The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-28
Repetition of the Story That the
Defenders Ballast Was
Tempered With.
CRoss.ExAMINED BY CHOATE
His Lordship Had a Most Uncomfort t.
able Time on the Witness.
Stand.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Dec. 27.-The spe-
cial committee appointed by the New Y ork
Yacht Club to investigate the now famous
charges brought by the Earl of Dunraven,
part owner of the Valkyrie III, against the
people in charge of the Defender in the
races for the Americas cup last Septem-
Der, commenced the inquiry this morning
at the New York Yacht Club, 81 Madison
avenue.
The members of the investigating COM
mituee, J. Pierpont Morgan, George L.
Rives, ex-Secretary William C. Whitney,
E. j. Phelps and Captain A. T. Mahan,
u. S. N, all reached the clubhouse by 10
O'Clock.
There were also present: Oliver Iselin,
the managing member of the Defender
syndicate; Wood bury Kane, w. Butler
Duncan Jr., Latham A. Fish, s. Nicholson
Kane, Commodore e. D. Morgan, Herbert
c. Leeds, A. Cass Garfield, secretary of the
Half and Terry, Mate Berry and Quar-
termasters Barbour and Staples OF the
Defender, and Bill Man of Boston, who
rugged the Defenders sails.
Nat Herreshoff. who designed the De-
fender, and John c. Hyslop, the official
measurer of the New York Yacht Club,
who measured both the Defender and
Valkyrie, were also in attendance.
Lord Dunraven, accompanied by Arthur
Glennie, commodore of the Royal Ports
mouth Yacht Club, George r. Askwith,
one, of the best-known Admiralty Court
lawyers of the English bar, and l. A. G..
Hamilton, Lord Dunraven's private
secretary, walked to the clubhouse from
his apartments. Hamilton carried a
large black bag which held the numerous
affidavits on which Dunraven mainly re-
lied far the proving of his case.
The committee went into session few
minutes after 10 o'clock, and, as had pre-
viously peen arranged at meeting of the
committee severa! days ago, it was secret
session.
The utmost care was taken to prevent
any intrusion of strangers. Newspaper
men were not permitted to remain on the
ground floor. and even mem bers of the
club were excluded from the second floor.
Notwithstanding the precaution taken
to insure secrecy, however, very clear
idea of what transpred "in camera" was
prevalent downstairs and the members
were gleefully discussing the manner in
which "Choate handled Dunraven."
Neither Captain Haff nor any OF the De-
tenders crew were called upstairs to-day,
but they will be examined tomorrow,
when the hearing of the Defenders side of
the case will be resumed.
The hearing was begun at 10:15 A. NJ. j..
Pierpont Morgan acted as chairman, and
George L. Rives as secretary.
Mr.. Askwith opened the proceedings by
presenting Lord Dunraven's case. He
stated that no charge was made against
any individual member of the Defender
syndicate. 9
Lord Dunraven did not claim that Mr..
Iselin or any of the gentlemen having
general charge of the boat were guilty of
improper methods, but from his own. OBJ
servations and from what he had learned
from others, he was convinced that the
load water line of the American boat had
been increased after she had been officially
measured, just prior to the first race.
THE he believed was done by surrepti-