PRINCE METTERNICH IN A DUEL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 16, 19 January 1870, Page 2

PRINCE METTERNICH IN A DUEL.

A duel between Count Eobert de Beaumont and Prince Metternich came off on the 15th October, in an island on the Rhine, near Kehl. It appears Prince Metternich wished that the weapons should be sabres ; aud M. de Beaumont, although in the character of the offended combatant, and therefore entitled to the choice of arms, consented. When they had arrived on the ground, the seconds arranged the preliminaries of the duel, which it was decided should not cease until the surgeon liad stated that either of the adversaries was incapacitated. The Prince attacked his opponent eagerly, and according to the rules of the special weapon which he had selected. M. de Beaumont, on tho other hand, only parried, as he did not kuow the management of the sabre, he only made thrusts with the point. Suddenly he fell on the Prince most, furiously, und pierced the upper part of his right arm through nnd through. Streams of blood gushed out from the wound, and the surgeou having stated that the Prince couid not use his arm any longer, the combat, which had lasted only a few minutes, then ended. The hoemorhage from tbe Prince's wound was so great that his face became deadly pale. The two combatants, who had saluted each other before the fight, did so after it, but without exchanging a word. The Prince was taken to the chateau which Madame de Bussieres, mother of Madame de Pourtales,' occupies iu the suburbs of Strasburg. His medical attendants have decided that he is not to leave his bed for ten days or a fortnight. M. de Beaumont, it may be added, is the gentleman, who, finding some letters in his wife's boudoir, the tenor of which displeased him, has since been answering them himself with challenges to fight. M. de Beaumont has now been out thrice on this account, "wounding his man on every occasion, one of them, the young Count Claparede, beiug run through the lungs, and the latest victim, Prince de Metternich, having his arm slashed severely. He has an appointment to fight the Count de Fitzjames, and an encounter with M. de la Redorte is in course of arrangement. Several other gentlemen remain to be called out, aud one of the conditions of the meeting is that they shall be continually renewed, as soon as the wounded recover, until M. de Beauj mont or one of his adversaries be killed. [ The Prince is still in a precarious state.