Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-16
Long-Drawn-0ut Suit of the George
town Cycle Club.
PROPOSED ORGANIZAnoNOF fHEc GAG.
Preparing for the Races of Decora-
ton Day., B.,
FOURTH OF JULY n MEETING

The long-drawn-out law suit of the old
Georgetown Cycle Club has at last been
completed anG the surviving club members
come out with victory perched on their
side. The defendants in the case were
Nelson, Morris & Co., and the matter has
been in dispute for over two years. This
legal fight was the only thing which pre-
vented the adjustment of the affairs Of the
club at the time of its disbandment, and as
nothing nov stands in the way, the affairs
of the old club will be speedily adjudicated.
The origin of the trouble dates from
shortly after the close of the successful
fair of the Georgetown Cycle Club at the
Washington Light Infantry armory for
raising funds to construct a race track.
This was In the days Of the old associated
cycling clubs. Among the many things do
mated to the club was a wheel which was
rot disposed of and remained on the hands
Of the club. AS means of raising addi-
tional revt nue., the wheel was sold to one
of the members of the club on the INSTALL
ment plan, and the first sum paid down
before the wheel was given up. The men,
Der who bought the wheel had 1t in his
possession but short time. While on the
streets one day riding the bicycle con-
stable seized it to satisfy Judgment which
had been rendered against the member in
favor Of Nelson, Morris & Co.
The club did rot care to lose possession
Of the wheel and imme diately replevined
the wheel, putting up bond for 500. The
matter was carried into the higher courts,
where it has been ever since When the
last meeting of the club was held the mat
ter was still pending, and all the money on
hand was divided among the members ex-
cept the 500 pat up as bond in case the
suit went against them. Wednesday Judge
Cole hearu the case and gave a decision in
favor of the cycle club, awarding them one
do COS
secures possession of the wheel, together
with the full amount of their bond which
they fled and the entire amount will be
divided among the members who were in
the club at the time of its disarmament. A
meeting will be held soon, when the matter
will be arranged, and will close up entirely
the affah of club which at one time was
the leading cycling organization in the Dis
trict.
An attempt is being made to organize a
bicycle club among the members of the
Columbia Athletic Club, and meeting with
that object in view has been called for to-
night at the club house at 10 o'clock.
About a month ago meeting was called
with the same object In view, but SO few
responded the project WAS 5dropped. The
failure to obtain good attendance is at
tributed to the fact that the hour arranged
for the affair was entirs'y''too early and
too inconrenient for a majority of the BIZ
cyclists of the club. lao -"
Since that time the mat EFT has been talk
ed over between number of people inter-
ested in seeing a respectable organization of
cyclists in the club, and the result has been
the calling of the meeting for this evening.
Some time ago a census Of the bicyclists of
the club was taken and 1t was found that
there were siXty-seven riders in the club.
Since that time the number has materially
increased and now 1t ist expected that it
will come close to the hundred mark.
This projectors of the scheme are Messrs
J. Hart Britain. Harry, Stiles, Charles
Cabrera and several others. There Is every
reason to believe that the bicyclists of the
the projectors expect to have every man
who rides a wheel come into the organiZa-
ton. AS the club has been recognized as
the leading athletic club in the District, So
1t is hoped to make the bicycle branch the
leading cycling organization in the city.
and with this end in view the people be-
hind the scheme are working hard.
While bicycling is recognized as sport by
the club the cyclists have no direct repre-
sentative on the board of governors. Indi-
rectly. Mr.. Cabrera is their representative
and "a good man he is for the position. 1t
has been but a little over year since the
club recognized bicycling as a sport, and
Mr.. G. w. Cook, who was formerly captain
of the Georgetown Cycling Club, was elect
ed as a representative of the sport on the
board of governors. He served in the posi-
deal to do toward making the race meet Of
the club held last Decoration day the great
success that II was. Business demanding
the attention of Mr. Cook he was forced to
resign from the club. and since that time
the cycling branch of the organization has
been in a dormant state.
Mr.. Britain. who is pushing the scheme
with much energy. is not only anxious to
see an organization of the cyclists effected
but he is also DESTROYS of seeing runs star.
from the club house, carrying out fifty
or sixty or more wheelmen. He sees no
reason why this could not be done and he
calculates on the assistance of others to &C
complish this result. If this is done, more
will be accomplished than any cycling club
in the District has ever done, for not since
the history of cycling in the District has
any club carried out sixty members on a
run.
With the approach to completion OF the
International track the prospect of good
racing brightens. The first race Of the sea-
son will come off Decoration day, when the
Washington Road Club opens the park
with race meet. The arrangements are
being hustled through by the energetic race
committee and good sport will be promised.
The entry blanks have been distributed
among local bicycle stores, and a large
number have been sent out to neighboring
cities in hopes Of having crack outside
for honors on the track. The committee is
now actively engaged in getting up the
prizes, and also in arranging for elabor-
ate program, which will be distributed as a
souvenir. Sd. IT,.
The entries for the handicap events will
close next Saturday evening, and then be
turned over to the official Handicapped OF
the District League of American Wheel
men, Capt. William Jose, who will arrange
the distances for the men who will race.
The entries for the open event will not be
closed until the following Monday, so to
give all chance to compete in the differ
ent races.
What promises to be the most interesting
tnlng on the program outside of the race
for the championship of the District will
be race which was arranged for last even
ing at meeting of the Arlington Wheel
men. The meeting was a special one call
ed for the purpose to dssider the advisa-
bility of challenging the Washington Road
Club to track team Zee to come off on
May ~, In conjunction with the race meet
1or the club track supremacy of the Dis
trict. The distance waxixad at five miles,
and the team of each club limited to three
men: making six men lin the race. The
challenge was Immediately forwarded to
the secretary of the Washington Road Club,
and IN all probability IT win be accepted.
n he OH oF