The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-19
SPENCER'S OWN ADMISSION.
PROVES GEORGIANs WON THE HILL
TON TROPH$ CONTEST.

1ON hOf 1ON AAS
Told Two of Them II the Target Pro-
duced Was That ut which the Jer-
sey Men Fired They Could Not
Have WOn-None Can Believe, Who
Know the Men Who Made the Dis
cOvery of Deceit. That They Would
Have Substituted Another Target.
The Unrest of the Night before
Probably Prevented Georgia, the
Team Thinks, From Winning the
Interstate Match.
Gen. Bird W. Spencer, who captained the
New Jersey team at Sea Girt, admitted TO
two of the Georgians that mis- men could
not possibly have been winners of the Hi
ton Trophy if the target produced by the
men who went down to the pits to get it
was really that at which the New jersey
men had shot His admission is proof in
itself that Georgia was entitled TO the
trophy for no one who knows the men
who produced the target in evidence would
believe for a moment that they would have
stopped 10 such an act as substituting an
other for it.
Ger last Saturday week to Mr.. H. e. VIII
son and Capt w G. Austin. Those gentle
men remained al Sea Girt after other of
the Georgia team had left. They wanted
to have a talk with Gen. Spencer and had
it. Those who know them know their
positive character and can understand that
they were ready to say what they thought
Twice the Georgians put the direct
question to the general, asking him if be
believed the Jerseymen could have won
the match IL the target produced by the
Georgians were that at which his team
had shot. He avoided an answer, switch
ing off to some other subject But gem
eral, we want you to answer us, said
Capt. Austin. do you believe New Jer-
sey won the match if that was the tar
get at which her team shot?' Then the
general admitted that his team could nor
have been the victor with the shots indi-
cated by the target.
Mr. Wilson told the story of the talk
with Gen. Spencer. He is positive that
fraud was perpetrated against the Geor-
CLANS, believing the markers favored the
Jerseymen a the 800 and 600-yard ranges.
Mr.. Wilson adduces arguments from the
facts indicated by Col. Brooks in his Of
ficial report to show the Georgians were
robbed. and to hear him and others of
the team tell of the unfair treatment they
were accorded would force any one not
already convinced that 1t was by trickery
that the victory fell 10 the Jerseymen.
Mr.. Fred W, Garden. Mr.. Wilson and
others of the team feel satisfied Georgia
would have won the Interstate match,
which was shot the day following that
for the Hilton Trophy, had the latter not
been lost through the baseness of the
markers at No. s. They say the men,
bers of the team were so wrought up over
their discovery of the way they had been
robbed that rest for the night was almost
totally destroyed The sleep and restora-
ton of nerve badly needed were prevented
by the excitement incident to the discov-
cry, ana many of the Georgians were
chasing about with the proof of their I'M
doing until a late hour They were up
again early in the morning to pursue their
investigation, and unsteady hands were
but the logical result when the shooting
began. Any expert rifemen would say
the conditions of the night before would
have interfered with the shooting, yet the
Georgians were only beaten by the reck-
oning by inverse order
Col. Brooks official statement was care
fully read by many people. Many points
of interest were found, and the universal
expression was that II made out strong
case for the Georgians. Some said from
en- clearly that the match was stolen by
the markers for the JeTseymen whether
with their collision is not known.
The question is asked frequently why
the Jerseymen, since the Georgians were
accused of unspOrtsmanlike conduct In
making the protest, did not show their
sportsmanlike procnvities by demanding
an investigation as soon as the shadow or
suspicion rested upon their victory. Mr.
Wilson believes that is what the team
should have done If it could afford to
bear the light OF an investigation. 1t Is
suspected that its failure TO do so may
have grown out of the fear of disclosures
Mr.. Wilson says Gen. Spencer let it be
generally known around Sea Girt that he
did not want the Georgians 70 win the
matches they were last victors Of II was
generally known that such was his desire.
and the prejudice against the team that
had swept all before it in 1897. Mr.. Wilson
said, was not unknown to the markers
Mr.. Wilson believes the man in the pit
was cognizant of this wish of Gen Spen-
Ger TO see the Georgians discounted
SHERIFF. SERIOUSLY ILL.