The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-05-03
LANCE AGAINST SABRE.
The Unusual and Perhaps Deadly Combat Between
Ross and Jennings, Mounted.

tSan Francisco Chronicle.l
The announcement of a trial of skill of lance and
sabre between Capt Il. NJ Jennings, formerly of her
Britannia Majesty's service and Duncan c. Ross the
well-known athlete, attracted large crowd to
both should be mounted Jennings to use lance and
Ross to swing the sabre. 1wenty-one points consti-
tuted the match and the winner OF the first eleven
little before O'Clock both men appeared clad In the
regulation armor. This consists OF steel cuirass,
breast down to the top Of the hips. neck plate OF
cast steel fits closely around the neck, coming down
ness over the head Is fitted the regulation sword
mask, made of strong iron wire, and padded In
side with twO-inch thickness of hair and ChamOlH
skin. This mask covers the whole of the head and
front part of the neck, leaving only the nape ex-
posed
| Capt. Jennings, attired In white duck knee
breaches and the armor first galloped into the open
and took up his station at the point designated by
small American nag attached to stick stuck in the
ground. lie carried bamboo pole nine feet In
length, which was topped by dull spear head. A
small boy, proud of his position Stance holder, kept
two similar weapons In reserve, in case of accidents
All three lanCes were adorned with dlminutive
| nag. Duncan G. Ross was not many seconds behind
Jennings, carrying regulation cavalry sabre, the
point "upset" and beaten together making thick
ness of over quarter of an inch A sabre is tech
or point, the centre, and the forte strong, lying
| next to the handle. The forte and centre were
blunted while the feeble or point, was left sum-
bay horse, while Ross bestrOde gray. The animals
were evidently well trained and there 10 no doubt
| that very interesting contest would have taken
| place If n most unfortunate accident had not &C.
CURED. J. w. Fraser was selected as referee and
Maj ": II. Cross, of the Second Life Guards. ant
| Mai W. Z. Dorrance, OF the Ninety-third High
landers, were judges The words Ready" For
ward" Attack "were the signals for the fray. The
| horses leaped forward and the riders came toward
each other. Jennings, with his lance, struck Rosi
as he was swinging his horse around, and the frs
point was awarded to him. The second and thirt
points were won by Ross, and the fourth and hftl
| by Jennings.
Ross did not win the sixth, and there was no de
| csion made. Jennings struck Ross full on the he
met as the latter dashed past, but Ross turned sud
denly and slashed at Jennings with his sabre. Jen
nings's helmet was shocked from his head. and he
was shout, and at the end of forty yards BLOOD
coule be seen running down Jennings's neck. HI
| he hurried toward the dressing-room the crow,
broke through the ropes and surrounded him, so tina
was with difficulty lhat he reached the inns
hastily summoned, and, after an examination, h
stated that jennings skull had been fractured TIL
wound was over the right ear, nearly four inches II
length, and presented a very ugly appearance.
carriage was obtained, and Capt. jennings wa
to MS room a M DlGs no
DIR. Julius Rosenstirn attended the wounded maj
about O'Clock, and an hour later Ross and frien'
there was no doubt the skull was fractured, Will
the cash required eleven stitches TO close IT,. ~
added that while the wound was not necessarily fatal
should erysipelas set in nothing could save tn
Captains life. Jennings was apparently sensible
but the bandages did not permit him TO speak, al
though he waved his hand to Ross when that athlet
entered the room.
Later In the evening Ross was asked by Chrol
ice reporter II he could explain how the unfortuna
circumstance occurred, and he said:
"After the Captain made his last point on me, h
bent his head forward and the under edge of hi
mask came In contact with the upper edge OF hi
cuirass. The result was the mask was tilted OIL.
was in the act OF delivering cut two at cavalry a
the mask fa OF course did ali could to ' ease III
force of the cut, but 1t was bound to reach home
and had not stayed the sabre there is nothing tina
would have prevented the Captains head from rol
| ing to the ground"
DIR. Rosenstirn, who attended Capt. Jennings, sal
last night that Jennlngs's skull was fractured
AT ~ 80 O'Clock this morning Jennings was restin
easily, and was perfectly conscious II is feared
| however, that he has small chances of recovery.