The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-30
OFFICERS CANE MAN
AFTER BEING CAMEO
Extraordinary Sequel to the Hoax
Perpetrated Aboard Brit
ish Warship.
HONOR OF NAVY SAVED
Participant Submits to Slight
Castigation and Then Has
His Turn.
LONDON, April 30.

L1tNpoANr AITit ~,
An extraordinary sequel to the famous
preadnought hoax -- almost as extraor-
mary as the hoax itself--was described
the Daily Mirror yesterday.
10 concerns the reciprocal Gaming
{ of castigating duel--between one of
officers Of the Dreadnought and the
san who posed as Mr. Herbert Choi-
Aondely, Foreign Office representative. 3"
who accompanied the sham Abyssinian
princes on their memorable visit to Ad-
miral Sir William May. commander in
c1yfer, ana the officers Of the Dreadnought
at Portland.
''Mr. Cholmondely" himself told the
story of the sequel to the Daily Mirror
yesterday.
Late one night" he said, two officers
OF high rank on the Dreadnought came to
my house and were admitted to the draw
.ns -oo,n: whore ! received them.
hey carried canes. and their manner
was very serious. indeed. They said they
had come TO ayengc the honor of the adj
miral but they admitted they had not in
formed him of their visit.
Suggestion D6CllnGQs
after brandishing their canes in the
air. they demand that / and the 'prina.s'
should re-enact the hoax scene on board
the Dreadnought and that I. as the ring
leader should then apologize to the COM
mander In chief on behalf OF the whole
party. Failing that they had. they de-
ciared. decided to cane nae
Il declined to accetie to the suggestion
and protested against the Gaming on the
ground that 1 was III and under medical
treatment.
My butler became SO alarmed that he
entered the room 10 protect me, and said
he would send for the police. ] told him
not to do that, and he thereupou remained
in the room.
Then there was a discussion as to
what should be done The naval officers
said they had come to London for the
sole purpose Of avenging the honor Of
their chief. and they could not possibly
90 back without having blood.
THE butler again protested and
threatened to go for the police, and H.
nally, In order to salve the wounded
feelings OF the naval officers, l suggested
that the principal officer should meet
me. either with boxing gloves. sword or
revolver. when ! had recovered.
He declined, and finally | said joking
II, that If the principal officer would
allow me TO infitct on him six strokes
with the cane. | would receive a CORE
spending number from him.
ITO my establishment. he was so serious
that he readily accepted the offer.
we then retired to neighborlng
news, ard there we found rubbish box
which served as sort Of triangle and
mere / gave the naval officer six strokes
with the cane--not very hard ones, as /
treated the matter as q joke, and did not
want TO hurt Then /, In turn, received
six strokes from the officer. who, with
his colleague. was very serious the
whole time.
Then We all shook hands. and the
naval officers left. apparently satisfied,
for they said they did not intend to cane
any other members OF the hoaxing
party"
Interpreters Story.
Herr George Kaufman, who took the
part Of German interpreter to tn
princes" also told "a remarkable story:
- The day after the interview with MIR
Cholmondeiy.' he said. "a very irate ma
val officer from the DreadnoHght called
upon nue. and demanded an apology. He
said that MIR. Cholmondely' had already
consented To apologize. and he invited me
to go down 20 the Dreadnought. which
was then at Portsmouth. and apologize
TO the admiral on the quarter deck. /
refused to do SO. and said the idea was
ridiculous.
There certainly was never any at
tempt to inf1ict corporal punishment on
me.
so far from the hcaxers being hoax
ed. we are too wary to fall into any
trap"