The New York herald., 1874-08-21
The OCEAN SWIMMING MATCH.
Large Gathering Of Spectators a
Long Branch.
PRACTICE OF THE CONTESTANTS
Fair Ladies Gambling on the
Result.
LONG BRANCH. August 90, 1874

morning OF the contestants IN the great interna-
tional swimming match have caused much ex'
citement down here, and many who were hereto
fore indifferent to the race are now quite awake
to its Importance.
There is general dividing OF parties, or better,
the different sympatnies are assuming shape. On
one side are ranged the ladies OF the "Red-white-
and-blue," order, on the otner the English ladies
and gents and American "dou't cares.n Pork
herders' sons with English drawls and well bred
American youths, who carry umbrellas rain or
shine, and whose clothes don't At them accord
ting to the English style) are arrayed
on the other side. The tricolored female
party who think Andy ''perfect dear'' have their
train Of male followers who not only speak pho
neticaiy but financially their opinions as to the
result. The fact is things are getting lively to an
interesting degree The ladies' Of the dinerent
factions meet on the balconies and on the beach,
and IL is truly interesting to hear their pretty
prattlc as to the relative merits Of the men. All
the New York and Boston girls are loud In their
eloquent approvals Of Andy, while the Phiiadel-
phia ladies at HOwlands think Johnson much the
finer man. Lots OF kid gloves VIII change hands
on the result OF the race. l use "change hands"
atvisedly, 1t is not to be supposed they VIII be
soiled when won. Men at the Ocean House who
have been in favor of Johnson are now stigma
tized with feminine nuency as "real mean. horrid
have been here for some time. Among the newcom-
ers things are different Among the last mentioned
voci1erous apparel VINO Is to be seen at all races.
His SHIRT Is unspeakabiy white, MS neckue elo.
quently loud, hls coat declamatory IN cut ana
color and his pants two very exclamation points.
He struts up and down the piazza chewing AZ tne
end OF cigar, which seems to lead HIM TO and iro-
He Is an abomnatiOn OF the most emphatic sort,
and continually insists on telling you now much ne
made or lost last week at Saratoga and how ne
.came out q wee anead.n one is not done with
this wretch alter the piazza is deserted He goes
to the bar and retlres at about one A. M. he Is IN
your corridor, and you can hear him with his lock
and Key, as though he were safe deposit COM
ccs and IN nee ne He on
piazza in the morning and talks about Jack and
"Andy' as though he knew them for twenty years
them. Now and then he treats the ladies to
smile, which they meet with wel.bred stare,
when the young man is at loss to interpret.
The man OF black mustache, keen eye and dia-
mond shirt pin is also here; He preserves that
the cabalistlc 4, H. A. He says nothing, but takes
the ODDS either way. At meal times he goes
his his repast in four rti and tnree-quarter minutes
The youth hereinoeore spoken OF leases him OF
black mustaohes even as does ny al horse.
INTERVIEW WITH BEN WHITMAN.
This morning as / was going to the depot / met
Ben Whiteman who, being In no particular hurry,
ACCOMPANIED me to my destination: during our
conversation | learned some particulars which
said .how w about this $4,000
THAT" said he 'is the rule in the race. have
heard Of nothing Tor the second man."
Then the second man who comes In gets moth
ing but his defeat for his laborY'
That's all that know Of But oy the way,
was thinking that purse might be made up lor
Ocean Houses would be able and Wiling to get up
some money Tor the loser. But it won't look good
for me to go and head a subscription for any OF
the men, because people Will then say that l am
collecting ior my man."
think your man win want the money subscriD-
tiony"
was going TO lose would be the last one IN the world
to get up subscription for MIN OF few hundred
dollars. He would not like it. Besides, he intends
to get the $1,000 and the subscription VIII 90 TO
the professional whose time has been spent here,
and VINO PERHAPS wants IL more tnan Andy"
NO. IL is not opened on paper vet, but have
already the promise OF ABOUT $780,"
The subscription win be opened at the Mansion
House Tomorrow (FrIday, August 2D, and IL is
hoped tnat the visitors at the Branch will display
their customary generosity and make up a re-
spectacle purse for the losing man.
ANOTHER TALK WITH JOHNSON.
AS AS walked out OF the breakfast han this morn
ing heard some one cry, 81 say sir f'' and, turn
ing round. there stood Johnson
''What Is there new this morning, Jack ~ said l.
"NOthlng AT all tnat know Of; but was about
to suggest that you have said so much about my
medals you might as well mention one which you
have not seen.n
inquired why it had not been shown me- and
Johnson said 1t would have been impossible to do
that, as he had lost The particular medal to which
lie referred. The medal was attached to his
watch guard, and was lost on Thursday night some
place In Long Branch. 1t is OF no earthly use to
any one who may find it, so Mr. Johnson, who
thinks great deal about IL, woud be obliged to
the finder Tor the return OF the trinket to him at
the Ocean Hotel, Long Branch
He says, "Maybe some ny person was at my
cham; II so Will give reward for its return.
Any one who is honest can see by the engraving
VINO II belongs to, ana as 1t has not been returned
think IL was stolen.'
Some one about the hotel has seen Chrlstol
Andre, the mysterious Prenchman, about the
beach, and 1t Is probable, Notwithstanding his
sertlon 10 the contrary that he Will do the feat
laid out for Johnson and Trautz on Saturday
next
At twelve noon Johnson and Trautz went on the
beach. and ten minutes later were the water.
They remained in two hours, after which they had
a light lunch and long walk. Both are very hope
ul and expect TO win the race. The weather Is
very pleasant to-day, but exceedingly warm. The
thermometer indicated ninety-lour degrees 1T
noon.