Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-26
CHAMPION AT CHECKERS.
A Young New Englahder of Indian
Descent Holds the Title.

Draughts, or checkers, as it is more COM
monty called, was played thousands of
years ago. Plato used to play it, as he him
self tells us, for recreation Homer speaks
Of 1t in one Of his immortal epics. But it
is hardly to be supposed that the game.
as the ancient Greek poets and philosophers
knew 1t, had reached the scientific stage to
which it has been carried by such players
as Freeman. Barker. Wyllie and Yates.
c. H. Freeman of Providence, says the
New York Sun, has an Interesting person
atty. He is of Indian descent, and says
that he is proud of it. The blood Of the
PeQuots and the Narragansetts is united i'm
his veins, his father being descended from
the former and his mother from the latter
tribe. His great grandfather on his
mothers side, however, was a white man.
Freeman's complexion is bronze, and in
stature is a little below the medium height.
He is of slender but athletic build. He has
wealth of raven black hair. and a small
black mustache. He was born thirty-four
years ago in Central Village. Conn. and
went to school there. At the age of eleven
years he removed to Providence. He began
to play checkers and chess when only ceven
years old. Checkers was his hobby, now
ever. He says that he began to study the
he was merely pushing wood"
Within a year or two after Freeman be-
gan to study the game he met James Hill,
champion of Providence and Miles Merry,
champion of Rhode Island, and beat them
badly. These victories made him famous.
In 1873 he played Charles F. Barker of
Boston, the champion of America, and de-
feated him by to 2, with IL games drawn.
Since then he has played five matches with
Barker. the total score standing: Freeman,
a. 20 liar c. 6rn co. - al. xr.l
Barker a series Of SO games for the cham
pionship of America and $500 a side. The
score stood: Freeman. s.; Barker. 8; drawn,
A. Not caring for the championship he
deliberately lost to August J. Heffner of
providence. the score standing: Heffnar, 4;
freeman, 3; drawn, II. Then Barker beat
Henner, and so won back the champion
ship, which he has since held. Il would
have done 1t a little differently If / had 1t
to do over again. said Freeman TO the
sun reporter. Instead Of losing the u.atch
deliberately, I would have retired from the
field, and allowed other aspirants to fight
IT out among themselves"
In 1880 Freeman and Barker plaYAd
another match at Providence for a purse
OF $5OO This was one of the most remark
able contests ever known among checker
were drawn. Freeman won two, and
Barker one. In 1882 Freeman first met the
famous Scotch champion, James Wyllie, and
the match resulted in a draw. Freeman
won one game, Wyllie one, and the third
one was draw. About two years later
Freeman and Wyllie met again in friendly
match at Providence. Freeman won easily.
Although Freeman decided eight years ago
that he would play no more championship
games and has stuck to his purpose ever
since, L. A. Tilinghast of Providence las
a standing offer Of $1,eO0 to back Freeman
against any man in the world. OF late
years Freeman has played chess rather
more than checkers. He has also taken a
fancy to whist but he plays whist us he
does chess, simply for amusement. He says
that he has no favorite opening at checkers,
with the exception of the second hand
double corner. which may be called his
favorite defense. He used this effectively
In his games against Wyllie. His friends
say that he is especially strong on the
Fife" and the "Kelso." but he plays them
all with