The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-09
NOW THE WIMBLEDON CUP.
LAST BIG MATCH WILL BE PULLED
OFF TODAY AT SEA GRIT.

Success of the GeOrElnns In the
Two big Contests-The Hone Is
That the Wimbledon Cup May BE
Kept Here-The Range Is 1909
Yards-COI. Cam and Lieut.. Will
son Have Each Won the Cup-HO-
gan of New Jersey Has Been Do
ing Marvellous Work in Practice.
The Presidents Match VIII Also BE
Shot TO-day-Private Battey Its
Last winner.
Everybody was sorry the Georgia team
feE down on the Hilton trophy contest day
before yesterday, and when that bad news
was supplemented by that which followed
yesterday of their having lost the inter
state match and the fine bronze figure of
the Solder of Marathon" there was still
greater sorrow. The loss of the magnif-
cent shield that has graced the two mill
tary clubs here for so long was bad
enough, but the hope was entertained that
the Soldier OF Marathon" might be kept
as d trophy of prowess at Sea Girt. For
this year, at al events, however, that
proves seems TO have departed. The eye
of the Georgia team seems to have lost
its eagle characteristics and its hand its
cunning.
The victories of Wednesday, when the
regimental the company and The revolver
matches were all won by Savannah teams,
were too much for the folks at home
They were led to expect too much, and
therefore they were not blessed. 1t was
only the experts unders anding rifle shoot-
ing who had their doubts of the Savannah
rihemen's ability 10 win anything else
they might enter. They had noted the way
it required the skirmish run for the Geor-
gians TO win out in the regimental match
ard that the Glory by the company team
from the Guards had been won by the
narrow margin Of but enc point. Co-sid-
ering that on the fixed ranges in the regi-
mental match there were others far ahead
of the Guards team, the experts saw that
there were strong chances against the
Georgians when it came 10 the other big
matches that were to be shot at the known
distances.
Capt. W. w. Williamson cannot under
stand how such low scores were made by
the Savannah mlrksmen. In want of any
other suppOsition he ascribes them to the
must have been of that "fishtair' sort
while the Georgians were shooting that
battles the craftsmanship of the very best
shots. With steady wind there is no
trouble, and shooting at the long ranges
Is all right for the Georgians. 1t is that
constantly veering adherence of rihemen
that plays havoc with scores. Capt. Will
hanson fancies such a wind must have
been getting in its work while the South
erners were shooting.
Nothing came 10 Capt Williamson from
Capt. Jordan f. Brooks, vice-captain of
the team, of any protest entered or con-
tempated, in the Hilton trophy contest.
The report was heard that the Georglans
had gone to the targets and examined the
Jerseymen's, finding only forty-fve pas
ters on the bulseye, though the score the
New Jersey team won the trophy On
showed fifty-six. If there were any sucn
underhand and detestable work done, Capt.
Williamson says it could not possibly have
been with the connivance or knowledge OF
the management of the contests, for Gen
Spencer is altogether too honorable an
officer and gentleman 20 stoop to trick
so low. Such base act would have been
through the collision of the team and the
markers or the desire of the latter to see
the Jerseymen win. If the report is true,
Capt. Williamson Is inclined to believed
that it was through this wish of the mark
ers that the advantage was given the
Jersey team.
If eleven bullseyes were cut off from the
New Jersey score and made tours instead
of tives, the Georgians would lead in their
score by one point Capt. Williamson says
with a new target such as would be used
in the Hilton trophy contest for each team,
Il would be quite possible to count the pas
ters on the bullseye and note any discrep-
ancy that might exist between the number
and the record of bullseyes accredited to a
there might be the difficulty of too many
bullet holes in the bullseye
The most important matches of the meet
are the Hilton Trophy. the Interstate, and
the Wimbledon Cup, which is individual
With two of them lost already, the situa-
ton is decidedly against Georgia, notwith-
standing the team from the Guards Bat
TALON and that from Company c, and the
Hussars' revolver team having won their
matches. The Wimbledon Cup might help
things somewhat, but there is considerable
fear that it may also be won from SaVan-
nah, and that il may have 10 be shipped
away with the Hilton Trophy and the
Soldier of Marathon" when the team gets
back.
1t is probable there Will be no one team
that viii show up better than the Georgia.
The New Jersey team won the Hilton
trophy and that from the District of Co
umbia won the Soldier of Marathon"
II Georgia can just capture the w lH-
bledon cup the case will not be so bad.
as she won from both New Jersey and
the District in the regimental match and
In the company match. The Hussars
helped out the general record with their
revolver victory.
Lieut.. F. c. Wilson won the cup in 1897.
In 1896 it was won by Col George T. Cam.
Both those officers are with the team,
and will probably enter the trials for the
cup The range is 600 yards, and Capt.
Williamson says there is a man named
Hogan at Sea Girt from Jersey City who
has been making some remarkable scores
at that distance in practice for the VIM
b,edon cup contest. He may make trou-
BILE for the Savannahians.
The Wimbledon match will be pulled off
to-day and so will the last OF the more
important matches yet unshot. That Is
the Presidents match. Private +. c. Bat
tey was the winner in 1897.
One Thousand