Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-19
PILLsBURY's BAD VENTURE.
An Explanation of His Recent Peer
Play.
CNew York Tribune.)

CNew York Tribune)
The last five days play in the interna-
tional chess tournament in st. Petersburg
has sorely disappointed the thousands of
chess-players in America, who hoped that
Mr.. Plllsbury would be victor there, as he
was In the Hastings tournament, and have
watched regretfully the cable dispatches
which told the tale OF sn almost unac-
countsble falling off In the young Brook
lynite's play, and how he has been sur
passed by Iasker and Steinitz. IL seems,
however, that there is an explanation,
and one that will cause additional regret
10 all OF Harry Nelson Pillsbury's sd-
mlrers and friends, who are found all
over the United States.
jackson w. Showalter, the chess cham
pion OF the United States, a few days
ago said, rather vaguely, that II was a
mystery TO him that Plllsbury did not win
certain games from Steipitz. He added
that ne had been tod that stelnitz IN,
duced Pilsbury 10 go Into some wild
scheme OF partnership. by which Pills
bury was led into putting up a large SUN
or money for the copyright OF games
which could not be copyrighted"
This assertion sounded rather strange
TO some Of Pillsbury's Brooklyn friends.
and reporter asked Josiah r. Marean,
the president of the Brooklyn Chess Club,
what II meant. He said:
II know that such an assertion has been
made, aud | was rather sorry 10 see It
In the form In which IL appeared. be-
cause some of Mr.. Pillsbury's acquaint-
anees may draw a wrong inference from
II. The story came originally, | happen
TO know, from one of Mr.. Pillsbury's
friends, who would be extremely sorry
to have people draw wrong conclusions
from the indefinite assertion published.
lie never meant TO intimate that there
was anything wrong or disagreegb.e in
the busin So relations of Mr.. Pillsbury
and Mr.. Steinitz What he did mean 10
say IL this: 'Steinltz has no mead for bust
ness. and Piilsbury is a young man, who
cannot afford to lose much money Yet
Steinitz persuaded Pillsbury TO enter into
an arrangement which was wild and foo
ish on its face, and the failure OF the
plan, | surmise. has SO disappointed and
dsheartened Pillsbury that II seems his
recent unsuccess is due to it,
1.-The scheme" said Mr.. Marean, twas
one by which Pillsbury was TO buy from
the ST Petersburg Chess Cub the ex-
elusive right TO publish, outside OF st.
Petersburg, the full reports Of the games
played In the club. IL was the plan to
secure copyrights OF the yames. but the
whole scheme naturally fell through. be-
cause I'm club Ike the 81. Petersburg
Chess Club, where the games are semi
public, II is Impossible to keep things out
OF the hands of other people The whole
plan was foolish one, and can't under
stand why Pillsbury came to put his
money In Il. He lost, I understand. about
500. Now. Pillsbury's circumstances do
not permit him to lose such sum AS
that without feeling IL. Six hundred dol
lars was "A big sum to him. and / suppose
the loss OF II worried him. l surmlse.
from what I know. that his recent failure
TO win games IL due. In part at east, to
hts unfortunate and unbusinesslike ven
ture."
This news makes sad reading for Mr..