The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-06
THE PIGEON SWEEPSTAKES POSTPONED.
Don Quixote Defends the Dovscote-Hr Bsrgh
Appears by Proxy-Mr. Smith and His Fol
lowers Throw Themselves in the
Deadly Breach and Prevent
Feather Being Ruled
] am Sir Oracle,
L ma lis,a n dor hank --.&haAasleaIa

am Sir Oracle
And when ope my lips let no dog park.-SnaApears
Henry Bergh, the greaE humantaran-the great
President Of the Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to Animsls-sne great reformer-the great
1--WE leave the blank to be filed by the mem
bers OF all the shooting clubs In the country and
by spOrtsmen generally who are fond OF traps ana
triggersl once more put stop to advertised pigeon
shooting In Westchester county. He succeeded on
this occasion, no DOUBT, TO his he arts desire, as
about TWO hundred gentlemen had congregated &C
Fleetwood PARK yesterday morning to witness
grand display OF and Skill In sweepstakes
between eleven gentlemen who are considered the
best shots on the wing In the land. all OF whom were
doomed to DISAPPOINTMENT.
The sweepstakes was for silver pitcher ana two
SILVER cups; twenty-five yards rise, eighty yards
boundary, with one and half ounce shot. The
entries for the stakes numbered eleven. These
were Ira A. PANE OF New York; Horace Ramsey,
OF New York; John Rumsey, OF New York; b. L.
Deforest, Of New York; A. H. Bogardus, OF Illinois,
Robert Newall, OF Bunalo; william Carson, Of
Philadelphia; Niles Johnson Of New Jersey; d. W.
Tinker, OF Providence; George smith, OF Buffalo,
and e. b. Hamblet0n, of Buffalo.
These gentlemen took the nalf.past niue A. n.
Harlem tram, and,' stopping st Melrose station,
with guns and traps In hand, trudged aayy through
mud and susn to Fleetwood Park. Never was
seen moro joyous or lfghthearted party OF sports
men. The scene soon changed, however, as the
gentlemen had hardly time to "wet their
whistles" before o wagon loaded with police
men. with Sergeant Bprague at the front,
were deserted coming through the gates and NOV
ing in the direction OF the club house. The police
men soon alghted, and, comipg on the porch. threw
themselves loosely about Their presence beto-
kened mischief, and forebodings Of disappointment
began to be Druited among the previously hilarious
sportsmen.
One OF the gentlemen present ventured the int r
rogatory Of what could DO the business Of the po-
ncemen at that quiet and retired place. and was
answered by Sergeant Sprague that he did not OK.
actly know. Ali that he could say was that he mad
been detailed by his superior officer to repair with
force 70 Fleetwood Park and there await orders
from Mr.. Bergh, who, he expected, would be ON the
ground to meet him at eleven O'Clock.
The dreaded name Of Bergh at once threw o
damper the spirits and prospects Of the gentle
men, and they began TO discuss the probabilities OF
his interference ana the possibility Of postpone
ment Of the sweepstakes. Some OF the professional
pigeon shooters waxed wroth and after some loud
swearing, together win some encouraging advice
from few OF the members Of the Jerome Shooting
CLUB, Notwithstanding the presence OF the police
men, began making the preliminary preparations
for the shooting. The pigeons were taken down to
the neld In GOODS; then the ground was measured
and the traps arranged; several tables for the
loading utensils and seats for scorers, judges, ref
erees and reporters were placed In the mud around
the "base," where the firing had to be done, and
then the gentlemen entered Tor the sweepstakes.
followed by the crowd, marched down to the tryst~
ing place. aa
Before lots had been cast for the ORDER Of shoot
ing, however Ten oficers In uniform, with club on
one hip and . revolver on the other, crossed the
track and entered the field at the lower entrance,
while Mr. Smith, OF Mr. Berghs stan, with ten fol-
lowers OF the same corps, In citizens Dress bore
down from the upper entrance and marched to tho
front. A bombshell IN q magazine could not have,
created greater CONSERVATION among some OF the
gentlemen present, particularly those from dis
lance, than the appearance Of these stawart con-
serva.ors OF the peace.
The generalissimo OF the gang-Mr. Smith, the
proxy OF Mr.. Bergn-then came forward, and, show.
ing badge on his breast, In q mild ana delicate
voice said that Mr.. Bergh had deputized hun to
attend the Fleetwood Park stop the shooting OF
pigeons, If any attempt should be made do so by
the parties there congregated together. This an
nouncement nettled several Of the gentlemen be-
longing to the Jerome Shooting Club and they
made rush for Smith. to know what right he had
to come there to interfere with their amusement,
and what he intended TO do In case no attention
was paid to his orders. They wanted particularly
to know II ne meant to MAKE arrests In case the
sweepstakes shooting began. Mr.. Smith was non
c0mmtta for some time He at length, however
told his inerrogators that ne had been sent there to
stop pigeon shooting, and that he intended to do
his duty, let the consequences be what they would.
Mr.. FoulKe then said he would make Smith show
his hand pretty quickly, and then they would be
able to find out how far he would go. Mr.. Foulke
ordered pigeon put In the trap. and the same
being sprung the bird was killed. This movement,
however, did not have any eject on Mr.. Smith; he
merely consulted with his men about the event OF
the day-the sweepstaKes-and the way of prevent
ing its taking place. Mr.. Foulke begged Mr.. Smith
to arrest him. but the latter would not oblige him.
saying that he die not come there to make arrests
but to prevent the match or sweepstakes from
coming Cd. and that he was bound to do at all
hazards.
Some OF the gentlemen present now began to
def the power Of Smith and his followers while
others clamored for the gentlemen having the man.
agement Of the sweepstakes to 60 on with it. The
FonIke again took up his gun for a commencement
o. the sport when Smith and sergeant sprague. al
the head or their corps, marched into line between
the traps and the place 70 shoot from,
The imminent and deadly breach,
ana notified the congregation that they would stay
should be made to violate the law ''
~ parley then took place between Ira Paine. Mr..
TX ane M
Bergh had given promise that ne would not inter-
iere with any match or stake that might be shot in
the county OF New York. as 1t was his intention TO
bring the parties engaged In the violation OF the
law before court OF justice, ana where would be
convenient for MIN to attend to the prosecution OF
the persons arrested; that Mr.. Bergh would not
make arrests IN Westchester or any other county
away from New York. but that he would nave
police force at outortne. way places to stop anv
Mr.. Paine then asked Mr.. Smith whether he would
be interfered with should he shoot his match with
bogardus az BertolPs. MI. Smith again said that
there would be no gtoppage 70 any shooting that
might take place in New York county until the ques
ton Is settled as 10 the legality OF pigeon shooting
had been decided In q court OF law.
As the above decision was thought to be Q triumph
Dy some OF the persons present, the gentlemen en-
gaRed IN the sweepstakes were invited to take up
their traps and assemble at the club house. where
they held an Informal meeting and decided to have
Pane and Bogardus shoot their matches today at