Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

and shortly afterward became a menu
Der of the Washington Chess and Whist
Club at time when nearly all of the
chess-playing members Of that organi-
ration had either resigned from the
club or We're on the point of doing so
to form a new club, which they did a
few days later.
The few chess players who remained
In the old club We're primarily whist
players. and many of them were very
bitter toward the members of the new
organization, and. no doubt. did all in
their power to make them trouble and
to prejudice the minds of any out-of-
town players who CHANGED 20 visit the
old club first. This probably accounts
for Mr.. Whitakers very evident preju-
dice in the championship matter.
Claiming as he did IN his pugilistic
challenges In The Star chess column
and the numerous subsequent references
to them that there was no chess cham
pion in Washington. and even going
so far as to say that Mr.. +. Is. Walker
(who was recognized by all Washing
ton chess players as unquestionably
the championl had no claim to the title
whatsoever. Anybody who knew any
thing about Mr.. Walkers chess record
in Washington OF course considered
this statement extremely absurd. Ii
should he sufficient proof that Mr..
Walker was recognized as the rightfui
holder of the title to mention that
when L. b. Napoleon {spoken Of by Mr..
the strongest player in the District
outside of himselD finally aspired to
the title. he went TO Mr.. Walker and
challenged him to play match. never
dreaming that he could win such honors
by any other route In the articles
published chance was never misse1
to work in something which would tend
to discredit the Capital City Club. or
had made arrangements to play a
match with Mr.. Walker in the spring.
Mr.. Whitaker's challenges appeared
again and it was claimed that Mr.. Walker
was not the champion at all, TO which III
was replied that after the conclusion OF
the WalkerZapoleon match the winner
would be perfectly willing to play Mr..
Whitaker: but that was long time ago
and no direc: challenge has been received
by the winner as yet. nor has Mr. " hit
aker at any time ever direct Y chal-
'enged anybody at the Capital City Club
for a match. seeming to prefer newspaper
notOriety to real chess.
He must rave felt entitled to some
thing or other after putting in such a
strenuous year of challenging, etc. juds-
ing from the letter he inserted in The
Sunday Star Of October 20. in which he
claims the championship of the District
Of Columbia, wrich. as far as L can see,
he has done nothing for except to write
letters, having never even made a bona
fide challenge for a match with any OF
the leading players Of this community
and never engaging in a tournament in
which there was a field against him
which was anywhere near representa- tive
of the strength Of Washington chess
players.
The idea OF leaving it up to Mr.. VIM
satt to decide who is the champion OF the
District. as suggested by Mr.. Whitaker
in his letter in last Sundays Star. Is too
ridiculous for comment. Mr.. Whitaker
might as well leave the matter to him.
self for decision.
The whole affair it seems to me. has
been self-aggrandizement and spitework
from the start, as explained above, and
people vino are really interested in chess
watching the tedious process Of a dis
grunrled chess player winning the PINK
sheet championship
y. b. WEBSTER