STADIUM. SENSATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 10

STADIUM. SENSATION.

! DEPLORABLE.INCIDENT. AMERICAN RUNNER DISQUALIFIED. Tho London "Daily Nows" of July 24 states: —

The fierco rivalry which has throughout tho. Olympic Games existed between tho athletes and tho spectators of tho United Kingdom' and the United States at the Stadium last evening' led to,' perhaps, the most regrettable scene over witnessed on a British sports enclosure. The largo American team of athletes who came to this country- in cliargo of Mr. • "Watty" Halpiii liavo mado no secret of tho fact that they ineant to "sweep tho board" in tho events for which thoy had specialised mouths of hard training. Up to dato they...have, accomplished many magnificent performances,' and recorded several triumphs, but they liavo not had matters all their, own way, and only on Wednesday lost the most coveted race of _ all, the ono hundred, metres sprint, to a njneteen years old South .African boy. Earlier yesterday afternoon they had once more their colours lowered in tho two hundred metres race, this tinio by a Canadian. .In that event the rivalry was very keen, but the greatest oxcitoment was reserved for tho four hundred metres race, in which three Americans wero out to beat Lieutenant Halswelle, of Edinburgh, Britain's only surviving representative. Halswollo had achicvccr the fastest times in the qualifying heats, and-in this country at least was a hot favourite., American enthusiasts, however, who have monopolised one stand at the Stadium, were unaccountably confident of ono, of their men de-feating-Halswelle. ■.■ ■■ ... Strango rumours had, been afloat as to what would transpire during the race, but these wore given, no credence- amongst, British sportsmen, and whon -the four finalists-. took up their positions at. the starting • point- a "fair and square" race was looked forward to. When, therefore, tho race had proceeded little moro than half-wav, and tho umpires, wljo were stationed at snort intervals round tho oval, were seen excitedly rushing on to tho track. waving their hands in signal to tho_ judges at tho finishing post, an extraordinary sceno followed. Forty or fifty yards before the four competitors reached tho winning post the judges broko the tape and yelled, "No race." J. C. Carpenter (United I StatcsV finished first, W. C. Robbins (United States) sccond, W. Halswelle (United Kingdom) third, and -J, B. Taylor, tho American Indian last. Meanwhilo, tho "No raco" announcement was made to tho thousands of onlookers in -large letters on the 'results board. V. ;■ ; A GRAVE ACCUSATION.

All ;.was confusion, hundreds of ' officials rushed to the bend in tho track before the finishing straight, photographs irero quickly taken at the spot of-tho footprints of tho four runnors, who joined in the babble of conversation which was going on at tho spot. The explanation was obvious only to tho comparative few, but as thero were upwards of thirty thousand people present that comparative few meant overwhelming eridonco of the gravity of tho accusation which was already levelled against one of the American competitors. The judges immediately sat as a tribunal in tho Garden Club, and evidence of umpires and othor disinterested witnesses of what had occurred was taken. Though tho incident took place at 5.30, tho verdict was not communicated to tho awaiting army of pressmen until nearly • eight o'clock, as follows:— "The judges have decided that ihsirace , js void,' and order the samo. to be. run in (i.e., ?betwoen) strings on - Saturday ■ noon, .twolvo o'clock. J. C. Carpenter is disqualified." ■ : Tho facts are that whether intentionally or otherwiso Halswello was "bored" by Carpenter •so glaringly during the race that the umpires had no alternative but to signal their disapproval ''to the* judges'. v At tho start Oarponter had the'inside position, tho order to his right being Halswalle, Rabbins, and Taylor. " Tho last named got away badly, and was out of the race to'the finish. Half-' way from the first bend 'Bobbins led, with Carpenter' second and Halswelle third, tho trio, at that point having maintained their, positions fairly well as to direction. From .that point' Oarponter and Halswelle gained upon Bobbins, with Halswollo decreasing tho distance between himself and Carpenter. '' ANGRY SCENE.

Coming .round, tho last: bend into tho home straight, # , .Carpenter, especially as Jio .-still led Halswelle, ;.w0.u1d : ... apparently- -, havo- best chance by, sticking tho. insido .position,-but accidentally-or .otherwise ■ho ran-clean into Halswello's course, and forced the . Scotchman on -to the extreme, edgo of the outer track. the umpiros were signalling to tho judges, but tho " boring " still-went on, oven after the tapo had boon brokon by the officials. The competitors, of course, continued to tho end, but Halsirolle slowed down, and finished'third to Carpenter' and Robbms. Tho foul appeared to tho onlookers to be. deliberate; and aroused angry cries, which- were turned' into 'vociferous cheers when the raco was declared void. It' 'r ,^ le^ s ? ai 7 'te explain ■ that, as Carpenter drifted into Halswello's course, Robbms diishcd into tho inside position. Halswelle was undoubtedly knocked completely' out of his stride, and one of the two Amoricans iyas bound to finish first. Tho foul, unintentional op not, was most palpable.' It is stated that a medical man afterwards examined Halswolle; and "found his' chest slightly bruised-wheTe ho had beoh'elbowed:" The official account of the incident 'statcd that ' C&'rpentor ran wide, elbowing - Halswello." ' -■ " '. ■■••••

Tho scene which followed was an amazing one. Largo groups of Americans rushed across tho arena alleging that they 'wero nover intended to win, whilst on tho other hand British spectators denounced the raco as an American fraud. Our representative interviewed several officials, who, whilst' desiring that their names should not bo given wero emphatic in their denunciation of' CarThe American • version is best stated by Mr. Halpin, -the team,manager, who said, "It was a haTd race, and all-wero out to win. Our boys had instructions that the, best of them had to go for •first place, but that tho best man •in the Carpentor' no doubt swerved a httjo bit at tho corner, but ho was far enough ahead to go on any part of, tho track ho liked. Ho was two strides .ahead, and that is, far enough in any raoo. If Halswollo had, not room enough to pass him on tho outside hp had room on tho inside " Ajid then, sarcastically, Mr. Halpin added, "It was Mr. .Balswelle's race. - Tho crowd was bigger than any other day, and. it was llalswello s day." Immediately tho decision of tho judges was announced Mr. J. E. Sullivan lodged a protest against it on behalf of the American Athlptio Association, and it is possiblo the matter may bo referred to the Councilof tho British Olympic Association. Our representative's irrovooablo opinion is that Halswelle was so badly fouled that he had no possible olianco of winning. Tho fact that -Carpenter had the best position (inside) at the start, and finished, up on tho outside, is proof conclusivo ■ of a technical foul.

"A mild sensation ha 3 boon occasioned among, tho learned by the oloction to .the presidency of tho Society on Antiquaries of the present secretary. Mr. Charles Hercules Read who dofeatcrl Sir Henry Howorth by a narrow majority," says tho " Westminster." '< Tho new president was nob cducatod at any publie school or university, but ho is a savant of encyclopaedic erudition, who seems associated with almnst' every known and unknown society of anthropologists, numismatists, or archaeologists. He has boon connected with the staff of the British Museum for nearly 30 years, and is_at present keeper of tho British and Medieval Antiquities. Rather comically, Mr. Read, as president of tho Society of Antiquaries, will bo a trustco of the British Museum, and thus becomes tho official superior of his own colleagues, and even of the director!" ■ .For Children's Haakinj; Congh' at night. Wood's Great Peppermint Cure, Is. od."nna 2s 8(1, CBl