Hi all,

I'm new to this group, doing research for an article. Can anyone
here help me with the following:

I'm familiar with Les Apaches (Parisian street fighters at the turn
of the last century,) and with the Apache dance style which mimicked
their combat style. I've also seen several 1890s self-defence
manuals that refer to "dirty tricks" such as the use of the
knife, "hooding" an opponent with a jacket or cape, etc. as "Apache
techniques."

"Panache" seems to refer to the same type or class of techniques; was
this style created recently as an evolution/adaptation of the Apache
tricks, or is it a different thing altogether?

I'm also trying to source 1890s graphics or descriptions of the use
of the cape/cloak/coat in self-defence, and will be grateful if
someone can point me in the right direction.

Can anyone confirm that this type of technique was employed by French
police around 1900, and that this is the origin of the slang term for
police, "le flic" (as in "flicking" a coat over a suspect's head to
subdue them?)

Many thanks,

Tony Wolf