The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-22
CYCLING NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Michael. the Welsh wonder, appears to
be something OF prevaricator, If the re-
ported interviews with him are true.
About the middle of last week New
York newspaper published story about
Michael, in which Shafer talked in his
usual braggadocio style. Several state
ments he makes are interesting In the,
first place the trainer offers to give any
one 500 who can prove that contract
was drawn up for the appearance of Mi
chael to ride in this city last Monday
night. This Is thel race in which he
failed Ito. ride. and in whose place Harry
Elkes, the Glens Falls rider, was substi-
tuted. This assertion of Skaters grows
out of the fact that the reporter spoke of
the number of Washington people who
were disappointed BECAUSE Michael failed
to ride on Monday last as announced.
So far as a contract is concerned
Shafer is perfectly right. No such thing
existed. The smooth way in which the
trainer juggles things is evidenced clear
ly by the following condition of facts:
An agreement was drawn up for the APP
pearance of Michael in this city on Mon
day, August 5, with the proviso that in
case it rained on that date the event
would come off the Wednesday follow
ing, August TO- As is perhaps we'll re-
membered by the local public rain in
terefered with both races. While in
Baltimore Michael sent a telegram to
The Times announcing that he would re-
main in Washington and race if ii took
whole week of waiting. This action
yat- trnt. 7,s.- a,.I
the part of his managers and they au-
thorized the management of the Park
Bicycle Club to advertise the meet. After
every date in the week of August had
been ruined by rain, the date of August
ID was selected and announced salts
factory TO Michael. The midget, with
ais trainer, left the city Saturday,
August Is. for New York to transact
some business stating that they would
return to the city in time for the Mon
day night meet. Monday morning ar II
o'clock word was received that the rider
and his trainer had left for Washing
ton. AT 2:29 In the afternoon, too late
Tor publication. telegram was re-
ceived from Philadelphia that Michael
had been suddenly taken sick. The
aoopl management was informed that
the midget had collapsed and that he
would hardly be able to ride again this
season.
Another statement of Shafer's that is
particularly exasperating. in the same
Interview, is the way in which he calls
attention to Michael's condition. He
states that If the midget is sick man
he would like the reporter to see him
every afternoon from to o'clock train
ing at the Willow Grove track, and the
form in which he Is riding The inter
view Is published in the morning issue
NF
interview must have been given some
time Tuesday. As Monday was the date
for the midget TO ride in this city, and
he did not show up on account of sick
ness some one must be prevaricating
and the local management of the Park
Bicycle Club made the victims of a con-
tempuble hoax. Judging from indicat-
tons il must be Skaters doings. and
this fact ought to be remembered
against him when he comes to this city
again, as he surely will. II only serves
10 show the character of man. BY his
deliberate deception the management of
the local bicycle track has suffered to a
more or less extent, though perfectly
innocent of anything wrong.
Another little fact that can be set down
against Shafer occurred Monday night,
August S, when a crowd of over 5000 peo-
pie assembled at the park track TO wit
ness the race, rain coming up and pre-
venting. Shafer was heard to say TO
Michael that the best thing they could do
was TO shake Washington. The town, he
said, was no good, and the people practi-
cally no good. though only before to a
reporter he remarked on the general APP
pearance of the people entering the stand,
and volunteered the information that at
no place up north did such class of peo-
pie attend bicycle racing That Shafer is
shrewd individual has all along been
conceded, but when his tricks SAVIOR of
such tactics they lose their shrewdness
and border on the. contemplate He can
chuckle over the manner in which he
disappointed the local people, but the
time may come when he will rue his ac-
ton. Had he not opened his mouth the
matter would have dropped and nothing
more would have been said of it AS it
is his interview practically indicates the
park people from having anything to do
with the non-appearance of the Welsh
rider.
That Fred Titus is in good condition
and winning form is clearly evidenced
by his work Saturday at PHILADELPHIA.
On the Tioga track, from scratch he
Won the ten-mile handicap race from a
large field of entrants, in the good time
of 2i:46 1-5. B. B. Stevens, the steersman
of the well-known quad, which was In
this city helping to pace Moran in his
race with Harry Elkes, finished second
from the 225-yard mark. On the after
noon of the same day Titus rode a pur-
B. B. Stevens and John Zimmerman, and
defeated them. In this attempt he broke
the five-mile unpaced competition record
by five seconds The previous record was