The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-31
English Aviator is Indignant
Over Disqualification IN
Statue Event
CHARGES OFFICIALS
WITH PARTIAL TY TO
AMERICAN FL YERS
Il Know | Can Beat Moisant
Over Any Course He May
) Select" Says Angry
Britisher.

BELMONT AVIATION FIELD, /. |,
Oct 31.--indinnant at the action OF the
aviation COMMITTEES In making . rule
In which he 10 barred from further par
t;cipation In the statue Of liberty Night,
Claude Crahanss- White this afternoon
chaiisnqsd John D. Moisant for Night
over any course the latter might select
for . prize Of $4,000.
The English aviator appeared in this
prsss box this afternoon declaring that
he had been unjustly treated and that
the rule had been purpossiy changed to
give the $4,000 prize to an American.
- hereby challenge Moisant for =
flight over any course the latter may
select for . prize Of $4,000 he said.
~ know can beat him and the avia-
ton committee knew It, too, whom u
MADE : rule to keep me from flying
again
Grahanne- White was asked whether
he intended TO protest against award
ina the prize to MoisAnt. He shrugged
his shoulders.
iWhat's the use." no said. my pro-
test would be ovsrruied. They havs
overruisd them eli in the past
Il was suggested 20 crahars- White
that lac might hy over the course to-
day in faster time than that nnsde BY
Moisant and then havs the Royal Aero
Club Of Great Britain enter formal
demand for this prize.
.Ths officials wouldn't tins nee," he
said. They're doing oil In their power
to throw the prizes 70 Amsricans.
think is a~fuly unsportsmariiks."
Although barred from Winning the
Theaaas Fortune Ryan prize OF $io,eset
ira White Was expected 70 make
another Hight agrass New York to day
to prove that he could lower the time
made yesterday by John Il, Moisant
limit the number Of flights.
BELMONT AVIATION FIELD. l..
l., Oct 3I.---Although barred from
winning the Thomas Fortune Ryan
prize Of Sio.90e for & fight round
the Statue OF Liberty and return TO
the aviation field, Claude Grahhme-
White WAS expected 10 make another
flight across New York o-day 10 prove
that he could lower the time made
yesterday by John II. Moisant.
Grahame- White made the ss-mile
trip yesterday In 3532i In his 100
horse power Blerlot. Buying ma
chine In which he had never before
fiown, Moisant by sensational driving
over crowded city made the trip In
34:3S.
Graharne- White demanded the right
to try again, but Moisant's protest was
upheld by tn contest committee. which
ruled that Grahame-W White could not
rs twice Ia the same contest. This
ruling, though popular with the pun
lie, did not meet with the approval OF
those who had carefully studied the
rules. which contained no proviso TO
limit the number OF flights. Early
to-day Ii was regarded as altogether
possible that Grahame- White would
make the trip to-day. and II he low
cred Moisants time file formal de-
mand for the purse OF $4,000.
Flight - Spectacular.
Moisants fight yesterday was spec
tacular Grahame- White in his 100
horse power Bieriot had followed
Count De Lesseps away from the avia-
ton field on IN. Hight over Brook
Ivy, up the ha . r. around the god
dcss and back Ia the aviation field.
Although DE Lesseps used a much
shorter course by flying directly over
the city. GrahnmeW Whites superior
machine enabled him to beat the
Frenchman by ! IL minutes Ora
hame- Whites flight totalled about 40
miles, owing to the circuitous route
he took, and his speed was estimated
at nearly 20 miles an hour. The l00.-
from Belmont Park cheered the Eng
lishman AS the winner and ruefuily
regretted that America had lost an
other great prize In aviation.
All the time little Johnny" MOI
sant sat In front Of hts hangar. con-
tdentiy expecting Charles X. Hamil-
ton or some other OF the speedy Amer
lean flyers to enter the contest. Moi
SAINTS only racing machine In which
- H..
lier in the day. but the little Chicagoan
proved to be resourceful as well as pa
triotic. He and his brother opened
NEGOTIATIONS with Alfred LIE Blanc and
maid the latter $4,000 for his 90
horse power racing Bleriot. In this
machine, in which he had never made
= practice flight. Moisant sped away
toward the statue.
When he crossed the finish line on
his return, for couple OF moments
Moisant was cheered only as a man
who had tried his best but failed.
Then the official figures were posted.
and when II was seen that Moisant
had made the trip forty-three seconds
faster than Grahame- White. pande-
monium broke loose. Had he been
Yankee Doodle driving the great AM
erican Eagle he could not have been
. more popular hero. On the Shout
ders OF officials wrapped In an Amer
lean flag, he was carried to the club
house. and there In silence he drank
Q toast ito America. :"
Grahame- White Immediately an
nounced his intention Of making an
other flight to-day. but Moisants PRO-
test was upheic and the Engl.shman
was barred. Moisant was officilly de-
clared the winner.
II was decided that the international
aviation meeting came to a close last
night. and that for that reason Ora
hame- White could not aparticipate
again. To- days program was made
up Of special events. and for special
prinea, and was not considered part
~ tne regular meet
AltAou9h tho meeting odlcialiy