The times., 1898-10-04

| ing lUE WHllt leather dlTGauy III Inc
movement that has been inaugurated
| against them for the control of profess
| sional racing. The members of the
American Racing Cyclists Union are
| firmly convinced of this fact, and so are
| a number of others, not members of the
new organization, but who are interested
| in its affairs. The fight that has been
| made by the crack professional riders has
been open and aboveboard, but in view
of the action of the league officials some
| tactics are being used that do not exactly
| SAVIOR of fairness, but seem to show
spirit of meanness and pure spite
| In The Times yesterday there was
| short paragraph to the effect that Major
| Taylor. the colored crack, had been cor
rallied by delegation of league men, and
an attempt made to have him desert the
ranks of the new organization. The at
tempt proved unsuccessful, but 1t served
! as valuable object lesson to show the
kind of warfare that would be waged
against the crack professional riders.
| The history OF the matter is extremely
interesting, and is published for the first
time. The story published yesterday in
The Times showed conclusively that the
league was frightened at the present out
break. This is positively true, and the
methods pursued to break the backbone
of the organization afford pretty inter-
esting reading.
Major Taylor, with his trainer, and
Mr.. Sager, one of his employers, arrived
in the city Thursday evening. Almost as
soon as he arrived two of the well-known
local officials of the District division of
the league made an attempt to get him
l alone, and pour into his ears more inter-
| esting information. This committee con-
sisted of the local chief consul, Robertson
| by name, and the official referee of the
local race track. 1t might be added in
this connection that the local referee was
! requested to officiate at the race meet
| Saturday, but he declined because of
previous engagement. II was supposed
| that mis- duties called him somewhere
/ else, but imagine the surprise of the Of
| ficfals Of the race meet to see him prom
! inently seated in a box in the grand
! stand, Witnessing the meet as a specta-
tor, in connection with whole lot of
other cohorts of the league. They evil
IDENTIFY went there to get information to
! file q proper report to Albert Mott re-
! garding the matter of the outlaw race
meet.
However, as regard Major Taylor. The
| two officials in question has evidently re-
| ceived carefully written instructions from
| the chairman of the racing board, rela-
! tive 20 the course to be pursued in the
matter. 1t is to their credit to say that
! they carried out mis- instructions TO the
1 letter, and because they failed was
| through no fault of exertions on their
! part. The committee, if the officials can
! be termed such, did not have m easy
| time in getting the car of the cc,ored
! rider 1t is understood that they spend
! nearly day and half in the endeavor,
and finally were successful. They got
! hold of their man and held on 20 hi,n.
! For two hours or longer. II is said, they
| talked TO him in every conceivable man
ner and form. They coaxed. pleaded. ca
| joled, and even went so far as TO threat
| en-, but TO no avail. They could not win
| their man.
| 1t is understood that some good induce
! enmts We're held out 10 Taylor. He was
| told that Albert Mott wanted to make
| him the national champion OF the year,
| according to the rulings Of the League
| of American Wheelmen. regular
league national circuit meet was sci Cd
| uled for the Coliseum track at Baltimore
! Saturday afternoon. 1t was held out TO
| Taylor that if he went over he would
practically have nothing but "dubs" to
| ride against, and that he would have an
| easy time in winning. With his present
score he would easily stand at the head
| of the list and of course would be pro-
claimed champion of the year So NAVY
other things were placed before the eyes
of the colored rider, in such vivid and lu-
| rid word paintings, that he was unable
to remember everything that went on.
| AT first plain statement of the case
was put to him, and the enormity of the
crime against the rules of the League of
! American Wheelmen that he was to com
| NIT, was diiated upon. This picture was
| painted as dark as possible Then the
| advantages of the league system of rid
| ing were brought up, and the fact that
| a national circuit meet was to have been
| held at Baltimore Saturday evening,
| probably the last one of the season, was
| discussed. In pleading tones Taylor was
asked to reconsider his determination to
join the new association of riders, and
return to the sheltering 90 wing of the
| league once more, and ride to champion
ship and glory. The pleading did no
| good. The dusky rider was mute. Coax
| ing was then INDUCED in, then cajolery
| and the sweetest persuasive arts known
to the mind of the committee. This did
not amount to anything bordering on sue
| cess. Ihen Seml-Yelled threats were in
| dulged in, but these were no good.
The colored rider could not be won
over. He was firm In his purpose and
resolution TO stick to the other crack
| riders, and for this he deserves due
credit. He knew he would not ride at
| Baltimore for several good reasons. In
the first place had he gone over he
would undoubtedly have won the national
championship race. This was sixty
| point first, and with his present score
of 143, he would have been away in the
lead. AS the other riders will not be per-
| mitted to score any more in their present
| table, because of the fact that the CON-
| ing races will not be held under the
league control, Taylor would have been
the champion, according to the rulings
of the chairman of the racing board. He
| would not have any good riders to ride
against at Baltimore Saturday, and if he
won the race it would be an empty
honor. He did not want this. rhen again
his managers were opposed to his return
ing to the league racing rules. All of the
| crack riders are in the new movement
and il was Taylors place to stay with
| them. If he won against them he could
| rightly enjoy the title of champion, win
ming solely on his merits alone, an honor
| to be sought for Then again, his en-
| ployers have made him an offer of $40, 00(
| if he wins the national championship
| They want him to win the title beyond
| the question of doubt This they re-
gard as the most satisfactory plan. The
| fact that Taylor rode Saturday, and
rode well, shows conclusiyefy which side
of the question he is with, and the other
riders of the circuit give him due credit