Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-08
LAWSON TURNED DOWN.
New York Yacht Club will Not Allow
 Independence in Race.


 Independence in Race.
 New York, June S.-.'It is evident that further discussion can serve no useful purpose and the committee, therefore, must decline to pursue the subject further with you"
 This is the decisive paragraph in a letter mailed last night to Thomas w. Lawson of Boston barring his yacht Independence out of the trials prelim- mary to the races for the Americas cup. It was written by Lewis Cass Ledyard, chairman Of the challenge committee of the New York Yacht club, and was in reply to remarkable communication from MT Lawson, in which he included form of charter, which he demanded that the yacht club accept, notwithstanding the clear and explicit letter sent him by Com modore Ledyard on June 3, in which he was informed that it was unneces- sary to submit any form of charter whatever.
 The full text of Commodore Led yards letter, which ends all further negotiations with the argumentative Bostonian, is as follows:
 No fl West Forty-fourth St,
 June ', 1901. Thomas ". Lawson, Esq:
 sir: Your letter of June was re- ceiyed this morning. The papers in closed herewith, consisting of an in strument signed by you and copy of a letter addressed to you by counsel, whose name is not disclosed, are here by returned to you, the committee hav- ing notified you on June 3 that it did not desire you to submit to them a form of any charter you might propose to make.
 Throughout the entire correspond ence this committee has been anxious to believe that you had no other object than to avail yourself of such reason able regulations as might be necessary to qualify the Independence to compete for the honor of defending the cup, and they therefore, in spite of many things in your letters to which excep- ton might have been taken, treated you with uniform courtesy.
 Your last letter, however, with the inclosures, indicates settled purpose on your part to misunderstood the po- sition of the committee, which has been again and again stated to you in terms too plain to be open to any but willful misconstruction.
 stIt is evident that further discus sion can serve no useful purpose, and the committee therefore must decline to pursue the subject further with you.
 If a member of this club notifies the secretary that he has chartered the Independence, or that he has ac- cepted transfer of her, 1t will be for such member to enter her for such events as she may be qualified to enter. Respectfully,
 Chairman Lawson's letter, which brought forth this reply, read thus:
 Boston, Mass, June 5, 1901. Commodore Lewis Cass Ledyard,
 Chairman of Committee, New York
 Yacht Club:
 Dear Sir: Your letter of June 8 just received. AS I informed you in my letter of May %, I handed the en- tire correspondence to my lawyers, with instructions to draw charter in conformity with the views of both of us as expressed in the letters.
 T inclose herewith such charter, duly executed by me, together with a copy of the letter of the attorneys to me. giving their opinion of and their reasons for the form in which the charter is drawn. My own opinion, is that they have fairly and successfully overcome the seeming obstacle by making a charter which, while 1t all lows you to maintain your position that the vessel defending the cup is the representative of your club, also allows me to maintain the position which I have held from the start, viz: that any American owning the best American boat may defend the cup without giv- ing away his boat.
 In asking the members of your com mittee to accept the petition of char terers, wish to assure you that will do everything necessary to free you in every way from owners duties. My captain, officers and crew are in every way able and competent; the de- signer, MT Crowninshield, will be with the boat, and as I will personally man. age the boat through the season I will be only too pleased to give to the char terers all the assistance desired.
 T trust the charter will be entirely satisfactory and that the members of your committee will accept the same. If, however, it should not, in whole or in part, meet their views, kindly send me one with any changes you may de- sire. Believe me,
 Yours very truly,
 THOMAS W. LAWSON"