New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-18
TROOPS ON CUP COURSE
TO LINE THE CIRCUIT.
Irish Volunteers VIII Hold Cr0zCd
Back an Vanderbilt Contest.

Partly through luck and partly through clever
manoeuvring the Vanderbilt Cup Commission has
been able to arrange for the guarding ~ the Van
derbilt Cup race on Saturday by armed AID uni
formed troops Heretofore IL has been Impossible
to secure any military organization for the Tur-
pose of keeping the crowd back at these big auto
mobile events but as luck would have It, this year
the Irish Volunteers an independent organization
holding a charter under the State Of New York
since 1850, happen TO be enc 1T-pel on the HICKS
vile plains during the week of the race ana oF
quick move on the part Of Jefferson DeMoh'
Thompson and A. T.. Pardinston the ORGANIZATION
enlisted for the purpose OF guarding the course
Colonel Charles J. Crowley. commanding the
Irish Volunteers, dropped into he Garden Cl'E
Hotel last Friday for Iunchc1a, and happened 10
meet Mr.. Thompson and Mr.. pardiugton, who were
there. Colonel Crowley said that going
down the parkway, with a view TO selecting
a camp site for the annual encampment OF ms
brigade In their conversation he explained TO MI
Thompson that the brigade. whish Is one OF the
few senni-ralitary organizations in this country
authorized TO carry arms. mas been III existence
since 1850 when It known as the IhoTlas
Francis Meaghers Irish brigade. 1t went into
the Civil War and in 1872 reorgahized into Z
battery In 1893 It was recognized again INTO n
brigade. and in 1898 It rendered It's services to
President Mckinley for duty in the Spanish-AmeTl-
can War. Mr. Mckinley acceptei rhe tender. and
the brigade stood ready to 70 TO the front on me
third call for volunteers, and when It WIS seen
that .there would be third call seven-eghths OF
the officers, Colonel Crowley, explained enlisted
in other organizations which the front and
the result IS that 30 per cent Of jhe men now IN
the Irish VolGate.-rs Sp Inish War veterans
When Mr. Thompson heard these things he asked
Colonel Crowley why it would possible for
his men to turn out Saturday morning at day
light and proceed in detachnents various parts
Of the Vanderbilt cup circuit where the crowd is
likely TO be dense and unruly. Colonel Crowley
thought that this would be excellent idea not
only in the interest of protecting life at the big
race, but also to give the men opportunity to
see the and to have a little experience in
handling enthusiastic crowd. After comforting
by telephone with several officers OF his staff, in
Guiding Lieutenant Colonel Gilgar and Majors
HeaIey and Nolan and Adjutants ScanIon and
Mccarthy. arrangements were made 10 prepare the
brigade for encampment Thursday morning.
Rations ordered for six hundred men. and
the camp site on the old country road, just west
Of the village Of Hicksvlle. on a large piece Of
property of which the Parkway Corporation had
control, surveyed. Tents viii be pitched
this Thursday morning. and the brigade will go
into camp Thursday afternoon On Friday
morning there will be extended order drills
Saturday morning revelle Will be sounded $50
o'clock. The men viii proceed in heavy marching
order with Springfield rifles and bayonets. 70
the following poiats: Jericho Corners, WestbUry,
Locust Grove, Plain View, Bethpage, Woodbury.
and the grandstand The various detachments
signed these points viii be under company com
manders selected by Colonel Crowley, and the men
will patrol the course between these points.
It is more necessary than ever to keep the course
this year. because the entire circuit is faster
than any Vanderbilt circuit has ever been and the
cars are faster than any Vanderbilt racing
have been IN the past. They will probably travel
at an average speed Of not less than sIXty-eight
miles an hour, which viii make spUrts Of speed
along good stretches run up to more than hun
dred miles hour. The large and
powerful this year that it will be impossible to
stop one OF them going at fun speed in less than
two thousand feet, and naturally if the crowd
does not keep back there going to be fatalities.
The Vanderbilt Cup Commission does not wish to
leave itself open any criticism for not having
made every effort TO properly police and guard the
course Il was impossible to get regular state
troops and since the irish Volunteers are the only
mnitamen permitted TO carry arms unless so Or
dered by the Governor Of the state, the Vanderbilt
t,up Commission has taken advantage Of its only
opportunity to provide an adequate military guard
for the circuit.