The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-01
But the Yachtsmen Did Not State
in What Particular 1t
Was Made.
WOULD HAVE BEEN CONVINCED.
His Lordship, However, Did Not Re-
main Long Enough to Hear the
Evidence.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Jan. 31.-The COM
mittee appointed by the New York Yacht
Club to investigate the charges made by
Lord Dunraven in reference to the last
America cup races made public its report
tonight. The committee consists of E.
]. Phelps, ]. Pierpont Morgan, W. G.
Whitney, A. 7. Mahan and G. L. Rives.
Lord Dunraven charged the secret altera-
ton of the water-line length of the De-
fender by transferring ballast from the
tender Hattie Palmer during the night,
and criticized the competence or good
Judgment of those in charge of the races.
The report says, regarding Lord Dun
ravens appearance before the committee:
He declined to undertake to substan-
tate or prosecute the charge, but said he
felt bound to attend and make his state
ment and to furnish to the committee, in
aid of their inquiry, such evidence in sup
port of the charge as he possessed"
His statement was reiteration of the
speech made by him in London and which
has been fully published. The commit
Zee, after reviewing fully every circum-
stance connected with the case, concludes
its report as follows:
q upon careful consideration of the
whole case the committee is unanimously
OF the opinion that the charge made by
Lord Dunraven, and which has been the
subject of this investigation, had its origin
in a mistake; that it is not only not
sustained by evidence, but is completely
disproved, and that all the circum stances
indicated by him as giving rise to his sus-
picion are entirely and satisfactorily ex-
planned. They. deem it, therefore, but Just
to Mr.. Iselin and the gentlemen concerned
with him, as well as to the officers and
crew of the Defender, that the committee
should express emphatically tn cir convic-
ton that nothing whatever occurred in
connection with the race in question that
casts the least suspicion upon the integ-
rity or propriety of their conduct.
And the committee is not willing to
doubt that if Lord Dunraven had remained
present throughout the investigation, so as
TO have heard all the evidence that was in
troduced, 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withdrawn a charge that was SO plainly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 at
tanned and the feeling to which it has given
rise"
A special general meeting of the New
York Yacht Club was held at the club
house, 81 Madison avenue, tonight for the
purpose of presenting the report. There
was large attendance of members pres
ent. ]. Pierpont Morgan, in the absence
of Hon. E. J. Phelps, chairman of the
committee, read the report.
The members frequently interrupted the
reading at each telling point with marked
applause. When Mr.. Morgan concluded,
the report was, on motion of Commodore
Smith, received, accepted ard adopted
amid scene of great enthusiasm. Ex-
Commodore Brown said:
'The most able report I have ever
listened to. Cannot help but satisfy
everybody"
The sturdy commodore was one of the
most indignant of the members at the
charges brought by Lord Dunraven. None
of the members would express any opinion
as to what would be the ultimate action
taken by the club on the report. None of
the others would say anything for pub
Gcation.