The Washington times., 1905-09-03
ROCKOALE KNIGHT
A DARK HORSE
In List KlOhr Defeats Cham
plOns of Two States.
MARSHALL HALL TOURNEY
Proves a Great Success-More Than
Seven Thousand Persons in
Attendance.
MARSHALL HALL TOURNEY

Mighty Is the name Of John II. Klohr
with the tournament riders Of Virginia
and Maryland today. for Klohr IT was
VINO. as the knight of Rockdale,"
made the crack filters Of the two neigh
boring States drink 10 the dregs the
bitter cup of defeat at Marshall Hall last
Wednesday upon the occasion OF the
great annual open tournament. which
wes held at the famous old Potomac re-
sort on that day.
Thousands from the Old Dominion.
as well as from the District of Columbia
and the Terrapin State. were on the
ground to witness the test of eoues-
trian skill and nine-tenths Of them were
dumfounded when Kiohr, a dark horse.
carried off the honors and won the privi-
lege Of crowning the Queen OF Love and
Beauty There Were other good riders
on the ground, among them the famous
Love, but they all fell before the Prov
ess OF the man from Baltimore county,
Nd. when the fourth round came
A Famous Old Sport.
To hundreds of Washingtonians the
tournament was a new thing, but 10
the Virgintans and Marylanders IL was
an old story that is ever new. Tourna-
ments have been ridden in these two
States ever since they were first settled
by the flower of English nobility and
gentry The tournament is. in fact, as
cid as the gander-pulling. the turkey
shoot, CT any other good sport that
noursshed before the Revolution and
since. But the Washingtonians caught
on quickly enough. and took keen In
terest in the contest as soon as they
learned the nature of it,
But there were other things at Mar
shall Hall On Wednesday beside the
tournament, and those who did not care
TO watch the fitting at the rin"s -assed
away the time in the dancing pavilions
on the merry-go-roun@ in the shcot.i,
galleries. the bowling alleys, and at the
Dathin~ beach. 1t was estimated shat
there We're at least 1000 persons at Mar
shall Hall during the day, and the river
steamers that took the excursionisIs
down and brought them back were taxed
TO TIE utmost.
The first steamer left Washington at
10 o'clock in the morning, stopping by
Alexandria. Fort Washington, and Mt
Vernon. picking up passengers all the
way AT Alexandria four gallant vir-
ginia knights came aboard. with their
horses. and Joined two CT three Mary
landers who found it more convenient to
reach Marshall Hall by way of Wash
ington.
WatermeIons Galore.
When the crowd LETT the boat at Mar
shall Hall they found half a dozen
wagons drawn up by the pier, laden
with rich looking wa-ermelons
Hyah's yer watermillions, 5, 10. and
10 cents apiece" called out the darkys
who owned the wagons and the oxen
which had brought them from interior
Maryland TO the riverside and ready
purchasers were found for their wares.
which made welcome addition to the big
lunch baskets that were brought down
by the picnickers
One venerable old colored man had
roved across the river from the Vtr-
ginia shore with his load of melons and
stood with his rowboat anchored selling
his fruit as fast as he could hand IN
out
Up through the large grove the crowd
wandered. some leisurely. others In
haste to get good place to spread
lunch baskets The bands were going
the nurdy-surdy of the merry go-round
creakinS forth a popular air, and the
parkers in front of the various amuse-
ment booths were calling out the stvIe
OF entertainment they had to offer the
public.
Caring for Guests.
Conspicuous around the grounds was
Walter T. Richey. OF Marshall Hall
who was doing everything in his
power to make the visitors happy. He
succeeded So did 3. Won Orendorf, who
had direct charge of the tournament.
Mr.. Orendorf ran the tournament off in
the promptest and most satisfactory
style In addition to these two gentle
men, Frederick Mertens, president Of
the Marshall Hall Company, and VIII
liam NJ Mertens, the company's secre-
tary. were on the grounds looking after
the pleasure of their guests.
The tournament began at 2 o'clock,
and from that hour until o'clock not
a Marylander or Virginian could be
found except on the tournament
grounds. The bands the dancing, and
the other smusements had no charms
for them. They had come miles with
their families TO see the tiIting and they
did not intend TO be inveigied away from
It by any foolishness that might amuse
ignorant city felix.
Love hot Favorite.
The hot favorite was Love. the Mary
land crack. who has been defeating all
comers with ease during the season.
Harron and Head were not without st1p
porters, but there were few IN the crowd
who seemed 10 know anything about
Klohr. of Roslyn. Md. When he an
nounced that ne held his lance Ia his
left hand, everybody seemed 10 count
him out OF IL, because they knew that
the pathway. made by the feet of hum
dreds of horses. along which the knights
would have 70 ride. ran below the rings
st just the place TO suit right-handed
nnights, and that Klohr would have to
run his horse along on the uneven
ground to the right OF IL.
But this did not worry Klohr, and by
the second round, when he repeated his
nrst record of all three rings, the spec
tators began 10 sit up and take notice.
When three rounds had been run off IL
was found that William L. Harron. the
ashfngton Boy" l. Love, the
Knight Of maryland" W, L. Clark.
Knight of Virginia." Tom Head.
knight Of Munson HILL" ]. S Blan-
ford. knight Of Prince George" and
John h klohr, Knight of RockdaIe."
fVod a do