The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-30
MASHED THE FENCE.
Unruly Crowd Took Possession of the
Bicycle Races Last Night.

The gate receipts do not indicate It
out the biggest crowd ever assem- bled
at race meet in Kansas watched the
bicycle races at Garfield park last night.
There were thousands and thousands of
people. Such crowd has never been
witnessed in this city.
Everybody was good natured except
those who put up the money and the
prizes for the races. Early in the even
ing the crowd made an onslaught
against the fence which yielded slowly
for a time, but finally gave way and
dense mass of eager humanity crowded
upon the track. Around the first turn
people We're damned together an aver
age OF two persons occupying the space
which should be allotted to one individ-
ual. This condition prevailed all over
the ground surrounding the track
The promoters of the races had erect
ed fence to separate the track from
the park proper. Suspended from the
top of this was a wide canvas through
Which people could not see. Some small
boys, skilled in the art of getting in a
circus free raised the canvas slightly.
then older perosns lost their timidity
and piled the canvas on top the fence.
Then the mass of humanity which
could not see over the crowd pushed
from the rear. The fence swayed for
so yards. More pushing; more swaying.
A few desultory cracks; then a snap
ping and a crash The fence was laid
low and the crowd piled in on the track.
This caused a storm of indignat ton
and really seemed an imposition on the
a financial success, and the action of
the unruly crowd robbed the promoters
of the races of hundreds of dollars but
nothing could be done to prevent the
occurrence. Sheriff Cook and the depu-
ties were overwhelmed and for the sake
of peace the Wheelmen did the best
they could and accepted the situation
as graciOusly as possible under the cir
cumStanceS.
The races were frst-cIass. The i'm
mense crowd which damned the grand
stand said so. The visiting riders en-
dorSed this opinion and the great crowd
of free seers" said the same thing
The Kansas City push got away with
the big share of the prizes but won
them by superior riding. The men who
came from the Missouri town are more
experienced than TOpeka's local riders
but they were compelled ''to dig to
win. The Topeka boys made an excel
lent showing in this fast company of
Missouri amateurs.
The officials of the races follow:
Referee-Joe Ollinger, G. w. Barnes.
Umpires-Glen Hatfield, chief; H B.
HOgeboOm, F. Burch, assistants.
Scorers-W. Usher, L. c. White, S.
Wingett.
Judges-A: E. Hickerson. NJ. schlegel,
F. D. Dreisbach.
Starter-C. c. Claudy.
Timers-W. R. Fish, Eden Morse, c.
A. Dean.
Announcers-J. B. DoncysOn. F. w.
A. Vesper.
Clerk of course-E. L. Good.
Summaries follow:
One mile open, amateur: First prize
opal ring, to John H. White, of Kansas
City; second prize, sweater, to A G.
Laitner, of Kansas City; third prize
razor, to H. Rebenschied, of Kansas
City. Time 2:24. The following quail
fed for this race in the two trial heats:
w H. Wood. Frank Spetter, A. A.
Faus, W. r. WadIeigh, A G. Laitner,
John H. White, II. Rebenschied. Time
in trial heats, 2:28 LIS; 1886.
One half mile hOVS' raoa- First Tr-iza
pair Of bike shoes, to Karl Henderson;
second prize, pocketbook, to Jake Spet- |
ter; third, Major Ripp. Time lis.
Two mile handicap: First prize, gold
watch, to A. G. Laitner, scratch; second |
prize. NJ. & W. tires, to H. Rebenschied, |
scratch; third prize, hat, to NJ. H Wood, |
l25 yards. Time 4:45 3-5.
Half mile open: First prize, diamond |
and opal pin, to A. G. Laitner; second |
prize, watch chain, John H. White; |
third, H. Reibenscheid. Time 1:O9.