THE PEN V. THE SWORD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 371, 2 July 1877, Page 2

THE PEN V. THE SWORD.

V *. . (From Hie " Cuiinliun.")

Wo bad intended milking no rcfcrc to a fniciis which occurred in this o! between Captain Schwabe, of the Jv.iclin son Fusiliers, ami Mr. Montagu JJruw sub-editor of 'this journal, on Wednus evening last Indeed, at Captain Schwul solicitation, we bad given a pro mi.su that eil'eet, conditional on 710 mentioi it being made in other journals, or 1 unfair advantage being taken of s silence. Finding, however, that par and garbled statements have appeared the subject, and that Captain Sehw has described the all'air as one in wli he was the victor, and stated that hcc< pelled Mr. Browne to apologise to liii whereof two ear-witnesses of undouli credibility are our informants—wo ourselves entirely absolved from an urn standing, the conditions whereof h been entirely broken. Some four or live months since a jocii paragraph appeared in the "Out i About" of the tionlhvriL Mrrriinj, refeiT to incidents in theatrical life. Though particularly objectionable, the propriet in the following issue expressed re; for its appearance, and there it supposed the matter had ended. A the lapse of this time Captain Schwa who assumed that the paragraph furred to himself, returned to to and to several persons expressed intention of exacting summary satis tion by "thrashing" Mr. Montagu lirow whom lie believed to be the writer. 1 viding himself with a heavily-loai hammer-headed riding whip, lie in exhibited it as the instrument with wl he purposed settling the all'air.

called at tin's office once or twicey-i]>rc with this intention, and failing to n tie o'ojtct of his 4;.". .■>!., he also called, last Saturday night, at Mr. lJnmue'M sideuce. Again, on Monday night, called at this office and inquired for

Browne, and as that gentleman was absent he was shown in to the editor of this

journal. To him he said, " I have something here for Browne," opening Ins coat at the same time and revealing the whip, holding it by the lash end, ami exhibiiir."/ the butt, which had a very dreadful aspect. The editor requested him not to be foolish, and generally endeavoured to mollify him ; informed him that such a procedure would be neither creditable, nor do any good ; stating also that Mr. Browne was a big, powerful fellow, and that possibly it might result differently from what Captain Schwabe expected. That gentleman stated he did not care, that he was prepared to hang for it, but would have satisfaction. He demanded that Mr. Browne should apologise to him, or nothing would deter him from bis dreadful purpose. The editor stated that he would submit the matter to Mr. Browne, but that he felt convinced, from what he knew of that gentleman, that un- , der threat he was not likely to comply.

On the following evening, about halfpast 10 o'clock, as the editor was engaged in his place, in the sublime contemplation of sublunary things, he was aroused by the sound of high words in the ante-room, which is the su'o-ed : tor's. " Anolog'sj ! I'll do nothing of the sort. How dare you, sir, threaten me I" were the wo'ds which fell on his ear, followed by a shuffling of feet. Opening the door, and standing with his arms akimbo, he placidly survej T ed the scene. His chief officer and the militp.ry gentleman were engaged in mortal combat, the assault aud fence and parry being exhibited with some dexterity but with great violence. Captain Schwabe was performing evolutions around the room, followed by Mr. Browne, who was bringing bis hands with much force and rapidity into violent contact with various parts of the Captain's face and heal. !Not being much accustomed to such scenes of violence, he may not be in a position to judge, but to the editor's eye it appeared the most tremendous thrashing iie had ever witnessed. He did n«>t feel called on to interfere, for several reasons—but primarily lest he might get himself hurt. At length the military gentleman lay down upon the floor in the doorway, with the literary gentleman on top of him. "Don't strike me when I'm down," exclaimed the soldier. " No, you (improper expression) —l'll not strike you when you're down," re; ; ;ed the liteniire, " but 111 give you in charge of.a constable," and at the same i.r >;■ tiled to drug the Captain along the ti '•>!' on his back towards the head of the s I'Ts. At tliis moment some twenty faces :i: ;-eered at the door of the printing-room. h '7>g the faces of the compositors, who. ;i!.-nned at no'ses so unwonted in the $ t mi■> atmosphere of our printing-o'Hee, hu.' n-fhed en m-t&sa to the scene of battle. S;vii',' the prostrate figure of the fallen o.'acr being dragged along, two of these interposed ami raised him to an erect posture. The captain, then, with his face to the foe, backed into the arte-room, and thence into the editorial sanctum, with the subeditor following with uplifted hand, and in menacing attitude, exclaiming, " Up with your hands ! up with your hands ! " accompanied by many expressions of nngnutiniatieal English, which we do not reproduce. Tois was apparently in consequence of the Captain moving his bauds rather nervously in the region of his coat pockets, which the newspaper man conceived apparently to be with tiie desire of obtaining some weapon of offence. " I am doing nothing with my hands." repeatedly observed the o.'lieer, adding. "Now, Mr. Browne, just sit down, and bfc us talk this matter over quietly." "Then why did you threaten me I Why did you come here with a horsewhip to finish me .-" exclaimed the sub-editor. " Well, I am sorry for threatening you, and I apologise for it," replied Captain Schwabe. " Now, just let us sit down dnietly aud talk over the matter," appealing at the same time as to the editor as to whether it would not be better to " quietly talk over the matter," who declined to interfere in any way. Alice very earnest pleading on the part of the Captain of the Riehardsons that they should ''sitdown and quietly talk over the matter," Mr. Browne began to melt, and his ferocity departed. They commenced to " talk the mater over quietly," and ultimately the Captain, after repeatedly apologising for liis conduct, held out his hand and asked Mr. Browne to shake hands, which event, after some coyness, took place, and a sense of serenity and peace pervaded the scene which erstwhile had been so chaotic and wild, ami the editor looked benignant over l'ia spectacles as if he would have said, "Bless ye, my children," and being eai - - nestly entreated by the Captain to " say nothing of it in the paper," lie. overcome b>" the sight of the wondrous change in the scene, and enibued with tiie all-per-fiiiling spirit of fraternal love, conditionally consented. The calmness of the scene was a little ruffled, however, by the Captain again suggesting that, " now that it was all over, might not Mr. Browne Knil an apology, not to himself, but to " 11 third party. To this proposition Mr. Bnwne replied with much vehemence, "lying the time was past for that, and for 1 while it seemed as if the happy relations w «e about to be ruptured. However, fte Captain was determined that this slionld not be, and as reference to an apo'w from Mr. Browne to the third party speared to act on the literary man as a li, l rag to a bull, and as he had still a tomewliafc dangerous look, the proposition. *»<V-ppeiL ' e; .-iieceeded a search for the whip .'''''■•- : : iiad disappeared iu the melee. The 1 li ev.;. had previously protested that he '■< ■■' brought the whip with him, but r '-'""'- ieciiing l-ecollected that lie had. ■*- ■ :r i ic was discovered ti.at one of ':'■' " . h>vc.-3 had*pick._-d it .up and taken '"•ti-'iow, aud Mi'; Browne having fetched j ** appeared to be aroused to fresh iudig- I

nation at the sight of the weapon intended | for his destruction, and appealing to the i editor, asked "if it was safe to trust this man with such a weapon V However, the Captain pleading that it was "all over now," was handed back " his sword." and after again proffering his hand to Mr. Browne, with a request to again shake hands, departed. Such is a faithful and true account of this great event - , which, for once at least, hath shown how " the pen is mightier than the sword."