Year: 1870




Stadt Park heard the report of fre.arm.
Following the sound, he found after
long search on the bank of one of tho
by-walls large pool Of blood and a hat,
but no person in the park. He called
for assistance from the police, and the
search was continued, but, so far as the
park was concerned without success.
Outside of it, however, the Commissary
of Police in search saw man lying on
some leaves, and thinking him drunk.
ordered that he should be removed to
the station. On raising him il was found
that he was covered with blood, and that
he held pistol in his hand. The shot
had gone through his neck and shattered
his jaw. On searching him four letters
were found, one addressed to the author
tiles, another to his parents, . third to
his lady love, and a fourth to his col
leagues in an opera house. The youth
was the son Of dancing master, and
himself employed as one of the dancers
in the corps de ballet in the opera house,


In the letter addressed to the authori-
ties Reisinger announced that he was the
victim of an American duel, and that
the motives which had induced him to
act would be found in letter which he


had deposited in the dressing room Of


the male dancers Of the opera. In this


letter which was found in the place indi-


Gated, after thanking his colleagues for


their kindness to him, and asking them


not to Judge him too harshly, he. tells


them that he had made the acquaintance


of Lieutenant who was Maltese


Knight of St. John that they had quar-


reled and that the Lieutenant had chal-


lenged him to fight with pistols, which


he had accepted. As he came next day


to the rooms Of the Lieutenant there


we're already several officers there. When


he came, in they began to talk French.
| After time the Lieutenant came in,
| and told him that he could not fight him


as he was too young. On this the youth
! saws that he became violent, but the
| Lieutenant told him, smiling, that there
was way to fight without exposure, and
| this was that each should wear q glove


on the left hand, and whoever was seen
| in the street by the other without the
| left glove on his hand should kill him.


self. The writer of the letter says that
| he had been so unfortunate as to be seen


by his adversary without the glove, SO if


he did not wish to be dishonored he had


to kill himself. He says that he would


not have been so foolish as to take off


his glove had he not yielded to the re-


monstrances Of one for whom he would


always have ventured to expose his life.
| The young man had died since, but be-
fore his death he gave the name of his


adversary, a cavalry Lieutenant, who


had been frequent visitor at the well


known dancing school which is kept by


the father of the youth, and had made
advances to the lady-love Of the latter.


This was the ground Of the quarrel.
Both the girl and his own relations, who
did not know the meaning of his wear
ing the left glove, had taunted him about
it, and the first time he yielded he met
the Lieutenant, who looked at his hand


and the young man thought himself
bound to fulfil the stipulations Of their
s foolish duel.


| The authorities have, in the meantime,
!, made researches about the Lieutenant in
e question, but they have not been able to
n find him as yet. He had given different
i addresses to the military authorities, and
b had left all the places indicated. If he
= tried, it will be rather q curious case fol
j. there is no provision made in the crimi
II nal code against this sort Of duelling
r and fight with murderous weapons il
r necessary TO make out case of duelling
q The death of the young dancer has pro
r duced SO much the greater sensation il
r the corps de ballet as it is the secont
e tragic occurrence within fortnight th'
y other is the death of promising youni
r girl, sister of one of the coryphees
1t who in the last representation Of Sar
lie dapalas," in going up q bridge, whicl


occurs in one Of the scenes, came nea
one Of the gas burners. In order to pas
= it, she caught up her dress, and thereb,


made the flame fare up, and, despite to
: wire grating on the top, it blazed out
:. and caught her light dress, which. wa
y instantly in flames. Although help wa
= al hand, and wet cloth was thrown oy


er her, she was so much burned all owe
:. : her body, above all on her arms, tha
- she died two days after. The accider
= :. caused great commotion in the hous'
:. and, although the iron curtain was ie
= = down there was tendency to rush to tn
- - door. However, the panic subsidies
~ The Emperor, who was present, wer
:. - himself 10 inquire into the state OF II
- poor girl. ,esaaa