Name/Title
Suicide Austrian military barracksEntry/Object ID
000741Tags
Unknown NewspaperScope and Content
A suicide under rather peculiar circumstances is reported from the Austrian military barracks at Ofen. It was the result of what the Austrian papers call “an American duel”’ but why they call it so does not appear. Two balls, a black one and a white one, were placed in a covered hat, and each of the principals in the duel drew out one, with the understanding that the one to whom the black ball fell must be numbered with the dead within twelve months. The year expired a few days ago, and on its last day the officer who drew the black ball shot himself. The day before, he wrote a touching letter to his adversary, praying the latter to release him from the penalty he had incurred; but receiving an answer in the negative, he killed himself. The suicide was committed in the barracks in Ofen; and the strange part of the story is that nearly the whole of the regiment to which the officer belonged knew of the duel and its conditions.
A correspondent sends the following extract from the log-book, apparently, of a river or coasting vessel, which was printed in 1794. The spelling is a little peculiar, and it is interesting to know that business then was “brisck”’ that women washed their dirty clothes, and that people then, as now, were apt to be “pevish”: “this Day Saild out of the Noarth River and got to Newpoart and Went out foar times Befoair wed. Wed. got hard the Chains of the Wind 21 in the Moarning set out for New Yoarck and got thear the 22 in the Mmoarning With the Wind at Northeaist of a thursday. Sunday the 26 for Allbeny and run the Nite folleng got to Stoney Pint tusday Run to West Piute. Sot Sail in the moning. Wenday Moning after Brexefaist the Wimin Went to Washin their Durtey Close All Well on Boaird But Pevish. 11a Cloack Wee Paist Pigcill With the Wind at East Six Vessill on the Stoiks Abiding Bisness Seamid to Be Brisck Got that Nite to Percipsly Landin thirsday 30 Sot sail in the Mor? The Wind at Noairth thirsday Nite Stop at Pecispy. friday Moning Sot Sail With the Wind a hed and got to hudsen. Sateday Moning May the 2d Raind till 8 a Clock then Sot Sail With the Wind Southeaist.” (transcribed with poor spelling from logbook in 1795)