Threw Mask and Foil. Pavese Wanted to Fight a Duel with Tronchet.
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Threw Mask and Foil. Pavese Wanted to Fight a Duel with Tronchet.
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November 6, 1899
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THREW MASK AND FOIL.
Pavese Wanted to Fight a Duel With Tronchet.
WAS ANGERED AT THE REFEREE’S DECISION.
FENCING BOUT LEADS TO A CHALLENGE BY THE VANQUISHED.
Slugging Match With Broadswords Follows Instead of a Combat to the Death With Rapiers.
A crowd of excited partisans was, with difficulty, held in check yesterday afternoon at Washington-square Hall when a decision was given in favor of Professor Louis Tronchet of the Olympic Club in a fencing contest with Professor G. Pavese of New York. G. Castroni was referee of the contest and, according to his count, Tronchet made fourteen points and Pavese thirteen. When the decision was announced the countryman of the vanquished fencer, who filled the hall and overflowed in the adjoining rooms, rose as one man and cried “Shame, shame. Pavese won! Pavese won!” For a time it looked as if the unfortunate referee would suffer personal violence, but the attention of the audience was diverted by the wild gesticulations of Pavese on the platform. Throwing his mask and foil frantically to one side he paced up and down the stage and excitedly demanded another contest with Tronchet.
Pavese’s sympathizers then took up his cry and finally clamored for another contest. When quiet had been somewhat restored the defeated fencer made a speech in Italian, declaring that he had been robbed by the referee and that he was ready to meet Tronchet with sharp-pointed foils for the belt which he held as champion fencer. The audience was with him and yelled clamorous[ly] for a second contest. Tronchet had remained cool throughout the tense excitement and quietly replied that he was a law-abiding citizen and would not fight with sharp-pointed foils, as such a contest would be contrary to law.
Pavese was not to be dismissed in such a way, however, and when he recovered sufficiently from his excitement to speak declared that he would meet Tronchet in Montreal or Nicaragua or any other place where the bout could be brought off. Tronchet was not ready to go out of the country, but was willing to contest with rapiers or broadswords at any time and at any place.
Order was finally partially restored in the hall and the men prepared for a contest with broadswords. The fighting was fierce, almost vicious, while it lasted, but was of short duration. A new referee, Professor Stabile, tried to keep the fencers in their places but they plunged at one another with terrific strikes almost like wild men. Pavese seemed to be getting the better of it in the mad rushes and breakaways, when Tronchet suddenly threw down his sword and refused to fight any more. Pavese had struck him on the hand below the wrist guard, he claimed, and he would contest with no one who employed such tactics. Pavese again appealed to his partisans and they upheld him as before. He was surrounded by a vast throng and carried off to his dressing-room with all the honor due a victor.
Pavese appeared in a preliminary contest with G. Castroni and showed his mettle by making ten points to Castroni’s one. Emil Ortino and Emilio Lauro were evenly matched fencers, but were deprived of their chance by the bout between Pavese and Tronchet.
