The herald., 1895-11-19
DEFENDER AND DUNRAVEN
New York Yacht Club Men Hold
a Meeting
ISELIN WRITES A LETTER
The Charges Of Fraud Are Indignantly
Refuted
The Matter II Referred for Action to .
Committee Of Representative lien.
General Sporting Notes


Lord Dunraven oroufht forth from c. Oh
liver Iselin an interesting and vigorous
rcfntat.on. There was read also letter
from FL. Maitland Kersey. conveying an
offer from Lord Dunraven to come to this
country Tor Investigation, which was a
complete surprise. Charge of the whole
matter was delsI ated to committee OF
three gentl men,. Picrpont Morgan, ne
tinancies; W. G. whitney. ex-senetarv Of
the navy. and Geurye Il. Rises-the two
fist named men being Of more than ma
tional reputation.
The meeting was of short duration.
Lori Dunraven's chases published in
the London Field were read; tnea reout.
tai testimony fran members Of the cup
and regatta commuters; then came Mr..
Iselin's letter, which follows:
The New YORK Yacht Club; Gentlemen
l desire TO lay befure you for your con-
slderation today the CT argos made by Lord
Dunr.ven In his letter to the London
Field, of whI3h the annexed ia a c. Ply.
careful perusal OF this letter will shaw
that Lord Dunraven makes the charges
that after being measured for the cup
races in September last, the Defender
was surreptitiously loaded SO as to sink
her four inch's deeper in the wateri tnat
she sa lea in that condition in the hrst
days race, and imned atsly att'r that
race 5alIssS of lead were secretly moved
so that when measure the next nay
Sunday no discrepancy WAS und TO
exist between the twJ messuremen ts.
While Lord Dun raven intimate, that
am not personally CO nj ZHnt 0i the fraud,
tue charge 10 none the less explicit.
Now, Lord Dunraven 10 al experienced
yachtsman, and when he me- ie this
charge he knew perfectly we'll. as every
yachtsman knows that il was a practi-
cal impossibility fo, such thin1 as be
charges to have been dune on The De-
fender between the measurement ffl'
Day and her sailing on SATURDAY " ithouS
be ,ng known or made Euown TO me. who.
on beh II 1T the ownors OF the Deienfer
AMI in IN name of the New lors Yacht
stub WIS CHARGED with the sole perso al
responsibility OF managing her 1rihc
the race.
Oficvrs and RI en- to the number OF thir-
ty- ight we'e on board Of her all the in-
t,rven ng time.and it is not possible that
the four Ell tons Of ballast necessary to
accom- piish the result charged couli have
been put INTO her on Friday night and
taken ont again befors sunday without
the act b. lag known to large hummer
of witnesses. WIS responsible for the
proper fficering and managing of the
yacht. l personally examined Defender
hol and every part of ner on the morn
ing OF .hs 18th, imhedi ttely b fore the
race, and Know the absolute falsitv OF the
imputation. l consiurr, thereto e, as
sanding before the world lem My
CHARGED by Lord Dnnraven with an
orf-nse a. base as could poss bly, be i'm
pdted to a sportsman and gentleman.
ami whcb I indisnai thy rese't-and
m re than that, with having betrayed
tn, confidence of my associates in the
ownership of the Defender, the trnst rlac-
ed n me by the New York Yacht cIuo.
and the good name of my country, whose
reputation for fair play will be involved
in tie Contest.
l. I'd Duulaven claims to have sailed
the race on Saturday after beng assured
tnat b, ha bet n cheated In the fraudu-
tent ov' ri, aiding Of ID, fender. He sailed
the next r .ce on the 10th with the same
conviction on his mind as that on tie
first davis race, tina. be had en- cheat
ed He brought off the last days race,
not upon any such grounds, but on the
entirely distinct ground that the course
would OF and could not b, kept clear.
He wen, home, and after a silencs II
more than two months. he makes this
odious charge in communication ad-
dressed, not to me or to the owners of
Defender. nor to eitner the New York
Yacht club or the Royal Yacht squadron,
but 10 public newspaper on the other
side of the Atlantic. which II would he
i'm possible for me to read or reply TO be-
fore it had ALREADY made q deep impress
sion on the m inds of his countFvmen.
Relying upon its belief in my integrity.
the New York Yacht club deemed itself
justified IN placing its honor and that Of
the country in my hands in the conduct
of the race. co1ld not have iraeined
that in assuming that trust | should ex
pose myself. and you. to such gross I'M
putations. But now that they have BEEN
m AIDE l place myself In your hands. in
order that the club may take such steps
that is sees fit, not only to vindicate the
Defender and the honor OF he. owners.
nut also to refute the imputstions cast
upon the good faith of the club and the
country. l have the honor to remain,
very respectfully y y un5ss.,vre 1sE,1N
Secretary oddey then read the append.
cd letter:
NEW YORK, Nov. IS. 1898.
Dear Com m odors Brown: ! unders and
that motion may be made at the meet
ing of the New York Yacht club this eve
ming 20 sppulnt committee OF the club
to look into the matter OF measurement
refer red to by Lord Dunraven III his let.
ter to tho cur committee of Septem Der
7th and snbtequer tly. l nave cable
from Lord Dunraven today, saying that
" n lie he thinks it now too laIe 60 inves.
tieate, if a des re exists among the mem
hers vi the club to do so, he will come
over and place hi m self at the disposal If
the club or its committee. He SAYS he
would not be al lie TO get away before the
4th proximo. Yours sincerity.
II. MAITLAND KERSEY.
After the reading Captain Lewis Cass
ward offered the f. flowing resolution,
which was seconded by Captain Ogden
Go .lst:
made public certain charges purroritng
to ave been made by the Earl of Dunra.
ven III respect to the recent America
Gun races, suiled under the challenge Of
the Royal Yacht Squadron. and
Whereas. This club il of the opinion
that notwithstanding tho extraordinary
conduct VI the Earl Of Dunraven in Ia
speci to the time ana manner VI making
such charges, it is due to its honor and
di. nifty that suitable action should be
taken in relation Their to:
ResolvetI. That Messrs. J. Pierrepcnt
Morgan, William Y. Whitney ana Ge1rge
Rivrs are hereby appointet committee
with power in its discretion to add to
their mum Der, to whom the matter of said
charges is hereby referred, anu that ia d
committee shall have full power to repre-
sent the CLUB ia reference to the matter
and to take on behalf OF the club and n
it's name any action which may seem to
them proper in the premises.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted.
1t is thought the com mittee of three
will apprise Il e secretary of the Royal
Yacht Squadron uf their appointment,
and take no further action until they