Evening star., 1920-04-03
TRAGIC DUEL S!1RS
CITY OF MON7EVlDEO
Newspaper Editor Killed by For
mer President of the Uru-
guayan Republic.

MONTEvIDEO, Uruguay, April 2
(by the Associated Press).-Political
excitement prevails in this city to-
night as a result of the death of
newspaner FL Pals. in a duel with
former President Jose Battle y Or
dones this morning. The nationalist
party has called a meeting of it's
leaders and the chamber Of deputies
held meeting tonight discussing the
tragedy. After the last elections In
Uruguay the nationaiists accused the
'Batllistes." the party headed by the
former president. of frauds. This or
ganization is a section Of the Colo
radist party, which Is at present in
political control here. and Beltran's
the elections. called Battle the cham
pion OF fraud" 1t was this utterance
that led to the fatal duel.
Duelists Meet I'm Rainstorm.
The opponents met on a foot ball
field In the midst Of q pouring rain
storm. Senator Lionel Aguirre and
Deputy Francisco Larreta appeared
as Beltran's seconds. while Deputies
Ovidfo Fernandez Rios and Francisco
Ghighliani acted in a similar capacity
for Battle. DR.. Domingo Veracierto.
secretary Of the chamber of deputies,
was master of ceremonies. The duel
lists waited for three hours hoping
Senior Veracierto notified them he
would give them five minutes In
which to begin. Because OF the rain
the two men decided to keep on their
hats. but Beltran changed his straw
hat for felt. so that both might be
on even terms.
Standing twenty-five PAGES apart,
Die duelists were given the word to
IRE, both missing on the first ex-
change. Before Beltran could f1re q
second shot he was struck by a bull
let from Battles pistol and sank to
body was taken to the state head
quarters Of the national party. where
1t 10 lying In state tonight.
Law Forbids DuelinE.
There is a law against dueling IN
Uruguay. but 1t IL understood that
one Of the conditions agreed to by
would prosecute the other in case OF
injury. Duels are infrequent In this
country.
Battle, who was twice president OF
Uruguay. and now is a member OF
the national administrative council.
voluntarily gave himself up to the
police, following an order by the state
prosecutor for his arrest. as well as
that OF the QOCtOTS, 6cCOHuS anu OtuGT
persons connected with the duel. He
Is being held incommunicado in q
police station and will be interrogated
Saturday.
The chamber Of deputies at q spe-
cial session late tonight unanimously
adopted q resolution according an annual
pension Of $4,000 to Beltran's widow:
The chamber also sent q message OF
svmpathy to the widow. Beltran's
family has requested that the body
lie in state in the chamber of deputies
pending the funeral.
Yesterday WIS not the first time
that Jose Battle Ordones met an
adversary on the field under the code
of honor. January 13 Battle was
twice wounded in the arm during a
duel with swords fought with SEN
ator Leonel Aguirre.
It was said at the time that Battle
had sent his seconds to Aguirre be-
cause Of an article printed in Ell Pals.
of which Aguirre was co-proprietor.
charging that the former president
was seeking to acquire predomi-
nances in the chamber OF deputies to
Yurther his personal ends.