TRIAL OF A DUELLIST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7317, 29 July 1885, Page 3

TRIAL OF A DUELLIST.

A remarkable trial, possessing special interest for duellists, was tried at Douay, in the north of France. In February last a M. Dekeirel was amusing himself at Dunkirk during the Carnival, together with. his younger brother and some friends. His brother was accompanied by a masked female, one' of a troupe of cafe concert singers. The merry party went into a cafe during the small hours of the morning, and while they were partaking of some refreshing potations, a-M. Chapuis, who was disguised as a clown,. came and sat near the masked female, who wore a black domino. M. Chapuis rendered himself rather obnoxious to the black domino, who somewhat facetiously summoned one of the waiters to take awa}- her tormentor " on a plate." The elder M. Dekeirel now remonstrated with the importunate Chapuis, who persisted in continuing his attentions to the prima donna from tlie cafe concert. Chapuis resented the interference of Dekeirel, to whom he gave his address-card, lie being a lieutenant in the 110 th Regiment of the Line. Dekeirel called Called him a scoundrel, and offered to fight him. A temporary truce was, however, patched up by another officer, who was acquainted with the two disputants. It was soon broken by some observations of M. Chapuis which were overheard by the younger Dekeirel and promptly retailed to his brother. M. Dekeirel accordingly sought out Lieutenant Chapuis anew, and asked if it were true that he said he had not given an apology. To this Chapuis replied in the affirmative,'whereupon Dekeirel retorted that his conduct was unworthy of a French officer, and insisted upon a written apology or a duel. Tho^duel was .agreed to, but there was a difficulty about the weapons. Dekeirel chose the pistol, but his seconds were rather frightenecl by a lireeating and vapouring Lieutenant Badouin, who insisted upon army revolvers being chosen, and 25 paces as the distance the combatants to fire the six balls until (as Lieutenant Badouin coolly and characteristically observed) " a result ensued." This warrior also intimated to M. Dekeirel'sf riends that theduel was not to be an affair which would simply startle the sparrows, but a fight to the death between man and man. Finally swords were chosen. M. Chapuis appeared on the ground, which was iv Belgium, smiling and sure of victory. He was the best swordsman in his regiment. M. Dekeirel wore his shirt, and trousers during the fight, the officer retaining only his nether garment. The civilian commenced the attack, and Chapuis lunged at his stomach; but the sword passed under his legs. The officer was sure he had touched his adversary, but the latter showed that such was not the case. The combat recommenced, and Chapuis fell, pierced through the lungs, crying out that he had been what was called in duellists' parlance " halfmurdered," as Dekeirel had. held his adversary's sword with his left hand. Chapuis died after four hours' agony. Both doctors and duellists from Paris have drawn up long reports on the subject, and" some of the most expert swordsmen in the metropolis, including M. Vigeant, M. Tavernier, and M. Alfonso de Aldama, have given their opinions. The accused, Dekeirel, who is about 30 years of age, in the course of his examination by the presiding judge, said that he could not explain the motion of his left hand, which had been interpreted hy his antagonist as an attempt to catch the latter* sword. He denied having made any such attempt. He also stated that he was not conversant .with fencing terms, although it had been proved that he was wounded in a former duel. A doctor testified that his left hand had been cut by coming in con : tact with Chapuis's sword. It appears that Chapuis, although he boasted a good deal, had had but one duel, which he fought with a Prussian officer, and that he was only an average fencer. M. Dekeirel was acquitted.