The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-19
DUNRAVEN'S CHARGES
THEY ARE VIGOROUSLY REFUTED
by MIR. G. OLIVER IsELIN.
Country for an Investiga ton
A Committee Appointed.

NEW YORK, Nov 1S-The New York
Yacht Club meeting. held tonight TO take
action concerning the charges made by
Lord Dunraven, was crowded with inter-
est A vigorous refutation of the English
mans statements written by Mr.. c. Oliver
Iselin, head of the Defender syndicate, was
read, also a letter from III. Maitland Ker-
sey.' conveying an offer from Lord Dun
raven to come TO this country for in
vestigation, which was complete surprise.
Charge Of the whole matter was delegated
to committee of three gentleulen-J. Pier
pont Morgan, the financier; William C..
Whitney, ex-Secretary of the Navy. and
George L. Ives, the two first men of
more than national repute. The meeting
was OF short duration. First, Lord Dun
ravens charges, published in the London
Field, were read, then rebuttal testimony
from members of the cup committee and
the regatta committee. Then came Mr..
Iselin's letter to the New York Yacht Club.
which follows:
Gentlemen desire TO lay before you
made by Lord Dunrayen in his letter TO
the London Field, of which the annexed is
a copy. A careful -perusaI OF this letter
will show that Lord Dunraven makes the
charge that, after having been measured
for the cup races In September last. the
Defender Surrept1tfOuSly loaded
to sink her four inches deeper in the water:
that she sailed in that condition on the
first days race and that Immediately after
that race the ballast so loaded was Sc
eretly removed so that when measured the
found to exist between the two measure
that 7 was not personally cognizant of
the fraud the charge is none the less ex-
Now, Lord Dunraven is an experienced
yachtsVan, and, when he made this charge
he knew perfectly well, every yachts
man knows, tnat II was sn,a practical i'm
to have been done on the Defender be-
tween her measurement on Friday and her
sailing on Saturday without being known
or being made known to me. who. in be-
half of the owners of the Defender and
I'm the name of the New York Yacht Club,
was charged with the sole personal re-
sponsibilty of managing her during the
race. officers and men TO the number of
thirty-eight were on board OF her all the
the fourteen '' tons of ballast necsssary ,'i to
accomplish the result charged, could have
been put into her on Friday night and TAX
fact being known to large number OF
witnesses.
az was responsible for the proper officer
ing and manning of the yacht. [ personal
ly examined the Defenders hold and every
part OF her on the morning of the 7th. i'm
mediately before the race, and know the
absolute falsity OF the imputation. con-
slider myself. therefore. as standing before
the world solemnly charged by Lord Dun
raven with an onense as base as could be
possibly imputed TO a sportsman and a gen.
tlcman. and which Indignantly resent. and
more than that. with having betrayed the
confidence or my associates in the owner
ship OF the Defender. the trust placed in
me by the New York Yacht Club. and the
Tor fair play was involved i'm the contest.
Lord Dunraven claims TO have sailed the
race on Saturday after being satisfactorily
assured that he had been cheated i'm the
To
sailed the next race on the 10th. with the
same conviction on his mind. that on the
broke on the last race not on any such
ground, but on the entirely distinct ground
that the course would not and could not be
silence OF more than two months. he makes
this odious charge in a communication ad-
dressed. not to me nor to the owners OF the
Defender, nor to either the New York Yacht
Club or the Royal Yacht Squadron, whom
we respectively represented In the races for
the Americas cup. but to a public news
paper on the other side of the Atlantic
which IL would be impossible for me to read
or reply TO before IL had already made a
deep impression on the minds OF his coun-
Relying on its belief i'm nv integrity. the
New York Yacht Club deemed itself justi-
fed I'm placing its honor and that of the
country in my hands i'm the conduct OF the
race. could not have imagined that i'm as
suming that trus;. / should expose myself
and you to such gross imputations. But now
that they have been made I place myself
In your hands, In order that the club NAV
take such steps IL sees fit. not alone to
yindicate the Defender and the honor OF her
owners. but also TO refute the imputation
cast on the good faith OF the club and the
country. have the honor To remain, very
respectfully yours.
&C. OLIVER ISELEIN."
Secretary Oddies then read the appended
letter. dated New York. Nov. IS:
Dear Commodore Brown-I understand
that a motion may be made at the meeting
OF the New York Yacht Club this evening
TO appoint committee of the club TO look
into the matter OF measurement referred TO
by Lord Dunraven In his letter 10 the cup
committee Of sept. last and subsequently,