The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-09
BOTCHED BY A BALK.
The Cornell Crew Wins in the
Henley Regatta.
But the English Crew Didn't
Start at All.
THEY WERENOT READY
CornellCrew SimplyRowed Over
THEY WERENOT READY
COrnellCrew SimplyROwed Over
the Course Formally.
English Crew Very Indignant
at the Umpire.

fifty-sixth anniversary of the Water
Derby in Great Britain opened today.
The great interest was mainly due to the
fact that the seven entries for the Grand
Challenge cup, the Blue Ribbon" of
aquatics, includes that of the crew from
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
The Grand Challenge cup was first
competed for in 1889, the Leander row.
ing club composed mainly of ex-OxfOrd
and Cam bridge oarsmen, are the holders
of the trophy, and the Leander Boat
club holds the record for this race,
minutes, 81 seconds, made in 1891 over
the Henley course, one and one half
mAes.
1he scene on the river today was one
of unusual animation, even for Henley
Large feet of house boats and other craft
were moored along the banks of the
Bucking hamshire shore, decorated with
flags and filed with large parties of
fashionable people. The course was
staked out with white posts upon which
numerous signal flags were flying.
1t was estimated that there we're fully
5000 Americans present prepared to
sustain Cornell with cheering and every
other mark of encouragement possible
At o'clock the Cornell crew drove
through the fields to the starting point,
the American college boys running and
yelling after the vehicles, uttering cries
which astonished the Brltishers. At 2:3O
D, m. the leaders padded down the
course to the starting point. They
looked in splendid form and were loudly
cheered by the crowds on both banks of
the river.
The United States ambassador. Thomas
F. Bayard, and representative of the
| Associated Press were on board the um-
pire's launch.
When the umpire put the crews in po-
sition, Cornell was the first in place, and
Leander soon padded to the point as
! signed to the crew. Several boats fol-
| lowed in the wake of the crews and the
umpire sharply ordered them away, as
| they seemed to seriously interfere with
the Leander. The umpire then said:
"Hurry up Leander."
| When the Leander's crew was in place
the umpire cried: "Are you ready%'
Cornell said: "Yes." A member of the
| Leander said first Yes" and then the
Leander stroke G. W. Kent. turned and
| cried ''No no." The umpire an instant
| before had said: go" The Leander at
the word started, half of the crew pull
ing for dear life and the others shouted
mo; not ready"
The umpire waved his hand to Cor.
nell and this crew which had taken the
water promptly when the word was given
shot ahead and continued over the
course. The umpire's boat at first did
not follow and the Leander crew with the
coxswain F. c. Begg in a terrible rage
| pulled their boat towards the umpire's
launch and Begg said: Il tod you we
were not ready"
To this the umpire made no reply and
his launch steamed ahead, after the
Cornell crew, which was now far down
the course. The Leanders until the um
pire's launch passed away out of speak
ing distance, continued to shout wildly:
1--WE are not ready! Why did you serve
us so?" But the umpire did not look al
| them and increased the speed of his
| launch.
In the meantime the Cornell crew
pulling 9 steady even stroke seemed sat
isfied that they were in the right in con-
tinuing the race, passing the end of re-
gatta island F. D. Colson, the Cornell
coxswain, half turned and held up his
hand to wards the umpire's launch. BuI
the umpire waved them on and Colson,
with satisfied look, quickly resumed
his position and gave sharp order tC
the crew who had relaxed the tremen
dous pace with which they had started
Then upon reaching the hslf-mile pos
|
Cornell boys were loudly cheered.
few feet beyond this there were excited
shouts coming from both banks OF the
river, and the words Where is Leander'
Why don't they come? Are they lostf'
could. be heard every few feet
San English crew would never havt
kept on" said an excited Britisher
On the grand stand among the Ameri
cans the feeling was one OF great disap
pointment. An American said, "Well,
would rather they had licked than t
have the thing like this"
However, the universal opinion amonj
the rowing authorities here was tha
Cornell was perfectly right in rowing
over the course, and that they could hav
done nothing else in the face of umpire
order.
. Every few feet of the way to the fms
, line the excitement increased unit
, nearing the finish the suspens
was something tremendous. The un
] pire steamed up to the pres
, stand amidst great excitement and lou
, exclamations from all sides, but he wa
not in any way dismayed and said: 18Th
race is CornelPs. Leander did not start
The Cornell crew got very good II
ception as they passed the winning pos
but there was some hooting mingle
with the English cheers and Corne
, yells. :
The ST. James Gazette says that th
Leander crew will probably prote
against the decision of the umpire in a
: lowing Cornell to row over the cours
J when the former crew had announce
that they were not ready to start.
Marshall's band will not play at tt