty. One day lie Vert passed FOntaine
in that street which is now Rue Ri
voli They met near where stands the
Louvre. 1t had been raining, and the
sidewalk was wet and muddy. The
streets Of Paris In those days were not
the well paved thoroughfares they are
today. lie Vert happened to step in a
puddle of water and despatched Fon-
| taine's boots. The boots were covered
with mud already, but this did not
prevent Fontaines making a pretext
Of the incident to send challenge to
| lie Vert. The next day 1t was all over
Paris that the young husband had been
carried home mortally wounded by
Louis Fontaine, the cause OF the kill
ing being that LIE Vert had uninten-
tionally despatched Fontaine's already
| muddy boots.
| So much indignation was excited
among the Parisians that the govern
ment felt compelled to take notice Of
1t; hence the communication sent to
FOntaine.
The duelist dared not disobey the in
junction, but he showed his contempt
for 1t and public opinion by sending
invitations to persons with whom he
had fought and only pinked to a sup
per celebrating his enforced retirement
from the dueling field. This act only
inflamed the more the citizens Of Paris,
especially lie vert's sympathizers. The
government was not In a position to
| forbid the supper. At any rate, 1t did
not attempt to prevent It, and the in
vitations were generally accepted, for
those of Fontaine's former admirers
whom he had not killed were duelists
with sufficient skill to have saved their
lives. Such men were inclined to be
proud of having been out with the
noted Fontaine and did not conceal the
fact that they would be present at his
supper celebrating his retirement.
So far as the duelists were concern
| ed the meeting was success. Among
those whose relatives had been killed
either by the host or some one Of his
guests there were mutterings, and dur
ing the evening number of them
gathered at the house of a man who
had lost son by Fontaine's hand, and
1t was proposed that they go to the
place where the celebration was being
carried ON and express their disappro-
baton.
Men In those days wore side arms.
so 1t was not necessary that they
should provide weapons which they
might find necessary. Most Of them
had rupiers, but some carried the clum-
sy pistol In vogue at that time. They
marched to the house where the supper
was being eaten and, stationing them
selves under window. began to jeer
and groan. IT,
Fontaine, selling a pistol. went to
the window. followed by his guests,
and stood out on a balcony. Some one
below fired a shot at the gang above.
This was signal for the duelists to
send fusillade down into the pro-
tCotuntSt WhCfCupOu thc iuluc-
diately dispersed. some Of them having
been wounded. They were followed
by ha. has from the duelists, who
shouted after them, calling them cow
ards and other contemptuous names
When the company again took their
places at the supper table Fontaine ad-
dressed his guests, expressing his re-
greet that he had been stopped from ex-
ercising self defense" as he called
1t. in the only way BETTING a gentle
man. But the government was too
powerful for him to oppose, and he
must needs retire on his laurels al
ready won. He had fought his last
duel.
When the meeting broke up the
guests all pledged this admirable rep
resentative Of the custom they advo-
Gated. Then as they passed out each
took him by the hand, expressing the
expectation that since he had passed
his last danger he would live a long
life I'm comfort. t Il.
When the door had closed on the last
departing guest Fontaine threw him
self into the chair he had occupied al
the head Of the table. Whether IL was
the change from conviviallty TO lone.
Illness or whether that still. small