Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-04
LEAWTT CALLS
STEARNS' TALK
LAYS DOWN TEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN CASH
FAILS TO INDUCE sTEARNs TO
COME TO SCRATCH
LocomohIe Willing to Grant Stearns
a Return or Consolation Race for
Five Hundred Miles, but
Finally Despalrs

R. ]. Leavitt, Southern California
agent of the Locomobile, settled in
very decisive though rather heart
breaking manner yesterday that the
Stearns people have little taste for
match endurance race with his car
when such a match depends upon
wager of hard cash, Leavitt planklnS
down $4,000 in real money, which the
Stearns men failed to cover.
Leavitt's method of proving this
much-mooted question would nave
looked melodramatic IL enacted by
some man of more words and less de-
termination, but so well established a
reputation has he for making up his
mind first and then backing 1t to the
limit that one has but to know him to
know that the tactics pursued by MIN
yesterday were those of a man who
believes that there is but one thing
that talks in connection with race me-
gotiations, and that thing is rear
money.
LeavHt at least reflected this idea
yesterday morning, when, first calllng
In the automobile editors of the three
morning newspapers who have inter-
viewed the Stearns people for several
weeks past, he put them in a Locomo-
bile, drove them to the Broadway Bank
and Trust company, drew $4,000 IN
hard currency, secured certified
check of the cashier for an equivalent
amount and then proceeded with the
party to the Stearns gargage, where ne
planked his money down on the desk
of Huntly l.. Gordon, local agent Tor
the Stearns, anG demanded that he
cover the money. AFTER SIX hours "
what undoubtedly was a very careful
elaboration over a wager of so large
q sum of money, and after asking Tor
two hours, and then four more, Tor
such elaboration, at o'cock last
night General Manager Sailing OF the
Thomas Motor Car company and OF
the Stearns Motor company, acting Tor
Gordon, telephoned Leavitt that he
could not baccept the challenge. Thus
emphatieaIly and definitely ends, so far
as Leavitt is concerned, all talk look
ing to return match to be given the
Stearns by the Locomobtle.
Leavitt Urges Settlement
Leavitt's action came as the result
OF a series of what he designates as
some very tiresome negotiations with
the Stearns managers in an effort 10
get them to agree to 5O0-mile race.
The latter have from week to week
held out more or less bright hopes Inat
they would be willing to give LeaVitt
the DUU-1flll6 IdCci lllOhSAA oNSNNASAN-S
keeping their demand for a short race
of 100 or $50 miles in the foreground.
From week to week the newspaper
men have patiently visited the Stearns
garage with the idea of securing some
definite expression conceding TO LeaV-
tits demand for a 500mile race, ana,
ZOO have been led to believe that 1t
was only a matter of minor negotia-
tions that separated the Stearns man
agement from that of the Locomobile,
until to two of the three, including the
representative of The Herald, 1t be-
came more or less obvious that further
negotiations would come to naught ana
that Leavitt would not be accorded
what everyone has been willing to con-
cede him, viz, the right, as the victor
in the previous Locomobile-Stearns
race Of $50 miles, to name the dis
lance of the return match in case ne
were willing to grant the Stearns such
match at all
Gordon Once Agreed
This latter point, so far as Manager
Gordon of the Stearns was concerned,
was tentatively settled the afternoon
OF the previous race at Ascot park,
when Leayitt caused it to be announced
to the crowd through the megaphone
that, as victor of the race, he would
grant the Stearns return match and
was later on Ine sebluS 1A1SA iiOSiA 90
sured by Manager Gordon that the
Stearns would consent to his demand
for the 500 miles.
Then followed the long drawn out
negotiations, until 1t became apparent
to all concerned, except to the one
newspaper in question, that the Stearns
were chary Of granting a race OF more
than $50 miles. Leavitt had deteated
the Stearns once at this distance ana
has since insisted that another race at
the same distance would prove nothing
not proven by the first race, so far as
the real endurance of the two cars
running at high speed was concerned.
On the contrary, he has always In
sisted that it would really be beyond
$50 miles that the Locomobile would
prove its greater strength and en-
DURANGO over the Stearns and that his
real object in insisting on the 50O-mile
race was to prove that the Stearns
would not be able to go the distance
under high racing pressure.
Leavltt Defends Latham
The stearns management. after the
previous race, also gave 1t out that
their car lost because of the inferior
driving of Bert Latham, as compared
to that Of Murray Page, on the Loco
mobile. Ieavitt, on his side, contended
that Latham had put up remarkably
clever race, gave Latham job as
salesman and offered to put Latham
back of the Locomobile steering wheel
in case a 500-naile race was granted,
and consented that the Stearns might
use Charley Soules, the crack eastern
driver, or anyone else they chose.
These demands have never been an
swered in any emphatic manner by the
Stearns management although more
or less vague challenges of a race with
the Locoobjle for a $4,000 side bet. with
no distance specified. have been pub
lished from time to time in the news
papers by the Stearns. a check payable
to tthe. winner of the I.ocomobile-
Stearns race but uncertifed by the
hank against which it was drawn, be-
ing placed in the hands of the repre-
sentative of the lone newspaper above
referred to-
Newspaper Story Untrue
This lone newspaper then went so
far on Sunday morning as to publish
the fact that an agreement had been
reached between Leavitt and the
Stearns managers for q 500-mile race
for the $4,000 check referred to.
This information came as an entire
surprise to Leavitt, who, to use his
own language, said that he thought
that if such an agreement bad actually
been reached he, as one of the two
principals, should know something
about It,"
So bright and early yesterday morn
ing, after calling in the representa-
tives of all three morning newspapers
an order that all concerned might be
present to answer all embarrassing
questions Of veracity, he proceeded to
the Stearns garage as stated Driver
Bert Latham and c. c. Slaughter,
rocornobiie owner from Texas, also