Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-11-26
REMARKABLE SVORDShAH
Is Capt. Duncan Ross, Champion Of the
World

World
WHO is TO MEET TWO OPPON-
ENTS IN THIS CITY ON THANKS
GIVING DAY-ROSS TELLS
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS CA
REER, AND THE MEN HE HAS
MET AND vANQUISHED.
Considerable interest is being mani
tested in the tournament at the State
Fair Grounds on Thanksgiving after
noon. One feature Will be the foot ball
game between the LinslyS and the
Bellaire High School eleven, to decide
the Inter-city scholastic championship.
The boys are working hard, and it will
be a stubborn contest beyond doubt,
with the partisans of both teams on
hand to cheer their favorites. In addi-
ton to this game will be the exhibition
of Workmanship, and Indian tent peg
ging by Duncan c. Ross, worlds cham
pun oAl-ol OuiAQ GlAAClI. AdPl. hOSS
will also meet Sergt. 0. Davis and enc
or two others in a mounted broad
sword combat. said to be a realistic
and thrilling contest.
Capt Ross is known to all lovers of
sport He has most interesting ca
reer, as the following portions of it,
which he recited TO Register report
er, will attest:
why did | become a swordsrnan? Prin-
eipally for revenge. I served as a boy in
British regiment of cavalry known as
the Royal Scots Greys. l was misused by
the Sergeant-Ma Of my troop / longed
Tor the day when I would be big and ex-
pert enough with the sword to get salts
faction. The day came. In the British
army there are yearly contests for the
swordsmanship OF the regiments, and the
army. / was pitted against my enemy to
decide who would represent the regiment
for the queens prize I really wanted to
punish him more than win by science, but
1 accomplished both unhorsing my oppo-
nent seven times and Furnishing him Sc
yerely.
won the queens prize. 1 won so much
money that / concluded to purchase my
discharge and visit America. liked this
country SO well that / am still here, and
as l was only II years Of age / am minor
citizen My career Stree is like a romance,
Chief of Police, Physical Instructor at
the Baltimore Y NJ. c. A., champion Ath-
lete and wrestler of the world, and still
~, 1I~NsC FJ,z
sword combat contested in America occur
red at Louisville, KY, in 1880, and was
brought about by some insulting remarks
by Col. Chas Lemon of the Chasseuers de
Frique, of France, and later a Texas
ranger. 1t was looked on as a duel, but
there was no interference by the authori-
ties, and the contest was decided at the
Exposition building in the presence of
thousands Of Louisvilles bravest men and
fairest women, who had but little SYM
pathy for the fallen colonel, although the
American feeling toward the British was.
far from what it is to-day.
My next contest was with Capt. Otto
Voss, of the Uhlandt cavalry, a veteran
of the Franco-German war. 1t took place
at San Francisco before twenty thousand
people, and it terminated seriously for the
gallant German, who lay at deaths door
for six weeks. but finally recovered. The
French people, smarting under the defeat
of Col. Lemon, claimed that he was not a
fair sample Of a French swordsman, and
they imported Capt. L. CASTOR, late of Ma
poleon's Guard. This contest also took
place at San Francisco at a place known
as Woodward's Gardens, and the attend
ance was announced as thirty thous-
and persons. On the third attack the San
Francisco Chronicle stated that the
Frenchman was hit with such terrific force
that the eagle in the menagerie screamed
and the lion roared. and the French glad
iator was hors du combat. After this /
concluded to visit Europe, On reaching
England l issued a challenge to all
swordsmen as an American. The London
press claimed 1 was still a Bridsher and
my achievements were so well known
that there was no prospect Of a match.
II then visited France, and with the
aid of Mr.. James Gordon Bennett, OF the
New York Herald, succeeded in getting a
contest with Camille Provost at Paris. Be
fore the first attack was finished the
Frenchman galloped from the arena and
claimed he was hit with too much force.
and that was no gentleman. I then paid
q visit to Berlin, and next day I got TWEEN
ty-four hours TO leave. owing to an error
in wording my challenge, which ought to
have read challenge any man in Ger
many, and did not bar anyone IN the Kali
ser's army. When the papers appeared
the next day the challenge was headed,
The American challenges the Kaiser and
his army Needless to state. had TO go.
Next I visited Italy and was at once
accommodated by Chev. PM, who later
challenged the Prince Of Orleans for in
sulting the Italian army. The Prince de-
clined on the ground Of Pinis rank. and
the Count Of Naples promptly took PINS
place, and defeated Prince Henry OF Or
leans After this l visited Russia ard
had contest with Peter Shebuiof. who
was billed as Cossack Of the DON fine
horsemar but lacking in sworcsman5hfp
@In Egypt which was then under Brit
ish rule. | met Null Hammed at Cairo, in
the presence OF the Khedive. Aebas H.
Gen. Sir Forester Walker Sirfsr, and the
now famous Lord Kitchener OF omdur-
man. From Egypt / went 10 India, and
owing to the risk to life. was prohibited
from meeting but three natives The first
was at Bombay, which took place at q
m, and the swcrdsrran name was Hiram
Bux. and belonged 70 the Gesckwar Of Ba-
soda. friendly prince. Ny next was Ma