The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-02-01

IL Is Clearly Proven That the "Brtish No
bloman" who Claims to he a Yachtsman
Acted Like a Churiish schoolboy, Though
the Report Puts 1t More Gently.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-The report of the
committee appointed by the New York
Yacht club to investigate the charges of
Lord Dunraven, as published in an article
in London Field, was presented at
special meeting of the club last night
The article in question expressly charges
that after being measured for the cup
races in September last the Defender was
surreptitiously loaded so as 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 secretly re-
moved, so that when measured the next
day Sunday no discrepancy was found to
exist between the two measurements.
The report which covers thirty pages Of
closely printed matter, gives in detail the
evidence adduced at the Investigation, and
is signed by all the members of the com
mittee, Messrs. E. ]. Phelps, w. G. Whit
ney, j. Pierpont Morgan, A. Il. Mahan
and G. L. Rives A careful reading of the
evidence shows the utter senselessness of
the alleged British sportsman's charges,
and proves conclusively that had the De
fender been ballasted as Dunraven claimed
she would have had difficulty in defeating
q coal laden harbor sloop.
In concluding the report the committee
says:
Upon a careful consideration of the
whole case the committee are unani-
mously of the opinion that the charge
L IL,
been the subject of this investigation, had
its origin in mistake; that it is not only
not sustained by evidence, but is com
pletely disproved; and that all the cir.
cumstances indicated by him as giving
rise to his suspicion are entirely and salts
factorily explained.
"They deem it, therefore, but just to
Mr. Iselin and the gentlemen concerned
with him, as well as the officers and crew
of the Defender, that the committee should
express emphatically their conviction that
nothing whatever occurred in connection
with the race in question that casts the
least suspicion upon the integrity or pro-
priety of their conduct.
"And the committee are not willing to
doubt that If Lord Dunraven had remained
present throughout the investigation, so
| as to have heard all the evidence that was
| introduced, he would of his own motion
have withdrawn a charge that was so
| plainly founded upon mistake, and that
has been so unfortunate in the publicity
it has attained and the feeling to which it
has given rise"
Commodore Brown had called the
special meeting of the club for 9 o clock
last night, but early as o'clock the club
members began to arrive. All was hustle
and excitement up to the hour Of meeting
and the club house presented a very ami
mated appearance, the model room, bill
lard and smoking rooms, as well as the
hallway and stairways being crowded.
The only absent member of the committee
was Hon. E. j. Phelps, who is out of the
city. in the absence of Mr. Phelps, who
was chairman throughout the investiga
tion, the report was read by Mr., j. p,
Morgan.
During the reading every point made
elected hearty cheers and applause. When
Mr. Morgan had finished ex-Commodore
James d. Smith moved that the report bC
received, accepted and adopted; that the
thanks of the club be rendered to the com
mittee for their very able and exhaustive
communication, and that the committee
be discharged. This was seconded and
adopted unanimously.
Further consideration of the report and
of the matters referred to therein wa:
postponed until the next general meeting
of the club, Feb. 13, and after transacting
some financial business, which had moth
ing to do with the Dunraven- Defender
case, the meeting adjourned.