The Washington times., 1910-10-16
Commodore Ryan Prom
ises Aviator $500 to Full
till Contract for Address.
BERGER IGNORED
BY THE BIRDMAN
Three Cornered Mix Up
Untangled by Generous
Offer Of Briton S Friend.

Claude Grahame- White. the worlds
Greatest aviator" may deliver a lee
ture on aviation this evening at the
Columbia Theater.
Ihis announcement cannot be MADE
mora definite at this time, as Grahame-
White has already experienced several
changes of heart and may again change
his mind before the doors of the theater
are opened TO the public.
Three hours Of strenuous argument
and an honorable mans promise to nav
Whatever within reason Grahame-White
might demand, were the incentives uti-
hzed IN obtaining for the Washington
public this sole opportunity Of bearrp.-
az popular prices the views on aviation
held by the worlds greatest aviator. D."
Clifford Harmon, amateur aviator and
Commodore John Barry RYAN M the
United States AerOnauticaI Reserve.
were the two men who induced Gra-
hame-White to agree to lecture tonight
II he lis not too sick"
TOO Sick" To Lecture.
No notice was given to The Times by
either Grahame-White CT his manager.
j. ) Berger that THE worlds greatest
aviator was TOO sick TO av at Ben
ming this afternoon. although represen-
tatives Of The Times talked to Mr.
Berger over the phone and at his hotel.
The advertisements announcing tb,,
fights OF Grahame-Nhite were not can
celed. Nr. Grahame-White apparently
was willing either 20 allow the public
TO make useless trip TO Benning OF
ne was willing 10 fy though sick
man. for at the Willard Hotel. during
the long argument With Ryan and Har-
mon. he insisted That he was too sick TO
deliver a lecture tonight.
The arguments Of Harmon and RYAN
we're made solely for the purpose of up
holding their regulations in the eyes OF
tn world. They allowed themselves to
become Identified with the lecture prop
osition. as they were requested 10 grace
the lecture platform with their presence
as companions and friends Of era
hame-W White.
with Grahame- White refusing TO an
pear. and with the strange conditions
surrounding their announcement. Har-
mon and Ryan felt called upon 10 pro-
tect themselves. For three long hours
they labored with the EnglIshman +o
show him that he would have 10 appear
as advertised.
Agrees To Lecture.
In the end the persuasive movers NJ
the two men and the promise Of Com
modOre Ryan that he would paw
Grahame-White anything that the
world s greatest aviator" might ask II
he would only carry out his adver-
tised program carried the day. and
the announcement came from the
Raleigh that the ads could be put
back into the papers and the theater
could be opened. for Grahame- White
was going TO talk.
Despite the fact that the English
aviator, through his manager. j. :.
Berger, had made all arrangements
for this lecture tonight and the lee
ture men had engaged the hall and
inserted advertisements in the pa
pers, Grahamc-White repudiated his
engagement last night. so the lecture
men say, and came forward with a
demand for $500 and half of the box
office receipts When this was re-
fused 10 is said ne calmly stated that
he would not talk i'm public for an,
amount Of money
When ap preached today with the
generous offer of Commodore RYAN
to guarantee every expense and nav
Grahame- White any sum that he
might name he consented to lecture
when asked today why he suddenly
Continued on Tenth Papel