Peruvian Politicians Fight Duel With Cavalry Sabres

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 13

Peruvian Politicians Fight Duel With Cavalry Sabres

NEW YORK, March 9. The Peruvian Minister for the Interior, Mr Jorge Fernandez, slashed and seriously wounded a Senator who accused him of cowardice in a cavalry sabre duel at dawn today, the United Press reported from- Lima. Both spurned the traditional handshake, and they left the field enemies. Mr Fernandez ignored the antiduelling law he had sworn to enforce as head of all Peru’s police, and carried the fight to his younger opponent, Senator Wilson Sologuren; on a field of honour at Yanacoto, about 23 miles east of Lima. Physicians stopped the hacking, slashing fight in the first of the three two-minute rounds when the bleeding Senator Sologuren could no longer hold up his heavy sabre. Two tendons of his hand had been injured by a wrist cut. His face and arms were cut. Senor Fernandez suffered minor cuts on his chest and back. The duel was political as well as personal. Senator Sologuren’s two brothers had been arrested and gaoled last • week on suspicion of conspiracy against the Government of President Manuel Prado. A Government communique, signed by Senor Fernandez, last Thursday accused Senator Sologuren of complicity in the alleged conspiracy, but Senator Sologuren has Parliamentary immunity from arrest.

Senator Sologuren answered with a public letter, printed in the Lima newspapers, denouncing Senor Fernandez and calling him a coward. The Minister then challenged the Senator to a duel.