FISTICUFFS IN DUEL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 January 1931, Page 4

FISTICUFFS IN DUEL

SABRES DISCARDED Duels are somewhat rare even on the Continent nowadays, but they do take place occasionally, as a recent affair in Budapest shows. An elderly count and another count, aged 25, met with sabres as the chosen weapon, because the elder man considered himself insulted by some remarks the younger nobleman had made about him. The duel, however, took an unusual turn, for both combatants, after crossing their swords, threw them aside and went for one another with their fists, much to the h'orror (Says Reuter) of the seconds, who, after some time, persuaded them to tight “like gentlemen” with their sabres —only for a short wjhle, however, when the bout of fisticuffs was renewed. Finally the duel had to be broken off because it was found that the young count had a pulse temperature which rendered a continuance of the fight dangerous. The opponents left the field unreconciled.