FATAL DUEL IN MADRID.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7798, 18 July 1887, Page 4

FATAL DUEL IN MADRID.

A duel was fought on May 13 in the '■gronmls of the Duke of Ossiuin/s palace near Madrid, between an army surgeon and a young barrister. Pistols were used without result at thirty paces, but the second time at twenty paces the barrister dropped senseless, "and died on the 16th. The duel has excited an exceptional amount of interest, both princinlcs being well-known members of Madrid society, while an equally well-known married lady is mixed up in the affair. Veiy recently the young men quarrelled about the lady, when a duel was arranged. The lawyer being lame, and unable to Use a rapier on equal terms with his antagonist, it was decided that tho duel should be fought with pistols. Tho conditions were for each to lire the iirst shot at thirty paces and turn to advance and fire again at will. The first shots had no effect, but on a second exchange the lawyer fell mortally wounded, his opponent's ball having perforated his liver. The wounded man was at once removed to his house, and the affair becoming known to the police, the judical authori- ■ ties went to the house and intenogaled the dying man. He declared that the story of the duel was false, and that lie had accidentally wounded himself while examining a pistol. Notwithstanding the transparent falsity of the statement, it has been so far sufficient to save the other principal and the seconds — a lieutenant-colonel, two majors, and a lawyer — from imprisonment. The husband of the lady who is compromised in the affair is stiil ignorant of the nature of the quarrel that led to the duel, which is the talk of the town.