Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-30
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
Mounted Sword Contests.

Several hundred people assembled at
Recreation Park yesterday to witness the
mounted sword contests announced to take
place there. About half the spectators
paid an entrance fee, and the other half
climbed over the fence, while crowds occu-
pied private boxes in the branches OF the
surrounding shade trees, from which they
witnessed the bloodless combat between
the giadiators. The first event was a set-to
between Sergeant ". Steinkoenig and Cor
poIal J. Brosius, both members of the
Hussars. They were provided with the
usual wire masks over their heads and
faces. and each wore sole-leather cuffs
reaching to the elbows. They were armed
with straight foils about one-half inch in
width and yard in length. Professor
Louis Gerichten was chosen referee and
Captains Hebron and Jennings were the
judges. Steinkoenig was mounted on a
fiery little bay, while his adversary bestrode
a staid and sober black animal, which inya-
riably stopped as the other galloped toward
him, and showed disposition to keep out
OF harm 5 way. There were fifteen attacks
in all, and the judges 50 managed that the
hOnors were as nearly evenly divided as
possible. Brosius was awarded the victory
on eight points to seven for his adversary
affair, but the combatants were subjected
TO good deal of good-natured raillery by
the audience. Once when the CorporaFs
horse showed a decided disinclination to
approach the scratch, some youngster in
the crowd called out that perhaps the ami
nal scented blood, the Sergeant twho was
then gallopine fnriously to the CENTER be-
ing member of the butcher fraternity.
Indeed to draw it mildly, the audience did
not seem to be at all impressed with the
gravity OF the situation as expressed in
the faces of the bold knights as they en-
deavored to get near enough to each other
10 touch swords.
The fOaming steeds and perspiring anna
teuTs now made room for the professional
swordsmen, Captain e. A. jennings and F.
b. Chance. The former was some months
ago awarded victory of Duncan c.. Ross,
and the latter is a resident of this city, and
has Just come to the front as a sWordsman
Jennings is a light-built man, while
Chance is a six-footer and weighs probably
1870 or 200 pounds. They wore no armor
only the head masks referred to. Captain
Hebron acted as referee, and Thomas J.
Scott and - DCnahue OBLIGATED as judges
There were twenty-one attacks. Jen-
nings rode a steady black horse
which came fearlessly to the CEN
ter, while Chances horse invari-
ably stopped, reared and wheelethat the at
tack, placing his rider at decided disad-
vantage. Although this battle was con-
Quoted IN better style than the preceding
one, both Jennings and Chance displaying
a knowledge of sword exercise, it was
hardly what the audience seemed TO have
expected, as neither was endorsed, and no
blood was shed. If the combatants had
worn armor end whacked away at each
other steel covering, making great noise
without doing any harm, the performance
would doubtless have been received with
cheers. Jennings won the %, Sd, 4th, 9th,
18th, loth, 18th, 18th, 10Th, 18th and 18TH
attacks, and Chance the 1st 9th, Sth. 9th,
12th, 14th, 10Th, 18th, Goth and Dist.
Captain John Green and Sergeant Ross
also mad sword contest on horseback at
Richmond Grove yesterday, the result of
which was not ascertained. 1t was an
nounced TO be for $500 and the coast cham
piOnsbiD