The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-18
WAS COURTNEY PoIsoNEDa

l w 40 OOON4 ~ Z 1O~~>~~~
WHAT THE NEPTUNE CLUB MEN THINK ABOUT
THIS SUDDEN SICKNESS AN OLD EXCUSE
WAS HE FRIGHTENED By his OWN HACKERS
Among sporting men, 90 wol tho public In
general, the great hzzlc at Greenwood Lake
on last Saturday is still absorbing topic
1 Of conversation. and tho theories that arc
advanced to explain It are about many and a.
totally diforont the colors OF tho chameleon.
Hardly any two persons VIII DO found 10 agreo
upon ono explanation. While the friends OF
| Courtney maintain that their champion was
really poisoned, the friends Of Riley ON the
other hand stouty that the assertion is utterly
without foundation. In many OF the leading nowspa-
pers the imputation has been covertly fastened upon
Riley and his friends that the sudden sickness of
Courtney WAS brought about by their connivsnce
NEPTUNE SAY.
A largo number OF the Neptune were found last
evening tho piazza OF their beautiful boat house at
Staten Island, and with them the reporter en-
tered into conversation. In their remarks they
very charitable, not oven attempting
TO say anything TINT would reflect upon tho
honesty Of the Union Springs oarsman. They
spoke OF tho azzlc as a dcporabe occurrence.
and avcrred that, deeply Courtnoy's friends might
deplore It,. they deporsd IL still more, since 1t had
resulted IN questionable victory for thor cham
II Courtney had rowed, would have resulted in
Rncy's favor. As far rs Courtney's offer was con-
ccrned, that he was willing to Riley for any sum
from 81. 900 to $40. 900, tho Neptune mon said that
Courtney was fully aware that such match
could never be arranged, rs Riley did
not want to and would not, under any con-
sderation, row for money This reply was even made
10 Courtney by Riley last saturday Riley saying
~ will not row you tor dollar. Courtney but" pick
ing up small peco Of blue ribbon that happened TO
be lying tho ground near where they were
talking, 81 , WY row you for that , piece
1t very singular, however, that cvory which was
arranged between Riley and Courtney had always
fallen through account OF accident which
seemed TO bctall Courtney ut tho wrong moment aud
| ply the tool OF some unprincipcd persons
WHAT THE SEPTUNEs PRESIDENT SAYS.
Tho reporter next interviewed Mr.. Nicholas G.
| Miller, president OF tho Neptune Boat Oluh 81
hardly know what to say III The mattcr,' sad Mr..
Miller, except to relute the absurd stories that
from beginning to end tho assertion that Courtney
was poisoned II no was poisoned az all through tho
cause simply impossible for any Of them 10 do
such thing, since mono OF them were at tho
Neither could thoy have uriDod Mr.. George
| TO poison tho tea, for that gentleman would
BY perpetrat'ng such cowsrdly act. The story Of
the poisoning therefore, Is but tissue OF base and
malicious los and Is Cotton UP solely Tor the purpose
public and firmly convinced are the members OF the
| Neptune Boat Club that this Is no more than mere
tale that they have determined to Offer reward OF $500
for any testimony that may lead 10 the apprehension
and conviction OF tho party or parties engaged in tho
| alleged poisoning Another story which has been
pretty freely circulated the enect that tho Ncp-
tune treated Courtney with disrcspect and hootcd
at him. Now, this IS not On the contrary, we
treated him with every courtesy even extending 70 MIN
the hosptaltIes OF our special car II Is true thoro
was considerable noise on tho train coming home but
Vraa nsinun " n IN q mn
| seated themselves In the corner OF one OF
tho cars, and who wore amusing themselves by
singing college songs When Courtney left the train at
Newark, no groaned ut, but not by any member OF
tho Neptune Club, for the parties who did ~ and
rowd,es and vagauonds. They were certainly not
friends Of tho Neptune Club, for such friends as
our category. As far as Courtney's statement
ccrned that we had held out false representations TO
Greenwood Lake, will only say thut hc is mis-
taken. We represented tham just us they are
and up to last SATURDAY he repeatedly declared that
not ho had but to INFORM and we would have done
anything and everything that he wished"
! Mr.. Miller then informed the reporter OF
tion which he had mad with Mr.. Charles H. Tent
tho latter gentleman positively avorred that Court.
ney had icigned sickness us pretence
Mr. Tois told Mr. Miller that there are two parties in
| Union Springs, who are both friends OF Courtney.
Ono OF these parties backed Courtney to win, while
| him TO loso This leaked out, and the former
party thcrcupon informed Courtney that II he
entered that race and lost 1t without making good
Tight they would kill him IN his boat Between these
two influences Courtney was undecided. beyond a
doubt how to act and he therefore determined TO let
the raco end n walk over for Riley.
| 'sWe don't want" said another Neptune man, ITO
| throw DIRT on Courtney, but We must say there
| some remarkable condolences In all this.
| In 1873, when he matched TO
| Riley his boat broken IN unaccountabe
manner during the night preceding the day OF the
| ln 1874 no was TOO SICK to- row Riley, yet
| the very day before that set apart Tor this race
| no pulled N double scull race In 1876 he pro-
tested against Riley taking part In the Saratoga
regatta, although he had previously siven his word OF
| honor gentleman and an oarsman that he would
not do In 1876 he said ho was suffering from
| with Riley no pulled double scull with
Yates, OF Yale College and mado tho fastest double
| scul time record Now people say what.thcy
! have mind to- but tue fact OF the matter Is that
Charley Courtney Is afraid to row jim Riley"
| On Tuesday afternoon Mr.. Alfred II. vernam,
Newark and interviewed Dr. 0Icott, the physician
| who had attended Courtney whlo he was
| SICK To Mr.. Vernam Dr. O.cott declared
! that there was nothing at al the matter
with Courtney that II he had boon poisoned 1t would
have been utter impossbtlity for HIM to live iour
! paragorc Mr. vcrnam also fatty contra
| diets Courtney's statement about the vomiting.
| declaring that the very gentlemen whom Courtney
had named tho witnesses Of his vomiting had after
ward denied, the most unequvocal language, that
! they had ever seen anything OF the kind.
As Tor Riley, his friends speak OF him as manly,
honest, straightforward young follow, who Is enrap-
tured with rowing and simply follows 1t for the plesnre
| In affords him.