Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-07
S1X-DAY BICYCLE RACE
SENSATIONAL INCIDENT TODAY
FIVE TEAMS QUIT TRACK.

"A sensational incident of the big
six-day bicycle race in New York
today was the quitting of five teams,
embracing some of the best riders
in the contest because of their be-
lief that the race was being unfairly
conducted.
After a conference with officers
of the National Bicycling Associa-
ton, the ten riders who withdrew
from the race were indefinitely sus-
pended.
NEW YORK. December Angry be-
cause they believed the race was being
unfairly conducted and because methods
which they allege to be wrong allowed
other riders to gain lap upon them. fVe
teams in the six-day bicycle race at Madi-
son Square Garden, including some of the
best of the riders competing in the event,
quit the race early today.
The five teams which quit were Walthour
and Monroe. Bedell brothers. Mayo and
Newkirk, Mclean and Bowler and Butler
and Moran. All of them were among the
best in the contest 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 oppo-
nents. 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 Stol and Wander
stuyft.
The trouble began shortly after 2 o'clock.
1s2n VI
ners about that time, but Dorlon, when the
other partners were about to leave the
track, did not go. He had been riding
slowly back of the bunch for hours. merely
keeping on even terms with the rest, ana
did not appear at all wearied. Just as the
change of riders was being made DOrlon
started a sprint at pace which eclipsed
anything the race had heretofore produced.
The sprint by the two leading teams and
the quarrel and excitement that followed
when the five teams quit the track raised
the crowd to a pitch of excitement hardly
exhibited before during the present race
Many spills, due to the terrific pace. but
none of which resulted in serious injuries.
added to the excitement.
Root and Dorlon passed the thousand
mile mark just before Z o'clock this fore
noon.
Asked for Further Conference.
The riders who quit the race remained
about the garden. and, from appearances,
some of them were sorry, later, that they
had decided so suddenly to stop riding.
They asked further conference with Pow
ers. The request met with a refusal, and
during the forenoon Powers issued state
ment In which he claimed that the Wander
stuyft-Stol and Root-Dorlon teams won
their lap fairly and that the withdrawal of
the five other teams was not Justified.
For two miles Dorlon kept up his heart
breaking sprint and by that time had gain
ed half lap on the bunch. Then, hardly
losing a second Root Jumped in and, being
fresh, began a sprint which was even more
heart-breaking than Dorlon's had been. He
kept it up for forty minutes, with the other
riders trying desperately to overtake him,
but at the end of that time he had gained
the lap he and his partner coveted.
Walthour was on the track throughout
the sprint, and riding a little ahead of the
rest. When Root was making his meteorlc
dash half a lap ahead of the rest, little
Stol. the Belgian rider, who had just re-
lieved Vanderstuyft stole up past Wal
thour and began a sprint to catch Root. In
twelve laps he had done what he tried for,
and Walthour had been too much taken by
surprise to catch him.
Then the partners in the five teams
named. who were not then on the track,
made their complaint and declared their IN
tention of withdrawing. Their partners,
then riding, left the track. and all ten
riders Immediately surrounded the officials
and demanded that the lost distance be re-
stored to them.
Walthour, as spokesman for the dissats-
fled riders, argued that Stol had not proper
ly relieved Vanderstuyft and that the lap
was gained unfairly.
After trying in vain to placate the angry
riders the officials gave up the tangle and
sent for p. T. Powers, promoter of the race.
When he joined in the discussion and had
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,
-. 49,
rules or the special contracts which they
made with the management.
Riders Suspended.
After a conference between President
A. G. Batchelder of the National Cycling
Association and r. F. Kelley, chairman
of the board of control Of the association,
Walthour and the nine other riders who
withdrew from the race were Indefinitely
suspended. The cases will not be disposed
of until the regular annual meeting OF
the association in February. Until that
time they cannot ride on any track in the
United States. Walthour has engage
ments 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 Kelcey, in speaking of the
men, said: Il intend to make an example
of these fellows"
He would say nothing further.
When Manager Pollock ordered the ten
men who had quit the race to leave the
garden lively argument ensued, and the
police reserves were summoned The ex-
element was over when they arrived. 1t
was reported that Nat Butler, one of the
riders, had been assaulted and beaten by
one of Manager Pollock's supporters, but
Pollock denied it.
Uproar in the Garden.
The garden was thrown into an uproar
during the trouble in the dressing rooms
and at one time there was series of fistiC
encounters in progress all around the oval
Joseph L. Sullivan of Boston, a handler