The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-07
Dishonest Markers.
THE SCANDAL THAT HAS FALLEN UPON VIM
BIED0N.

THE SCANDAL THAT HAS FALLEN UPON WIN
BLEDON.
"A correspondent writing from London
SAYS: A serious scandal has fallen upon thu
camp at Wimbledon. The matter came
before the council yesterday. 1t has been
suggested more than once during this years
meetings that it might be possible TO tanpei
with the markers. and thus obtain large
scores by fraud. The question was mooted
to the committee with view TO elicitine
their opinion. The official reply was that
there is no possibility OF such thing taking
place. A certain famous rifle-shot, how
ever, belonging TO a Middlesex corps, re-
solved to test the honesty OF The markers and
the possibility Of scoring marks lie did not
really obtain. On Thursday be informed
the committee OF bis intention, and stated
that he should obtain high score for the
Olympic prize, though be was not qualified
TO take it. In order 10 upset any such ar.
rangenent as that indicated. the committee
resbuffied the whole Of the competitors fol
the Olympic prize, but the MiddleseX shot
and another rineman of dis,iDe euished repu-
talion land a member of the c0unciD still
remained at the target to which they had
been originally assigned.
The MiddleseX shooter informed his COM
petitor OF the state OF affairs. and asked to
be allowed TO fire first. He did so, and the
result was rapid succession of bulPs-eyes
and inners duly signalled and recorded,
making total OF 46 out OF q possible 30.
The distance was 600 yards, the weapon a
Snider. The next highest score was 40. A
friend of the MiddleseX rfleman, who was
in the secret, looked on. He says that one
OF the misses was sgnaled as bulfs-eye.
mi, a. do no bad of ma la
the reported score. lie went straightway
and reported the matter to the committee.
His friend and several competitors then
went to the target TO see the hits. Fresh
canvas had not. however, been put up that
morning. 1t was therefore impossible to
say exactly what the shooting bad been.
They took, nevertheless, a register Of all the
hits that were shown and handed it TO the
committee, suggesting that they should as
certain when the last new canvas was put
on the target, and compare all the squad
ding cards" handed in since that time with
the present registers OF the hits remaining
in the target.
The council have the affiir under con-
sideration, and 1t has cast gloom over the
entire camp. IL was painful Yesterday tO
see men going about with settled express
sion OF disgust, not to say despair, on theiI
faces. The uprightness and honesty, thf
openness and manlness, which has always
been associated with the Wimbledon rifle
competitions being questioned, Is as II
blight had fallen upon the entire volunteer
force. No sadder or more regretable sean
dal has ever cropped up in the history oi
English sports and pasimes. The trouble
is felt all the more keenly on account OF the
presence OF q number OF marksmen from
the United States and Canada. These com
petItors from the other side OF the Atlantic
have carried off laureIs. 1t is true, but they
have not been anything like so successful a:
they hoped to be.
IL the cases where they were beaten the!
will be pardoned now for suspecting fou
play, while some OF the prize-winners who
are 10 take their trophies from the hands o.
the Princess OF Wales will feel themseIve:
IN very unenviable positions. In the sOssI
OF the camps names are mentioned in con
nection With the fraud, and 1t is expected
that the committee Will have to extend tbeil
inquiries far beyond the limits OF the com
petition for the Olympic prIze. The Ameri
can team, consisting OF Mr.. +. Hyde, DR.. :
C.. Scott, Mr.. j. f. Brown, Mr.. w. Gerrish
Dr. Dudley, Mr.. NJ. W. Farrow, Mr.. Laird
and Captain Jackson. with Mr.. III. Il. Rock
well as reserve, have been warmly received
In camp.