Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-28
LANCE AGAINST SABRE.
The Unusual ana Perhaps Deadly Com.
bat Between Ross and Jennings.


From tie san Francisco Chronicle.
The announcement OF a trial Of skill of
lance and sabre between Capt. Z. y. Jen-
nings, formerly of Her Britannia Majes-
tvs service. and Duncan c. Ross, the
weu.known athlete, attracted a large
crowd to Central Park yesterday. The
arrangement was that both should be
mounted, Jennings to use a lance and
Ross to swing the sabre. Twenty-one
points constituted the match, and the win
ner of the first Il was to be declared the
successful competitor. At a little before
4o'clOck both men appeared, clad in the
regulation armor. THIS consists Of a
steel culrass, buckled on both sides, and
protecting the back and breast down to
the top Of the hips. A neck plate OF cast
steel fits closely around the neck, coming
down under the cuirass, and so protecting
the upper part of the chest. neck, and
shoulders with a double thickness. over
the head is fitted the regulation sword
mask. made of strong iron wire. and
padded inside with q two-inch thickness
Of hair and chamOis skin. This mask
covers the whole of the head and front
part of the neck, leaving only the nape
exposed.
Capt. Jennings, attired i'm white duck
I knee-5reeches and the armOr first gallOp-
ed into the open and took up bis station at
the point designated by a small American
flag attached to n stick stuck in the
ground. He carried bamboo pole 9 teet
| in length, which was topped by a dull
spear head A small boy, proud of his
position as lanceholder, kept two similar
weapons in reserve in case of accident.
All three iances were adorned with a
diminutlVe flag. Duncan G. Ross was not
many seconds behind Jennings, carrying
q regulation cavalry sabre. the point
"upset and beaten together, making a
thickness of over a quarter Of an inch. A
sabreis technically divided intOthree equal
portons-the feeble or point, the centre,
and the forte or strong, lying next to the
handle. The forte and centre were blunt
ed, while the feeble or point was left suf-
tciently sharp to cut the lance pole.
Jennings rode a bay horse, while Ross
bestrode gray. The animals were evi-
IDENTITY well trained. and there is no doubt
that a very interesting contest would have
taken place If a most unfortunate acct
dent had not occurred. J. w. Fraser was
selected as referee and Maj. W. ii. Cross
of the Second Life Guards and Mai. w
G. DOrrance of the Ninety-third High
landers were judges. The words
"Ready." Forward, j" "Attack" We're the
signals for the fray. The horses leaped
forward and the riders came toward each
other. Jennings. with his lance, struck
Ross as he was swinging his horse around
and the first point was awarded to him
The second and third points were won
| by Ross, and the fourth and fifth by Jen
nings.
Ross lid not win the sixth, and there
. - ID IaefafArt ru0Ia 1rnnfntre L. fl
/ Ross fun on the helmet as the latter
/ dashed past, but Ross turned suddenly
and slasbed at Jennings with his sabre
/ Jennings helmet was knocked from hi,
/ head, and he narrowly escaped a fall from
/ his saddle. Then there was a shout. AND
/ at the end of 40 yards blood could be seen
/ running down Jennings neck. lie dis
/ mounted, however, without assistance
and when he hurried toward the dressing
/ room the crowd broke through the ropes
/ and surrounded him, so that 10 was with
/ difficulty that he reached the inner rooms
/ Then he nearly tainted. A physician was
hastily summoned. and. after an cX-
animation, he stated that Jennings skull
/ had been fractured. The wound was over
the right ear,nearly four inches in length.
and presented very ugly appearance. A
carnage was obtained, and Capt. Jen
nings was driven 20 his room mt 3ll Du-
I i'it. 'NNf Ntl'iN NN'i tAAh- " - ANNt
1 TO alleviate his suherugs.
DR.. julius Boscustirn attended the
wounded man about o'clock. and am
hour later Ross and 20 friend appeared 10
make Inquiries. DIR. k0scnstiu said there
was 40 doubt the skull was fractured
while the cash required n stitches % close
IL. He added that while the wound was
not necessarily fatal, should erysipelas
set In nothing could save the Captains
life. Jennings was apparently sensible.
but the bandages did not permit him to
speak, although ne waved bis hand 90
Ross when that athlete entered thp room
L1ter iu tins evening Ross VAS asked Uy
q CUoHIcle reporter IL be could explain
how the unfortunate circumstance Oa.
CURED and be- said:
"Atcr me Captain made his last point
on mo, hc bent mis- head forward and then
Gndlr the edge of the mdskcame iu contact
with the upper edge 0i bis curls- Zine
result was the mask was tilted oU was
100 the act Of delivering 'cut two at cav
airy 40 that instant. The Sword WAS jan
the air, when ! s1w the mask mU. or
course did all / could 20 ease the force
uI ine cut, but 10 was bound 10 reach
nome, ana bad 1 not STAYED tho sabre
there is nothing tuat would have pre-
vented the Captains head flum rolling to
the ground"
UOBSFORD's AOIn PHOSPHATE,
one or tho Best r0uics.