The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-08
"BoGARDUS,s WONDERFUL FEAnY
AN Explicit Charge that there wa. Fraud n,
the Recent Match.

the Recent Match.
Eion N. spiriofhe Tine.
Our readers have remarked that the Spj,3
did not publish any report of Capt. Bogarius's
curiosity has boon aroused as to our rcasons
for ignoring such n performance. We were
tcmptiblc swindlc. unwqrthy a record among
honest performances. Wo did not promptlv
tell the true story. Of the balls because there
were connected with tho scheme in more ~
less official capacity. persons whom VIZ o.
termed honest men and who knew tho real
to- EXPOSE tho fraud and clear their own skirts
from Shame. our confidence in the honest
manlincss ol thcsc men has boon misplaced.
and we Therefore open the windows and let in
the sunlight ON BOgurlus and his tricks
This alleged match was advertised rs follows;
cant A Il ponrlns. iic cha9nion wing shot Of Tho
Ilc lets on even mat hr w hrcaS 900 viassb1n,
break coo ont Il Ia AND he lets siio ssaa.tsinn5
that hc will LrcaN aiw without miss balls 70 10
with unparalleled drcacy, tho capitalist who
wngcrcd this $4,000 aJuinst Bogardus cOneoned
his name. being the first American on record
who posscsscd ut once so much money and 40
much modesty. This was merely an ndyer
Using dodge. intended To gull the uninitiated
into visiting the show under the belief that tho
affair was n genuine match and that the hacker
Of the balls would see that the performance
was carefully watched and correctly judged and
Tho published articles stipulato Is yards rlse
but the distance between trap and shooter wns
10y nrtunl measurement. only ii yards feet A
none Of tho officials objected to this shrinknro
Of distance. we may presume that tho million.
afro who was betting Tho hypothetical $4,000
would have kept similnr silenc0 IL each ball Ind
been held only six inches from the muzzle Of
the gun.
The glnss balls were manufactured in Brook.
Ign. and GOOO OF them wero broken IT the fac
tory before being sent to the Garden Tho
wOfkmcn were instructed TO crack on the necks
Of the balls with pi1cers before packing hem
The barrels filled with those prepared balls
received peculiar mark. So that they could bo
distinguished from the genuine article. ani q
supply Of each brand was duly delivered a. he
Gnrdcn. Tho neat pyramids Of glittcring glass
which ornamcnted the vcsthnle and cntraness
We're not II tho hrokon. neckcd variety. and 4
few barrels OF sound spheres were scattered
around for the inspection Of the curious. But
tie barrels which wore rolled into tho charmed
circle, and from which the attendants charged
tho traps, NIL bore the peculiar y mark o. viii
lhiny. When ban was missed. 1t was picked
and snid: See. the neck is broken here; tally
ono for Bogardus."
Tho Bro0klvn workmen who had handled IN.
pinccrs freely discussed such Unusual enplov.
mcnt among themselves and with outsiders.
whence 10 happened tdnt several centleren
went 10 the show with full knowledge Of the in
tended fraud, and amused themselves by watri-
ing the childiike and bland air with whlcn tle
chief actor hlazed away at the alrendy bros'n
glassware. Actuated by q spirit ot pure MS
chief. they periodically asked permission taeH-
anime the balls. and insisted upon doing 81. 'ui
were first rcbuflrd 10y warnings of the greet
danger Of being shot. and finally kent ~ u ~
spectful distance from the balls bv the sirorg
arm Of the finest police in the world Ihs
conspiraors hecHme alarmed ut these reIn'afsl
questions. and near The dose ~ tho D.. IorirlnNs
a barrel OF genuine balls was openod ANA ihr
spectators Ostentatiouaiy invited to insp..t
mem Inc contents oi ms hnrr'l, aboIl -
balls. werc used Jointly hy BOgnrdus and Eeiu-
man, and Of tho 100 or l2j shot at by Bogarics
he missed or 10.
Expert judges who watched all the shooting
and kept private tallies for their own nnuSs-
ment. estimate the number missed by BogaciGs
during the two days rs averaging four per lJl
or $40 out OF the 5000. The improbable record
Of $3.50 consecutive shots without n miss cl4al-
lengei the attention 81 all Intelligent men. and
led them - suspect the existing deception
Dr. B. Talbot. who attended the traps. could
hardly have boon ignorant Of the trickery. The
scorer. T. G. Banks. has little reason N con-
gratulnte himself on acuteness OF perception
If Miles johnson. tho rcfcrce WINS not party
20 this fraud. he Is tins phenomenal fool u the
age. and should have had his head trepanned
and some brains injected through n syringe.
Capt Adam ~. Bogardus Is "A remarkable man.
and has proved his superiority Us n wing shot
in many contests on either side Of the Atlantic.
lie can always make money honestly and easily
by genuine matches or exhibitions. ana II is
wonderful that he should stoop to sell himself
for very few dollars II ne is not nj heart
honest and manly. he should at least have sum.
cient professional pride 10 keep the records OF
his fnNorite gnme FREQ from fraud.
We ARE not Informed rs TO the amount OF pool
selling on this AMIR, but those who really lost
their money by bctting against Bogardus vere
robbed. not beatrn. and have both moral and
legal right to demand restitution. Our personal
sympathy goes out strongly toward tint mysos-
rious Rothschild who made the supposed match
and must by its terms have lost 81 900 IL ha
will file with us sworn proofs Of his loss. we VII
put him in way to regain his money.
Tho unmasking Of this gigantic fraud was An
unpleasant duty. and has been done WITHOUT
fenr or prejudice. We know whereof va
speak, and II any Of the culprits dare dispgie
respectable and responsible witnesses who viii
swear 10 the truth.