“Foul!”
“A
perfectly good touch!”
Fencing scene from the Alienist |
Fencing was popular among the fashionable society of New York City. An 1897 article titled "Fencing Now Society's Fad" in the New York Times tells us "Never has fencing been as popular as it is today. It is the fad of the hour among fashionable folk." It continues "The list of fashionable young men who fence is practically endless. Every young man who has any claim to social distinction has taken a course of lessons from a maitre d'armes."
And not just among men. Fencing flourished with society women. Many magazine and newspaper articles of the late nineties covered the fad of fencing among ladies.
Illustrations from the 1887 article "Fencing and the New York Fencers" |
"In a land where every man who has it in his heart to want to be a gentleman can be one, this game of address may be expected to flourish. Encouraging, as it does, self-control, forbearance, fair-play, and most of the minor virtues of good breeding; admirable as a training school for the quick eye, the ready wit, and the light, strong hand; the most subtle and thorough preparation for all other offensive-defensive sports like boxing, sinle-stck, saber and bayonet-play - it is only just that fencing should be called the fine art of athletics."
The Alienist TV Series
The Alienist is a historical mystery TV series based on the novels by writer Caleb Carr, set in late 19th century New York. The title character is an alienist, a term used to describe the budding science of psychiatry. The etymology of the word comes from the Latin alius (other), then to French aliene (insane). In French an alieniste refers to a doctor who treats the insane.
In the TV show the alienist Laszlo Kreizler teams up with a high society newspaper reporter named John Moore and the first woman to work for the NYPD named Sara Howard. Together they try to solve a series of gruesome murders they believe is the work of a lone serial killer. The show has two seasons. The second season benefits from a focus on Sara Howard, who has quit the police force and started her own detective agency.
Fencing scene from the Alienist
At the annual team competition in 1892, Richard B. Malchien wrote in Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly:
"The others, more or less, make of fencing a mimic duel, and try to land as many points on their opponent's body, not caring much in what manner it is done, resorting to all sorts of tricks to achieve their object. If they fancy they have the most points in their favor it seems to bring contentment."
And in a New York Times article in 1893, fencing Professor M. Gignac complains of the fencers in New York and America. "They use fencing too much as an exercise, and too little as a game for intellectual men." He adds "It seems to me that most of them are a little too anxious to get blows in. The counting of points may be a necessary thing, but to amateurs the way the blow is delivered is more important than getting a blow in."Professors of Fencing in New York City
"It is devoutly to be hoped that the childish bickerings indulged in by the fencing-masters during the last season will not be resumed. A course of silent and dignified contempt is recommended toward any disturber of the peace." - Edward Breck writing in the Outing Magazine of 1895.
Two of the most notable fencing masters teaching in New York City during the 1890's were Captain Hippolyte Nicolas and Regis Senac.
Nicolas was a French officer who fought in the Franco-Prussian War. He came to New York and taught for a while under Senac, then opened his own club on 6th Avenue, In 1892 his Fencers Club address was given as 19 West Twenty Fourth street. He taught only fencing and was not associated with gymnastics like many American clubs. A rifle gallery was added, and bouts with singlestick, broadsword and bayonet admitted to the floor. His system was not classical, but a simplified method that defended the entire body. Nicolas died apparently during a fencing bout froma heart attack in 1898 at his salle on 27 West 42 Street.
Regis Senac arrived to New York City from France. His was the classical French method, learning his trade as an instructor of fencing in the French Army. He came to the United States in 1872 and won the fencing chmapionship of America at a contest held in Tammany Hall. He opened his fencing school in 1874. An article in 1892 lists his school's address as 1441 Broadway. His son Louis Senac was also an acclaimed fencer. Regis Senac was noted for fighting three successful duels while in France, and he continued his contentious ways in New York City. The fencing master sent or accepted challenges to several of the other masters such as Nicolas, Tronchet and Jacobi. One of the most celebrated contests of the period was between himself and the brash Colonel Monstery.
Tronchet-Senac Contest of 1887 |
Colonel
Thomas Hoyer Monstery was another fencing master that planted his foil in New
York City for a short while. He settled there after travelling through Mexico
and Cuba challenging local fencing masters. He continued this in New York,
setting up various contests and Grand Assaults and writing articles on
self-defense, boxing and singlestick. Among his notable students was the
swordswoman Ella Hattan, known as the Jaguarina, who fought matches against men
on horseback and with broadsword. Monstery moved on to Chicago in the mid
1880s.
“On Monday evening, April 10, Colonel
Monstery and Regis Senac met at Tammany Hall, New York, to compete
for a stake of 500 dols. and the title of champion-at-arms of the United States
and Spanish America. The match was the result of an
open challenge issued by Colonel Monstery, and promptly accepted by
M. Senac.”
The
two fencing masters fought matches with foils, sabers, rapiers, bayonets and
knives. It apparently was a lively and controversial affair, with arguments
from the contestants, judges and the audience over hits and touches, so that
eventually Monstery abandoned the contest and the referee declared Senac the
winner.
Additionally, H. Armand Jacoby taught at the New York Athletic Club; M. Gouspy at the Racquet and Tennis Club; Frederick and Heins, at the Turn Verein; C. Koch; E. Vauthier; and Theophile Gignac were all teaching fencing in New York City some time during the 1880s-1890s.
The Fencing Clubs - Salle d'ArmesAccording to the 1896 Appleton's Dictionary of New York and its Vicinity "Fencing is confined generally to a few gymnasiums and the Fencing Club."
The
Fencers Club was established in 1883 on 19 West 24th Street with Hippolyte
Nicolas as its first fencing master. Membership included some high society
names, including Astors and Roosevelts. The Club moved around, eventually
occupying space at 37 West Twenty-second Street and 158 West 23d St., sharing
the building with the Authors’ Club, the haunt of the leading men of letters in
the great metropolis.
Other clubs were associated with gymnasiums, such as the New York Athletic Club, the Manhattan Athletic Club, and the New York Turn Verein. These were often large and fashionable resorts. A description of the Manhattan Athletic Club in 1890 included an impressive gymnasium located on the third floor. Besides gymnastic equipment it had a boxing room, toilet rooms, lounging rooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, a drying room and three needle baths (a bath in which fine jets of water are projected against the body), a running track and a large skylight to provide sufficient light. On the floor above the gymnasium was the dining hall and private dining rooms, the housekeeper's apartments, servant's sleeping apartments, ice-house and storage rooms, laundry, manager's and clerk's room, kitchen, pantry, scullery and service room.
The Amateur Athletic Union originally controlled the sport of fencing. Wanting to get away from it's authority, fencers formed the Amateur Fencers League of America in 1891. Membership was dominated by New York City Fencers, though there were divisions in New England and Nebraska. The organizing meeting was held in New York City with members from the New York Athletic Association, Manhattan Athletic Club, Columbia College Fencing Club, Central Turn Verein, and the Fencers Club.
School Teams
According to the Intercollegiate Fencing Association handbook in 1897 there were four colleges competing in the association – Columbia University, Harvard University, Yale University and the United States Naval Academy. Cornell University joined in 1898. In the original charter they set up an annual competition stating that “Each member of the Association shall send a team composed of three men to the annual tournament and the contests shall be confined to the foils as representing the fine art of swordsmanship.”
Championships
Various championships were held in New York City. The Shaw Cup was a regional club foil contest held annually. There was an intercollegiate Fencing Championship and an Amateur National Fencing Championship. Scoring for foil was often based on touches and form, so that that results were a peculiar score of 306 or something similar.
For
the National Championships in 1897 Charles Bothner of the New York Athletic
Club was champion in Foil, Sabre and Epee. The following year no championships
were held due to the Spanish American War.
1883 Spalding Sporting Equipment Catalogue |
Fencing in the 1890s was more of a pastime or activity, no longer training for the duel (although duels still occurred, and you might approach a fencing master for a special lesson). So the foil, which emphasized form and skill, was the predominant weapon taught at the schools. It was not, however, exclusive. The epee was still referred to as the dueling sword, and coming in to fashion at the end of the 19th century as a sporting weapon, sometimes called a rapier by the public. The saber was transitioning from the heavier robust military weapon to a lighter dueling sword. The heavier saber still had competitive bouts as the broadsword.On the subject of saber fencing, Richard B. Malchien commented in 1893 “Professor Koch, in a conversation, expressed decided views against the use of the point in sabre play, for since we have adopted the light Vienna sabre, with its thin point, there is much danger from thrusting, and I think the Amateur Fencers League should adopt strict rules (to be enforced ) against its use.” Professor Koch also thought that the use of the thrust and arm cuts spoiled the varied play of the saber. According to the AFLA Rules foils and dueling swords were to be 34 inches long, while sabers were 33.
There
is also mention of the practice of the bayonet, sabre vs. bayonet, and
exhibitions of quarter-staff, schlager and la canne.
The dueling sword competition was governed by the same rules as the foil, with the exception that a touch on any part of the body, omitting the fencing hand, would count.
The rules as to saber fencing were the same as above, except that a cut on any part of the body above the waist shall count. Point thrusts were not allowed.
To Chalk or Not to Chalk
The AFLA rules also stated that each competitor shall wear a dark fencing jacket with dark trousers, so that white chalk marks can be easily seen. In the foil contest a fencing belt is also worn, not exceeding four inches in width.Black fencing outfits for chalked scoring
The use of chalk to mark scoring touches was much debated at the time. Foil tips were chalked like a pool cue so that touches could be seen on the black uniform. This method was apparently unique to the United States, and not used in France where traditionally a team of judges would determine if a hit landed and if it was on the target area.
This is described in an article from an 1893 issue of Frenk Leslie's Popular Monthly called "Fencers and the Art of Fencing."
“The
purple velvet and the black cloth uniform worn by the fencers mingled in
picturesque profusion, and were the objects of much admiration to the many
ladies present; but the white uniform, which is decidedly the handsomest of
all, was noticeably absent, owing to the fact that the points were to be
counted by chalk tips on the foils, which leave a white spot on the dark
fencing jackets when a touch is made.”
In
1894 the AFLA met to debate the use of chalk. “The present rules of judging by
means of chalked foils and black jackets, the judges being two, with one
umpire, have the drawback that the attention of the judges is so fixed on
watching for the tell-tale mark of the chalk on the jacket that they do not pay
enough attention to the fencer’s style and form. On the other hand the method
employed in the recent intercollegiate tournament at the Racquet Club, in which
white jackets were used and the foils were not chalked has just the opposite
weakness. Judges give too much attention to form and fail to allow enough
importance to points.”
By
1895 Edward Breck announced in Outing Magazine that they would be revising the
rules.
“it
is safe to say that the chalked foil-button and its attendant, the broom-brush,
will become ancient history, and a point will be considered just as good when
made on the left side of the body as on the right. In the future, style, method
and position will justly count for more than they have in the past.”
Women did fence, but there
were no competitions for women. The general opinion (amongst men) was that it
was an opportunity to amuse themselves and become a more attractive woman.
The article continues “The
fact that in a generous use of the foil lies an awkward woman's chance to
become graceful will have its due weight. Women who fence much believe that no
other form of exercise tends so materially to improve their personal
appearance. A systematic course of instruction in the art, followed by a
moderate adherence to practice, develops the finer lines of a woman's figure,
tempers all the muscles of her body, strengthens her arms and legs, and gives her
lightness of step, grace of movement, and perfect poise and ease of bearing.”
“She is making our
wives and daughters honestly believe,” so they say, “that no woman who does not
fence can be either healthy, graceful, or beautiful.”
Here was an opportunity
for the fencing masters to add students and income.
“Most often the room is
in the basement of the house, where a firm foundation for the stamping of
fighting feet may be assured. Where space is limited, the billiard room is the
only place suited for a salle d'armes. In such homes, man has had to sacrifice
his after dinner amusement.”
The outfit is described
in a New York Times article of 1897 called “Fencing Now Society’s Fad”.
“Most young women who
fence wear the bloomer costume. Some few still cling to the plaited skirt that
reaches just below the knee. With the latter are worn a loose-fitting jacket,
buttoning down the left side, silk stockings, and heelless shoes. Of course, in
addition to the dress itself, is worn the regular fencing outfit of plastron (or
body shield), padded gauntlet gloves, and centaurs (elastic belts).”
The fencing costume from a New York Times 1897 article |
This would soon be
refuted by women such as Toupie Lowther (1874-1944), a British tennis player
and fencer, who insisted she could compete with any man, and was willing to
challenge the men to defend her assertion.
Toupie Lowther |