European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Buel irm a huge and excited crowd gathered near Paris Garden of Tui Lenes on a May morning in hos drawn by lie strange sight of two great balloons training for flight. What the crowd did that it was about to history s most bizarre duels to so. A a love dispute Bette of Honor Bent frenchmen not Realie was witness one of arranged in a pair. Monsieur Degrandpre and Monsieur de pique. The two men s disagreement cent Redon a mile. Tir Evit a Well known dancer who was mistress of de grandpre but who had been uncovered in compromising circumstances with de pique. To Settle proprietary claim the rival decided to Duel in balloons. Armed with Blunde busses pistols would have been ineffective and accompanied by their seconds the two men climbed into their balloon cars the restraining ropes we recut and away they sailed. De pique fired first when the two balloons had soared to 2,000 feet. The shot failed to produce results and de grandpre some 80 Yards away re turned the fire puncturing de pique balloon. De pique and his second Plum meted to their deaths on a Paris roof top while away his de grandpre floated safely life Honor preserved. 1oday. The concept of the Duel As a solution to grievances May seem senseless but duels remain a tact of history mud the forms that duels have taken Are As varied As the turns Ofman s imagination. Duels have been fought on horseback in closed carriages even in open gravest handily accommodate the fallen Vic Tim or victims and they be been con ducted with swords and daggers pistols and fists slings and clubs. Nor were duels an exclusively european United states has had More than its share the most famous being the death of Alexander Hamilton the nation s first Secretary of the Treasury. He was killed in 180-1 in a Duel wit Haaron Liuro former vice president under Thomas Jefferson. Even women have faced off in mortal combat on at least one occasion immortalized in a painting by Emile Bay Ard and termed an affair of Honor most often the distaff duels were fought Over a Man in one instance with the object of the Duel acting As arbiter and eventual husband of the Duel s survivor. Moreover heterosexual duels cropped up from time to time with a chivalrous act costing one Man his life. When French girl jilted by a naval officer named duprez met him on a Paris Street she gave him a pistol instead of shooting him outright ordering him to defend himself. A gentleman to the last lie fired his pistol in the air sin shot him in the face. Customarily duels were fought by Daylight but there have been reported cases of duels in the dark the most notable perhaps occurring on in american Side of the Atlantic. The combatants stationed themselves in opposite Corners of a darkened apart ment. One fired and missed and theother set out stalking his now helpless foe. Groping about the apartment he could not find his adversary but Sud Denly remembered seeing a fireplace. Crying i know where he jammed his pistol up the Chimney prompting his frightened rival to whim per for god s Sake Don t fire the pistol bearer then elicited a Promise from his quavering target to pay Sud to him and adding insult took out a knife and Cut out the seat of the Man spants As a the Man emerged paid the Money and gratefully slunk out into the night minus his Cash and his dignity. M duels were deadly but some had an unusual amount of Gore. One was a closed Carriage Battle in which two men armed with daggers were tied together with Only their right arms free. They were placed in the Carriage which was then driven around a Square while the cries of pain came from within the vehicle. One antagonist died and the other sur Vived despite having a Poignard drive into his client four times. Another Type of Duel fought from Timeto time found combatants fighting ii out while clinging to ends of a handkerchief. Often both parties were killed thus explaining Why a Duel with Hankie which took place in Kingston Jamaica in 1ki7 was conducted in an open grave oddly neither parly died on this Occa Loo aug t in the Sion As one dualist Thorou ing fainted and the other about his rival Beim object to excite my unconscious opponent departed. So while fear May worthy emotion Vert corned cowardice Couch ent and prudent. Ii Anin t the i1 Ami 1hl Siahs and ski pics sunday a
