The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-08
BEST RIDERS QUIT
RACE IN DISGUST
THEN WERE SUSPENDED.
WALTHOUR AND MUNROE AMONG
THOSE UNDER THE BAN.

Sensation Produced in the Six-Day
Race at Madison square Garden.
Five of the Best Teams Protested
Against n Lap Being Given An
other Team-CIaimed Rules ViO-
Iated-PrOtestants Put Out of the
Garden.
New York, Dec Angry because
they believed the race was being I'M
fairly conducted and because methods
which they allege to be wrong allowed
other riders to gain lap upon them.
five teams in the six-day race at Madi-
son Square Garden quit the race early
to-day.
The five teams which quit were
Walthour and Munroe. Bedell brothers,
Mayo and Newkirk, Mclean and Bow
Ter and Butler and Moran. All of
them were among the best in the con-
test, and among those most heavily
backed to win the highest prize
The trouble was precipitated by the
most exciting period of riding which
the race had thus far given, when Root
and Dorlon, followed later by Stol and
Vanderstuyft, succeeded in gaining
lap on their opponents. Walthour,
who acted as spokesman for the five
dissatisfied teams, declared that the
members of those teams relieved each
other at intervals not allowed by the
rules, especially in the case of StoI and
Vanderstuyft.
How 1t Came About.
Walthour was on the track through
out the sprint and riding a little ahead
of the rest. When Root was making
his meteoric dash half a lap ahead of
the rest, little Stol, the Belgian rider,
who had just relieved Vanderstuyft,
stole up past Walthour and, began
sprint to catch Root. In twelve laps he
had done what he tried for, and Wal
thour had been too much taken by sur
prise to catch him.
Then the partners in the five teams
named, who were not then on the
track, made their complaint and de-
clared their intention of Withdrawing
Their partners, then riding, left the
track and all ten riders Immediately
surrounded the officials and demanded
that the lost distance be restored TO
them.
After trying in vain to placate the
angry riders, the officials gave up the
tangle and sent for P. 7. Powers, pro-
moter of the race. When he Joined in
the discussion and heard both sides of
the dispute, he told Walthour and the
others that they had no right to leave
the track as they had done, either by
the National Cycling Association rules
or the special contracts which they
made with the management. He con-
Guided:
You can go back upon the track or
not. Take your choice"
Ten Riders Suspended.
Powers issued a statement in which
he claimed that the Vanderstuyft- Stol
and Root-Dorlon teams won their lap
fairly, and that the withdrawal of the
five other teams was not justified.
After a conference between President
A. G. Batchelder of the National Cy-
cling Association and r. F. Kelley,
chairman of the board of control of the
association, Walthour and the nine 9TH
er riders who withdrew from the race
were indefinitely suspended. The cases
will not be disposed of until the reg
ular annual meeting of the ASSOCIATE
in February. Until that time they
cannot ride on any track in the United
States. Walthour has engagements to
ride in Europe in the early spring, but
if the suspension is not lifted. he will
not be allowed to ride on any track in
the world: nor will any of the other
suspended men.
Chairman Kelley, in speaking of the
men. said:
II intend to make an example OF
these fellows"
Were Many Fist Fights.
When Manager Pollock ordered the
ten men who had quit the race to leave
the Garden, a lively argument ensued
and the police reserves were summon
ed. The excitement was over when
they arrived.
The Garden was thrown into an up
roar during the trouble in the dress
ing rooms. and at one time there was
a series Of fistic encounters in pro-
Sullivan Of Boston, handler for Kee-
gan, the Lowell, Mass, man, who is
still in the race, was given a severe
beating.
After the dissatisfied riders had left
the Garden Mr.. Powers issued orders
to all the gate tenders that none OF
the men or any of their trainers or
handlers were to be admitted to the
Garden again during the week.
Some time later Walthour and Nc
Lean returned and had a talk with
Powers. Walthour afterwards said he
had asked Powers for 5000. which he
considered due him for the motor
paced race on Saturday night and his
work so far this week. and that Pow
ers had referred him to an attorney.
Mclean said he was in the same
boat" He added that he had engaged
a lawyer whom he had Instructed to
attach the gate receipts at once.
what WalthOur Says.
walthour, as spokesman for the sus-
pended riders, gave out their version
OF the trouble resulting in their with
drawal. He said:
Root and Dorlon gained their lap
honestly. I have no ground Of com
plant against them and none of us
have. II is entirely against the unjust
scoring of Stol and Vanderstuyft that
we are fighting. As a matter of fact.
they should be a lap behind us, in
stead of one ahead. IL was this way:
"When Dorlon and Root had gained
their lap both Stol and Vanderstuyft
were on the track making changes.
carried the bunch along In an effort
10 catch the leaders. Dorlon and Root.
and I'm doing 20 hit up such a fast pace
that / succeeded IN tapping all Of the
the Bedell brothers, Butler and Moran
after that more slowly. knowing that
our surprise when the score was post
"a 10 ind Stol and vanderstuyft post
"a a lap ahead Then came our protest
and you know the result"
A. 10 O'Clock tonight i.2f4 miles
and one lap had been covered By die
Nanaerffuyft-H and Root Dorian