The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-28
HILTON TROPHY is MISSING.
REPORTED SHIPPED FOR ATLANTA
on DEC. Is.

Capt. Oscar Brown Unable to Get
Any CIew To Its WhereabOuts-of-
iicinIs of the Express Company So
Far Unable TO Trace It-AdJutnnt
General Of the District of Columbia
Reiterntes His Statement That II
Was shipped.
Atlanta, Ca, Dec. 27.-The Hilton trophy
won by the Savannah rifle team some
months ago, and which was supposed 70
have been shipped from Washington on
its way TO the victorious Savannahians
on Dec. Is, seems to have got mixed up
with Santa Claus and his Christmas things
and been sde-tracked somewhere between
here and the national capital.
Capt. Oscar Brown, acting adjutant gen.
eral of the state, who has been taking an
active part in the affairs of the belated
trophy. is very much worried over It's fail
ure to turn up at this END of the line He
has been trying to find out where 1t is for
several days. but without any success.
On the 18th of the month, Capt Brown
received letter from the adjutant gem
eral OF the District of Columbia. in whose
hands the trophy had been detained, say
ing that 1t had been shipped to him by
express on that date. Capt Brown ac-
cordingly notified the Savannah marks
men of its expected arrival and they were
eagerly anticipating its reception.
Several days ago, the shield not coming TO
hand Capt Brown wired Washington that
1t had not come, and in reply was inform
ed that IL had nevertheless been forward
ed on the 18TH according to the first adj
vice. The matter was then taken up with
the local agent of the express company
here, and after making exhaustive search
the agent to-day notified Capt. Brown that
the trophy could not be found here, The
captain has telegraphed to Washington TO
the military authorities informing them
of the loss of the trophy, and asking them
to begin Immediately to trace IL If possible
IL has been four months since the trophy
was won by the Savannah marksmen
after making the finest score ever made
by any rife team. and they have been linz
patient at the delay of the District of Co
lumbla team in surrenderng 1t. They eX-
pected TO receive it in time for the festivi-
ties of Christmas, at any rate, but their
disappointment must be prolonged still
further. The express people say that IL
the trophy has been placed in their hands
they will find It or at least soon know
where ii has gone TO. They do not think
il has ever been shipped by the Washing
ton people, and there are others here who
think with them.
The whereabouts of the trophy Is now
a matter of concern TO a few of the mir
itary men of the city, who learned of the
receipt of telegram yesterday by Capt.
| W. w. williamson Of the Sea Girt team
and of the Volunteer Guards from capt.
Oscar J. Brown, assistant adjutant gem
| eral of the slate troops. The wire was
! from the Atlanta office of the adjutant
| general, and was as follows: Trophy not
received; have telegraphed Washington
| twice about IL ="
| The telegram was not In response TO any
/ query by Capt. Williamson, or any other
member of the team. All know that 1t
| will be forwarded from the Atlanta Of
! flee as soon as possible after it's arrival
there, and they would not address any
! queries to the assistant adjutant general
except as a last resort
AS has been published, the news first
appearing as dispatch from Washington,
/ the National Guards of the District Of Co
| lumbia shipped the trophy from the capital
| to Atlanta some two weeks ago. For the
! last week il has been expected to arrive
| here but the expectations OF the team
| have never been realized. II was thought
that possibly the trophy was at Atlanta,
where it was being detained, pending some
necessary proceedings, before il could be
sent on to Savannah. Capt Browns tel
egram sets this idea al naught, and Il
low remains for the whereabouts of the
handsome trophy to be discovered.
Even If the trophy was shipped at the
time the dispatch mentioned by the Wash
ington military, il was very slow in get
ting off. The military men Of this city
think it should have reached here at least
two months ago. The slowness Of the
Washngtonans in giving up the trophy
| caused not a little correspondence. No
| very good reason why II had not been sent
on to its last winners was given until
finally it was said that name pate had
been ordered to show that the trophy had
been won the year before by the Wash
ington team This was something tangi-
BILE, and the Savannahians had nothing to
do but wait for the arrival of the plate
| at Washington, so that the victory of the
/ Capital City men could be duly chronicled
before they gave up the prize. In the
meantime, they were ready to wait with
all the continued patience they could mus
ter for the time when the Washingtonlans
were prepared to send the trophy on TO
those who are entitled 10 the honor OF
| holding il for year.
When the news that IL had been shipped
| from Washington to Atlanta was received
| The Savannah team decided that II would
| soon have the pleasure OF having a look
at the tribute to its skill with the rife
| The telegram may be taken as an indica-
ton that the members are likely TO have
| another period of waiting before they Will
| Law eyes upon The Hilton trophy.
Capt. Williamson was asked If ne intends
doing anything about the matter now. He
| replied that he does not, as II is now IN
the hands of the assistant adjutant gen
eral.