Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-22
HOPE WRITES
A RED HOT !
LETTER

@AA6S
MAJOR WILLIAMSON, OF SA-
VANNAH.
Captain George N. Hope. OF the Govern
or's horse guard. has written a second
letter on the much talked OF Sea Girr
rife contest The last communication
was addressed 10 Major Williamson, OF
Savannah. and deals with some of the
history regarding other shoots at the cas-
tern rifle range. He also deals In rather
plain terms with some OF the facts rela-
tive 10 a shoot that was held In saFan-
nah. The letter Of Captain Hope foi-
What Hope Wrote.
ATLANTA. Ca. sept -. Iso2--Aiajor W. W
Williamson. Commander First Battery. G. ;
+. ana Captain Georgia state Team lS.9- sir
A. 49, ~ e,ss, We havso apologies to make 70
you o. % any one else for our action relative
Sea Girt-we sent Il on proper authority-ana
our only regret Is that We came back empty
n vre are IS fortunate next year IN securing
permission 20 send q team 20 the meeting We
viii not come back empty handed. ana we
might say here and now. that 50 strongly are
We fixed In our opinion. that IL Il Is possible
70 % 80. VIII send team 10 sea 1irt
next year 70 participate. not only N company
this trip-but in the regimental and state events
as we'll
Grit relations up in such a light that the DO
sfticu assumed BY your team. as the custo-
dians o. Georgia's honor, VII taae INTO tne
thin air and indignation at your imperu-
uence VIII result
Now. let's have a few facts about the be-
havior OF the savannah contingent al sea Girt
-iet's set them Up in cold type. 50 that me
'.Eood people Of Georgia" may have BOTH sides
Of the question; let's then see what must have
~ H. ~
in the fraud charged-if in fact they did-and
then let the good people" see 81 just what ne
hands Of the Savannah contingent OF the Geor-
gia state team az Sea Grit in lsss-
On Skirmish Range.
On the night OF September 1883. the night
before the skirmish stage Of the regimentai
the Governors Horse Guard team had occa-
sion % leave his tent. which was located on
a camp street close % the skirmish range.
The hour was very slose 70 midnight-probsbly
after. he Was surprised 70 see occasiohal
fsshez ~ Ifght out On the skirmish range near
the POINT which seemed 20 have been cleared
for the purpose OF locating the Silhouette ng-
ures for the skirmish stage Of the match he
this command had a team entered 20 shoot
this match. and fearing duplieity one the part
him. and that some unfair advantage Was
about % be taken Of other contestants ne
called 70 a comrade 70 set up and dress as
quickly possible and 70 out with MN 70
INVESTIGATE Together they went silently for
ward till the light was reached when, 10. Nnat
Vas their astouishrnent and disgust 70 ind
meu,bers Of the savannah contingent OF the
Sea Gtrt team OF fss2-that down-trodden, op-
pressed. robbed % portion az the Georgia state
feau,-wfth dark lanterns. TAPS ana pegs, meas
urinr. marking and identifying the distances
On the range where they were 10 shoot
match the next day on unknown distances
awainst not only regimental teams from all
other states represented but against the team
o. the Governors Horse Guard. which they
n1w see NJ 10 censure and malign because II
chose 70 represent its company-not the state
Of Georgia-three years later az the sea Cir
range discovered the fraud attempted BY or
self-constfruted ceuzors--these protectors or
skIrrnish STAGE OF the match was 70 be shot,
and after their duplicity had been uiscoNered-
az MANAGEMENT, determining that the dis
fances should be unknown. and that no advan-
taEe should be gained By the savannah con-
tinEent ruarshaied all the teams that were 70
shoot IN this skirTnlsh. and marched them hair
a mile away behind a large mess hall and
halted them where they could not see the plac-
Ing OF the skirmish figures. or know where
Then Il was that you. our censors. distin-
guished yourselves as 'custodians OF Seoreia 5
(rpferred 20 in your letter.. 10 whom you del
eEated the trust. GeOrgta's honor keeper, en-
scross the field. dressed not in his uniform as
q soldier, but In citizens clothes. as spy
and estimated the distance rom wheEe you naa
would be placed. and. while the line OF Skin
nishers yet waited for marching orders, this
ErN. 70 NAuLu KEEPING u At--A-A
had been delegated By YOU. returnsd' ana Nss
overheard 10 tell the members Of the two regi-
mental teams from savannah only that the
figures are 100 yards beyond where We thought
they would be- thus giving % the savannah
team even after the change OF position Of the
targets b. the management. absolute knowledge
~ an shooting distances. which every precau-
ton had been taken 20 prevent their knowing,
81 - v~hich lruouIetige they had absolutely no
- - y. - 49, 49, Er,v--1 F5srarres IN
this match had all been shot. the leading Sa-
vannah team being q points behind the Lead
- - and
this skirmish was 20 complete the match. Was
A. the Wild waves, or Just ''Georgta's honor
IN another form Wnlch sugsestsa 20 OUT men
(the Horse Guard team) that II would be
GOOD idea for Us 20 desert our targets. and
shoot on the targets assigned 70 the individ-
uai members Of the leading savannah team, 50
that Georgia CSavannahl would win the match.
Well-you won it-but without az least a part
q the assistance you sought-the Horse Guard
on. ssGeorxia's honorr- Into what hands
have you TALENT Can Il be possible that you
she syes 81 the .'Eood people q Georgia after
this close relation with such company
As 70 the Hilton trophy contest Of IS9s. in
which you claim you were robbed:
This match vas shot after the match Just
discussed. and while the management OF the
range vas IN full possession OF ali the facts
relative % a. II is true that you asked for
Representation IN the pit In this match. which
ss-srnes f5r ne refIsaig FIRST. because the
rules provided that representatives. II desired
sh0uid be placed in the pits before the begin
you requested representation only after the
second stage % the match had been shot. and
the 60 yard. or last stage q the match. was
about @ begin Second. because the match had
continued until late IN the afternoon and dark
ness was rapidly approaching. and the proba-
bffsty thea that the last men 20 shoot
would Be hurried 20 finish before night. and
that II representatives were placed In the pit
a. that time. az least fifteen minutes OF the
valuable daylight remaining would be required
IN which % do 80. during which period all
fring on the range would have % cease. II
you felt that you had been denied the priv
ileEes ~ the rules. that was the time 70 have
acted. and withdrawn your team from the
feId-hut you didn't do this-you shot the next
and last stage q the match In the hope OF
wfnninE-but you didn't winl
You were satisfied you had been defrauded-
vet every man u you. with one two ex-
ceptions. cheered the victors when they were
Announced
You protested the MATCH Fou we're given a
hearing. We are informed that after the decis-
fou was rendered against you. you were m
vftnd 20 dinner with those who opposed a
decision IN your favor on the protest and you
accepted this invitation. az which time the
matter was referred % BY you closed. So
Tar ycu had acted Ike thorough sportsmen
me baby act came on after your return 20
Georgia Instead q sending team back the
following year, when you knew what would