Paris, May 18 1892

A series of encounters, probably unprecedented in the annals of duelling, took place at an early hour this morning in a secluded part of the Bois de Boulogne.

The affair arose out of a quarrel at the opera during the first representation of Salammbo on Monday. Among the audience was Roulez, a prominent member of the Ecole d’Escrime Francaise, and who in the business world is well known as an inventor of telephone apparatus. An altercation occurred between this gentleman, who is over 50 years of age, and some younger men. It ended in the former sending a formal challenge to three of the latter, M M Blondin, Dumoulin, and Leclerc.

It was arranged that he should fight his three adversaries one after the other in the Bois this morning. M Roulez arrived at the appointed rendezvous punctually at 9 o’clock. He found his three opponents, who are all men between 30 and 35 years of age, already in attendance…

The first adversary M. Roulez was called upon to confront was M. Blondin, and the fight lasted only a few moments. Rapidly disengaging, M. Roulez passed his sword through the body of his opponent, severely wounding him, and, it is reported, piercing one of his lungs…

The wounded man having been carried off, M. Dumoulin next confronted the victor. The second contest ended not less decisive than the first. M. Dumoulin received a thrust so skilfully and vigorously directed that the sword passed right through his arm and wounded him slightly in the side.

Having disposed of his first two adversaries, m. Roulez, after a short breathing space, again took up his position and faced M. Leclerc. The latter did not long stand his ground. He began to retreat, defending himself as best he could against the furious onslaught of M. Roulez, who throughout this third combat showed no sign of fatigue, but pressed M. Leclerc so hard and with such mastery of the art of fence as to corner him by driving him against a tree after he had retreated a distance of nearly 200 yards. On coming in contact with the tree M. Leclerc was unable any longer to act upon the defensive, and, on attempting to advance, he was wounded in the face by the sword of M. Roulez. This put an end to the combat.

But M. Roulez had not yet finished his morning work. One of the seconds on the other side lost all patience seeing the third encounter terminate as unfortunately for his party as the first and second. He assailed M. Roulez in unmeasured terms, and threatened him with personal chastisement. M. Roulez replied that this fresh insult could only be wiped out in the same manner as those, which had led to the previous challenges… In a few moments, the last of the four opponents whom M. Roulez had been called upon to face was rendered hors de combat, receiving a somewhat severe wound. The four duels were fought within an hour.