Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-08-11
That Bicycle Race.

The topic of conversation for week
previous to last Wednesday night and
since has been the bicycle race between
Nord. Jackwitz and H. f. Thompson.
By the time for the race to begin a
large number of people had cOngre-
gated at Curtin's track, and consider
able speculation as to the winning man
was carried on.
III. Haskell had been chosen as pace
maker, but at the start neither man
followed him, both evidently trying to
follow the other. Finally Thompson
took the lead and retained it in COM
paratively slow gait until they came
to the stretch, when they quickened
their pace and in going around the
last turn Thompson swung out to near
or possibly past the center of the track,
and Jackwitz was compelled to take
the pole. Thompson again turned in
towards the inside of the track, and the
two wheels came together, both men
being thrown, and Jackwitz had one
leg cut badly just below the knee. The
writer was In no position to Judge
whether or not Thompson Intentionally
pocketed Jackwitz, and of course no
one but himself could know. Both
picked up their wheels and began to
run, but Thompson was tripped near
the finish, and Jackwitz ran in little
ahead. A sort of trough house" was
held for a time, the hackers of both
men claiming the race, but the judges
made no decision at that time, and not
until Thursday noon, when two of
them drew up their "opinion" and
signed it. The prize money was given
back to those who had staked it, and
most of the bets divided. The affair
was disgraceful one, and will doubt
less put an end to races of this sort in
DecOrah. We are very sorry the acci-
dent occurred, and if Intentional on
the part of Thompson it should dis
qualify him from racing. Below we
give the opinion of two of the judges,
BartOOt and Cameron:
OPINION OF JUDGES.
Under the written Articles of Agreement,
each party chose Judge; Jackwitz choosing
Auchmoody and these two agreeing upon J..
j. Cameron for the third judge.
The facts so far as we could see are these:
Thompson having the lead from the start,
Jackwitz trailing him very close all the way;
as they entered the home stretch in the last
lap, Thompson in the lead, he crossed from
TIE lnslue Oh tne tIack 10 uttle beyond the
center, then turned and started towards the
inside OF the track and just after this turn the
two men came together and both men were
thrown.
The articles of agreement provide that the
l.. A. w rules are to govern the race as near
as can be applied. The rules applicable to
this state of facts are as follows:
son entering the home stretch in the last
lap of the race, the foremost rider or riders
must keep to that part of the track first Sc
lected, or be liable to disqualification" "a
rider shall not change from the inner to the
outside of the track during any part ofthe
race when another rider Is so near that In
altering his position he interferes with or i'm
pedes the progress Of the other rider" an
any race wherein there shall be a violation OF
these restrictions, the offending rider shall be
prize" IF a rider In attempting to pass
another on the home stretch, should at any
time cross or swerve soas to impede the pro-
gress ofanother rider, he shall be disc qualified" /"
1t Is easily seen that q violation of these
rules is extremely dangerous to the life and
health of all the contestants In q race; there
fore the rules must be strictly complied with.
We do not pretend to say that there was a
willful violation OF the rules. But when
Thompson left the pole, went to the center OF
the track and little beyond, and then turned
tocome back to the pole, he interfered with
the other rider and IL was a clear violation of
the rules governing the race. And the very
thing happened which these rules are intended
TO prevent; to-wit The injuries received by
the contestants. Under the facts and rules
as above stated there is clearly but one thing
the winner OF the race.
J.J. CAMERON, Judge.
A. +. BAREFOOT, Judge.