The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-12-21
Recent Encounters Show "Field
of Honor" Has Lost Its
Romantic Glamour.

New York.--Just when Ii seemed
that dueling had finally gone out OF
fashion after some fourteen centuries
o: popularity two gentlemen in Paris,
an Italian nobleman and Jacques
Richepin, theater manager, started
poking at each other with rapiers.
About the same time Norwood Huck-
aby and Charles A. Williams OF Tex
as laid hold Of handkerchief with
their left hands and blazed away
across IL with revolvers.
A little antiseptic and some court
plaster healed the harm wrought in
the Partisan encounter, but nothing
could be done for the Texans except to
give them q decent burial. The Italian
duke, who lost his battle, could have
been wounded Just as badly in sharp
enlng a pencil as he was In fencing
with his adversary.
Paris. according to all accounts, did
not take the duel seriously. There
was time, however, when dueling
ranked well up with cancer and dia-
betes in the mortality tables of the
city. In one decade In the reign OF
Henry Nv 1000 Frenchmen perished
In the duello. England Germany,
Italy, Spain and even the United
States have also had their outbreaks
of 'gentlemanly homicide.
Virtually every country has forbid
den these slashing and shooting par
ties by law, but II Is fashion rather
than legislation that has doomed
them. The spectacle of two grown
men trying to kill each other while
their best friends look on has come
to be regarded as ludlcrous rather
than romantic.
War Revived Duelino.
The close of the war witnessed a
brief revival In the settlement of per-
sonal and political differences on the
so-called field of honor The dueling
of nations appeared to have natural
sequel In the mortal combats of indi-
viduals. The theory has been fire.
quently advanced that life was held
so cheaply as a result of the blood
shed in the war, the most trivial ex-
cuses were sufficient to send group
of men out early in the morning on a
mission of mutual manslaughter.
Italian noblemen, politicians and
Journalists trampled down many acres
of the good grass around Rome as
they endeavored to bring home their
argument on the point Of a sword.
Benito tMussolini, when a Nationalist
deppty, engaged in four duels within
few nlonths. winning them all, but
suherlng several superficial wounds.
It,whs said that little inn just out
side OF Rome and Off all the main
highways was supported almost en-
tirely by duellsts and their seconds.
Hungary seethed with duels. AL
most every debate in the national as
sembly was prolific Of challenge or
twoI While fatalities were few,
scars and bandages were common.
Strong efforts were made finally to
curb the cutting.
Russia has banned the duel rs being
sport OF aristocrats. Two high Rus
sian officers of the Red army engaged
in fatal passage at arms about a
year ago. following the discovery that
both were paying court to the same
girl. One Of the officers was killed.
The victor was sentenced to three
years Imprisonment. The girl was ar
rested, charged with completely, and
found guilty.
The sentence passed upon her was
unique. She was termed siren. an
"angel of trouble" and was ordered to
remain away from all cities for twenty
years. She must grow to old age In
the country, where her charms can
not play havoc with impetuous army
officers.
pueIs Popular In Old Days.
In the early days Of the American
navy. the officers were sticklers for
duellng etiquette. In the war on
Tripoli. about the beginning of the
Nineteenth century, dueling among
naval officers was the vogue. Duels
among planters and politicians were
ccmr.ns occurrsacss in some Of the