New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-08
TOPICS IN PARIS.
THE GRAND PRIX, DOLNfA BAGTCHE AND
HIS OWNER.
A GENERAL. WHO DID NOT KNOW IT WAS
LOADED"-HONORS TO A COOK-M DE
MORDIONS PAPERS.

as the most exciting of these events since the IN
ception of this race thirty years ago. when the
Due de Morny induced the City Of Paris and the
five great trunk lines Of railroad leading into the
metropolis to contribute annually sum sufficient
TO guarantee a stake Of 100000 to the winner. to
which must be added a portion Of the gate money.
All matters Of national and international interest
have had to give way during the last few days
to the a-absorbing topic created by the race
The controversy raised by the succession 10 the
throne of the new Sultan Of Morocco which at
one moment threatened 10 Involve the leading
Powers Of Europe in war, was relegated to the
background. So. too. was the impending court
martial Of General Ed)n for the shooting OF
young Lieutenant Schinmacher. which at any
other moment would have monOpOlized public at
tcntlon. Everything had 10 give way 10 the
Grand Prix What rendered the event more
than usually exciting was first Of all the ex-
pectntion OF a full-nedged riot at LOngchamps In
the event OF VI. Ephrussfs horse GospOdar, win
ming. there having been much unpleasantness OF
late with regard 10 its alleged unfair running
Then. too. there was the importation from Eng
land Of Matchbox, which came In second % LORD
Roseberys Ladas at the Derby. and had been
purchased at an enormous figure by Baron
uirsch and Prince Louis Esterhazy. with the OBJ
turf The most extraordinary precautions were
taken 70 prevent any doctoring Of the horse on
rs trip across the Channe,. Special trains in
England and France and a special boat 10 convey
Il across the sllvery streak We're provided. while
a whole detachment Of English detectives ac-
cDmpanied the animal TO Calais. and even still
larger body ~ French police received IT on land
Ing On our shores All this served 20 appeal TO
pubic imagination, especially 70 that OF the
smaller bourge)lsie who constitute the most i'm
portant part II our population here The conse-
quence was that as much fuss was made about
the arrival Of Matchbox as If he had been the
Car ~ Russia in person. the railroad terminus
being surrounded by an immense crowd 10 Wit
ness his entry into Paris and the newspapers
devotlng whole columns to his welcome. II eyer
a horse can be- described having beeen lionzed
il was Matchbox Gnasmu'h as il was perhaps
purp1s-y. made known that most Of the money
IL the very considerable English sporting element
in Paris was placed upon the horse. he quickly
became the favorite for the race. Baron Hirsch
had publicly announced that In the event OF the
victory II his horse he world. in accordance with
his invarlable custom In England. turn over the
entire winnings 20 the hospitals and charitable
institutions Of the city. Fortunately. the weather
was magnificent and IN, crowd at LongchampS
enormous when the race came of on Sunday
afternoon. The anticipated disturbance over
Gospodar IA not take place. and there was con-
seqiently no necessity u call for the assistance
of the large bodies Of police. cavalry and infan-
Try that were held IN readiness IN the neighbor-
hood % the racecourse and as FAR as possible
on, II view. And when Matchbox was beaten BY
Baron Schicller's Dolma Blgtche, the patriotic
dellgh, at seeing the forelgn-bred favorite de-
foatcd by a horse bred and reared In France was
50 great that all disappointment at the loss Of
money was offset. Baron Schneider the owner
OF Doma Bagtche IS perhaps the most thoroughly
Par1sanized and popular Of all the numerous
nnanciers whom We have here. OF
course ne is A Protestant but ne became natural
lied Frenchman long ago and stuck 10 his
adonted country during the war. quarter - 4
century ago he founded the well-knOwn stud farm
NJ Mar,invast. which has turned out some OF the
leading cracks of France. and has now for the
third time, carried OF the Grand PriX. Like
several other great racehorsc breeders in England
ard France Baron Schicker never bets takes
little interest in the speculative aspect or the
snort and remains content with the stakes ana
the profits ~ breeding His magnificent house on
the Place Of Vendone Is one of the most hospita-
bic H. Paris and through his .aughters marriage
10 one of the Comics OF Pourtales. h. has become
related 10 most Of our leading families. The
Grand Prix has been run without any Interrupt
tion save one. since its Inauguration by the Due
do Nornv I'm 1863 II was even run during the
rateful year Of 1870, just before the war broke
ont being one Of the last occasions on which
Napoleon III was seen I'm public here. The fol-
lowing summer behcld the racecourse ploughed
bv the shells and swept by the bullets of the
Communist and Versailles combatants: but In
1872 the race was run once more. Just as well
attended AZ ever and with this difrerence-that
little President Theirs had taken the place OF
N,poleon in the stand reserved for the Chief OF
thc state 1t was observed that he was careful
+, avoid seating himself in the imperial chair
as. being a very supcrstitous man. like all French
he doubtless considered it to be I'M
lucky.
no such court-martial as that organized to try
General Eden has been assembled since the one
presided over by the Due dAumale twenty years
ago which concluded its proceedings by con-
dcmning Marshal Bazaine to degradation and
dcath for his surrender of Metz Very different
fortunately Will be the fate OF General Edon, who
NJ the very worst cannot be punished by more
than fine and arrest for his almost criminal
negligence at Vlncennes the other day. lie was
inspecting n regiment Of infantry, and having
become interested In an account OF the prowesses
of Lieutenant Schlrfmacher with HIS revolver at
the ranges he asked to see the weapon. The
latter In defiance of the regulations on the sub
tect. had several OF It's chambers loaded. The
General began trying the mechanism. swapping
the hammer. The Lieutenant hestated mo-
mcnt. being unwilling to incur the penalty OF
carrying a loaded revolver. but finally alarmed
beyond measure. exclaimed For heavens sake.
General. the pistols loaded!' Unfortunately. the
General. who is very deaf and who ought to have
been placed on the retired list a long time ago on
that account, did not hear and two seconds later
one Of the cartridges exploded, the bullet lodging
in the abdomen OF the Lieutenant, who subse-
quently Died. leaving a widowed mother who had
lost her husband on the field of battle In the
war Of 1870. Being general of division, the