Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-24
OFFICIALS DENOUNCED
INDIGNATION at the Disqualified
ton of Carpenter.
STLYED HIGHWAY ROBBERY
American Runners Deny That There
Was Any Interference.
CAREFUL TO AVOID P0CKETING
English Sporting Writers Intimate
That There Was a Plot to Deprive
Halswelle of Victory.
CAREFUL TO AVOID POCKET1NG

That There Was Plot to deprive
Halswelle of Victory.
LONDON. July 24-' Highway robbery
is pretty strong language said Trainer
Murphy of the American Olympic team
referring to the disqualification or Car
penter in yesterdays 4OO-meter race, Tor
alleged pocketing of Halswelle, the Eng
fish runner but there are no other words
for It, I have been up against the Eng
fish officials for years. and 1t mas always
been the same story-they would have
robbed us of everything if they could. The
race was a perfectly fair one. Carpenter
had the right of way and Halswelle should
have come behind him. Both Carpenter
and Robbins had the Englishman beaten
Ray Ewry, the American high jumper,
who left the high jumping contest to
watch the men pass the turn and who
Immediately afterward made note of the
tracks left by the running shoes. said:
AT no time was there any tapping or
confusion of the tracks. l thought Halls
welle lost his head. He had the option Of
of Carpenter. but apparently he could not
make up his mind what to do
All the the men agree that Trainer Mike
Murphy called the runners together be-
fore the start of the race and in telling
them what a good man they had to beat
and how careful they had to be on &C
count of statements in the papers that
the Americans would try unfair play,
cautioned them to be fair above all things
and to run their hardest. They all say
they were doing this and nothing more.
Taylor's Statement.
j. B. Taylor, University of Pennsylva-
mia, who was behind the others when he
was pulled off the track by the inspec-
tor, said:
Being behind l could see everything
AS matter of fact. Carpenter and Rob-
bins had Halswelle and myself ruin off
our legs. II either l or Halswelle had
had II in us We could have passed in
side, as there was lots of room and the
rules allowed it. but there was not enough
In either Of us to catch the leaders. AS
L said, they fairly and squarely outran
us. II there had been any fouling l GER
tainly would have seen it, being in the
rear; but there was absolutely no signs
of unfairness. l have been in many hard
races, and l know that no man going the
pace that Carpenter and Robbins were
has time to think of fouling. Carpenter
and every other runner goes little wide
at corner. l didn't know anything was
the matter until an excited official, who
declared the race was off, pulled me
roughly from the track. This shows what
state of mind he was in, when he could
not restrain himself from laying hands
upon poor me, who was q long way be-
hind
Official Announcement.
The following is the official account of
the incident:
1T was distinctly understood by the
runners before they went to their marks
that in the event of any boring the race
was to be re-run half an hour later. The
draw for positions resulted in Carpenter
getting the inside position. Then came
Halswele, Taylor and Robbins on the
outside.
Carpenter darted off in the lead at a
great pace, with Robbins second, Halls
welle third and Taylor fourth. To the
middle of the bend the positions were
cOrding to the umpire stationed at the
spot, and led for as near as could be
judged, half a second. Carpenter then
ran wide, elbowing Halswelle on to the
outer side of the track. Then Robbins
crossed to the inside. A signal was given
by the umpire when Halswelle was fouled
and all the men with the exception Of
Carpenter, who ran right out. partially
pulled up. as the worsted having been
broken there could be no race. Taylor
1.-The judges thems selves inspected the
footmarks which showed with perfect
clearness that what had happened was
unquestionably such as to bear out the
umpire's signal and prove that foul
HAD been committed
4 committee meeting of the Amateur
Athletic Association was called, and the
judges who rendered the decision and
Halswelle were called to state their case.
Neither any member OF the American
,v,,it Zoo nf no
American runners, however, was called on
to make any statement. and the commit
tee after upward of two hours consider
alton. rendered the following decision:
THE judges decide the race void and
order the same to be run over again on
Saturday at noon. Carpenter Is dIsquali-
He'd
When they heard the decision the MEM
bers of the American committee met and
passed a resolution ordering the men not
TO run Saturday
Charges of Sporting Writers.
The Times Olympic reporter says:
1T certainly seemed as if the Ameri-
cans had run the race on a definite and
carefully thought plan. 1t was not as If
Carpenter who forced Halswelle to run
wide and elbowed him severely as he tried
to pass him. had himself taken wide
curve at the bend and then run straight
on. He appeared rather to run diagonal
ly, crossing in front Of the Englishman,
SO that he was obliged to lose several
yards, and finally could only run on the
extreme outside edge of the track.
THAT is a fair and impartial account of
what happened, so far as it could be
Judged from the stand. 1t Is difficult to
see how the council could have decided
otherwise than as they did. The only
thing that can be said Is that interfering
with another runner is considered fair In
America, and that Carpenter saw nothing
wrong in acting on that principle. 1t is
much to be hoped that both countries will
agree to say as little in the future as
nossible about a most unfortunate Incl
dent which none can regret more than the
Several of the papers assert that close
watch was set on the track. because in
the Olympic games at Athens in 1905;
Halswelle was made the victom of almost
Identical methods.
The Telegraph's reporter describes in
detail his idea of how the plan was car
ried out and asserts that the track after
ward showed. as nothing else could, how
Halswelle had had been made to run any
thing from ten to fifteen yards out of his
reasonably proper course. Continuing, he
says:
1.-The Americans and their trainer and
manager hold to the extraordinary idea
that none but a runner in the rear of an
other can foul or infringe the rules of
path If they do so seriously then in a
~, "a aura the tactical Onera tiop of keeDipg