The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-20
CHICAGO BICYCLE RACE,
The Real Winner Jockeyed Out
Of the Prize ShsmeIessIy,
TRICKSTERS KISSED BY ALL,
An Exciting Time ON the Track At
the Close of the Contest Re-
markable Statement from the
Referee of tho Race.

CHICAGO, May l9,-Intense bitter feel
ing has been stirred up in sporting cir
cles by what Is declared TO be the unfair
tactics by which the big prize was
snatched from Denver by Omaha last
night in the slx,day bicycle tournament,
As there win apparently be no end Of
comment, and may be reversal Of the
result, the minutest details OF the affair
are being sought, The Tribune tells Of
the "Unproiessional Spectacle" as fol-
lows;
The riders were well.bunChed and
everything proceeding smoothly when
at 8 p. IN, an accident occurred, Read.
ing, Of Omaha, suddenly fell head first
on the track, Prince, also OF Omaha, was
Just behind and had no time to escape,
In u moment, he, too, was sent sprawl
ing. Before either could mount and
get away, Knapp, the Denver man, had
had the good fortune to get one lap In
the lead, The advantage legitimately
attained was being maintained In gallant
style.
At o'clock, when the band was play.
ing "Hail Columbia" and 5000 people
were waving hats and handkerchiets In
the air, came the extraordinary incident
referred 10. The Omaha man, Reading,
all at once begun a tremendous squirt,
Knapp was Immediately behind Prince
and Morgan. When he discovered that
that his much priced lap was being taken
away from him, he made q heroic effort
to increase his speed. The Omaha man,
Prince and the Englishman, Morgan,
however, just In front thwarted every
effort, Morgan was In pocket. When
he attempted an increase ofspeed Prince
would promptly cut him of by forcing
him to the outer wall. In vain Knapp
expostulated and appealed 10 the judges
as he swept by the stand. Prince only
smiled grlmly. Knapp swore and shook
his tst, but without avail.
The queer spectacle OF two men leis.
urely holding IN excited third In check,
while a fourth at every turn OF they wheel
was snatching victory from conceded de-
feat, was TO the crowd like red flag to
a bull. On every side Prince met
with storm oil Kisses.
"Robbcr," shrieked the crowd.
"sham, shame;" "Thief, thief" "That
may do In Omaha, but It n'tgo here"
yelled Il chorus Of boys.
When Reading finally came around
neck and neck with Prince and Morgan,
and in advance Of Knapp, now hopeless.
ly behind, the kissing became terrific.
Knapp was plainly a lavorite.
"You're q sneak" yelled the crowd TO
Prince. "Had 1t fixed, didn't you 2"
sneered hundred voices derisively.
Tho feeling was only intensified when
Prince riding close by Reading patted
him on the back in brotherly fashion.
''In on the diyvy, are you?" inquired
the crowd. "How much do you get for
it?" But the uproar had no effect and
interest in the six-day race ceased.
Reading was plainly the winner,
Further light Is thrown on tho queer
affair by the Times report, which con-
tains the following: "Why don't rule
Prince OFF," queried RefereeiJohn 0.
Blake, "because this Is not the time to
do It. II Prince Is following Knapp he
can have redress at the proper time, but
don't think there will be any use in
asking for 1t. This race was not only
fixed by the riders, but by tho mango
ment as well"