New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-07
COLONY CLUB FENCING
BOUT ALMOST FAILS.
Miss Marston'S Professionalism
Excludes Her from Meeting
Baroness de Meyer.
DOES NOT ARRIVE, ANYWAY
Lieutenant Vautier, of West
Point, Saves the Day by TAX
ing Place of the Cali
fornia Girl.

Ubev, Put there was the most spT-
tied duel at the Colony club, 5oth sIree'
ard Madison avenue yesterday. Not the
cne with foils that had been duly scheu-
uIed between the Baroness de Meyer
and Miss Sybil Marston, the CaiilorHld
girl but a duel-or. rather, many uuelS
of words. in which which regulations
were punctured without mercy. 1t was
A veritable tempest.
Even If Miss Marston did not appear
her ears must still be tingiing because
of the things that were said about her'
The outcome of it all was that Miss
MarstCn was impressively Labelled as
professional fencer-so there. only the
gaIlantry Of Lieutenant Louis Nautier'
the fencing instructor at West Point,
saved the day, as he attempted to fill
the place of Miss Marston, giving a
lively display of swordsmanship against
the flashing foil of the baroness.
It all happened this way-that is as
much as one could make out Of IT when
five or six persons all tried TO explain il
simultaneously. just at lllt it''b INV
ment-and wasn't it lucky, too-lt was
discovered that Miss Marston was pro-
fessiOnal fenCer. and if the baroness had
crossed her foil with Miss MarstOn, even
teeny- weeny bit, then she would have
been a professional, too. That was
awful TO think Of and big pots of hot
tea had to he drunk all around just to
keen down the cold shudders at the
thought.
Well when the baroness discovered
that. Of course she could not meet Miss
Marston But, strangest thing Of all,
Miss Marston did not appear
Well the baroness was very sweet and
amiable about it all. OF course. she
could not help it. and she was so inter-
ested when Dr. j. Ernest Gignoux. the
distinguished fcnCer of the New York
Athletic club, presented 10 her copy Of
the American rules Then Justice James
w Gerard. who acted as master of cere-
monies rendered verdict that Miss
Marston was a professional and conse-
ouently could not properly meet the bar
onoss. He then introduced the baroness
and I Lieutenant Vauticr, and the bout an
exhibition. was begun.
The baroness made pretty picture,
drassod I'm 4 white fencing jacket and
u.itb trouscrs of black velvet and silken
hose She was strong of wrist, and as
che advanced TO the attack her slight
Gcure was gracefully poised. while her
face framed by her Titan hair, became
s.,t and tense. Altogether she made a
uIo,sipg IMPRESSION against such an cX-
mort blade as Lieutenant Nautier's.
when the exhibition was over the fol-
,o,,.iog formal announcement was issued
bv the club committees
Amateur Women Fenccrs were invited by
~ Tnlnny club To an invitation fencing
''',,,,,n,nt ~, Miss MarstOn and the Bar
wv, ',...,I a., Never accepted, but IL now ap-
] ]ou's that Miss Marstou l. "a teacher of
ii.,,i ruIturc and under hc rules Of the
Amateur Athletic ! mon the Amateur
t,mcors' League and the rules applicable
TO English contests thls employment
UoLas Miss MarstOn "A professional. and
,,I"'.var rnmpetcs for a prize with pro-
,,s.iouai Is thereafter dcbarrcd from anna
81 i ,r.fnr. The baroness dc Meyer cannot
co,',,'t v,ith Miss MarstOn without losing
49,. 'ststus a. an amateur. The Colony
Nm n,,.atIy regrets ihis hut cannot ASK
49, La,nrrss 90 furioit her standing as an
amateur The baroness was willing. how