The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-05
BAN ON KOLEHMAINEN
And KIYIAT Is LIFTED
Suspension for Running Queer
Dead Heat in Force for
Nine Days.
INQUIRY HELD IN PUBLIC
Registration Committee Opens
Doors for First Time In
Many Months.
INQUIRY HELD IN PUBLIC

After a suspension OF nine days Hannes
kolehmainen and Abel X. Kiviat are free
again to compete under the rules or the
American Athletic Union. At meeting
held last night In the 81. Bartholomew
A. g. house at 209 East Forty second
street the Metropolitan Association lifted
the ban which II imposed two days after
the peculiar dead heat run by the two
men at the games OF the Fourth Company.
Thirteenth Regiment. on January a. The
resolution clearing the men follows
Owing to the evidence presented by
principals. referee. judges and others
present at this meeting the suspension OF
kiv!at and Kolehmainen be lifted
In the opinion of the registration
committee the games committee OF the
Fourth Company. Thirteenth Regiment,
knowing the physical condition OF the
men, Is entirely at fault In not calling on
the advertised race or notifying the
members OF the registration committee
who were present Of the COnd!tl as they
existed"
After q few preliminary skirmishes In
which counsel for the men VINO were
under suspension we're arrayed against
the members of the committee. the In
yestigation % the circumstances proceeded
smoothly. For the first time since the
committee adopted the policy OF closed
swept away and all those interested in
any manner were allowed TO listen to the
evidence. This included the press repre-
sentatives. several OF whom added their
mite to the testimony which resulted in
generating the runners
Legal talent in abundance was there.
John r. Dooing OF the Xavier A. A. sp-
pearing AS the personal counsel OF Kiviat
and kolehmainen. while Terence J. Far
ley OF the Irish American A. e. repre-
scented that organization.
All the evidence presented was over
whelmingly In favor of the sensational
dead heaters. but from the first the law.
yers for the defenc. had to combat the
opinion held by members OF the registra-
ton committee who We're present at the
games that something was wrong with the
race. Early in the proceedings this feel
ing was voiced by John J. Degnan. d
member Of the committee. who stated in
| reply TO Terence Farley that in his opin-
ion neither OF the men tried 10 run.
After this expression OF opinion Dooling
objected to members Of the committee
who had formed AN opinion on the merits
OF the case sitting in Judgment. but was
overruled by Chairman J. w stump.
| The chairman stated that the men had
been suspended because of the race itself.
! statements an to the condition of the men
made before and after the race and be-
! cause vi ING pIebS IciolNS " ihc SheNS
/ that the race had been a "frameup"
! Kolehrnatnen's trainer testified thas the
Finn was in no condition To- run "a fast
two miles that he had been ailing since
Just before the cross country champion
ship and that on the day befor. the con-
/ test he ran seven miles in the morning
and four miles In the afternoon.
Kiviat said that on the morning Of the
meet he notified Lawson Robertson. di-
rector OF the games. that he was not in
1T condition to run. Both men denied
any knowledge OF the announcement that
they were expected to break records and
both denied that there was any arrange
ment as TO the way the race should he
run or as to how II should finish
The strongest evidence was given 10y
/ Or John q. Lucey of Staten Island. He
described Kiviats condition and said that
he was under his care from the Tuesday
I prior to the race Fearing "A collapse the
doctor went TO the games and was sur
prised that kiNiat ran as well rs he ala.
The referee said that he knew both men
were unfit to run and that he thought the
! race was honest In reply TO question he
denied that after the race he had told
John J. Degnan that he thought the race
looked like n horrible fake. The referee
i also insisted that the race did not finish
| In dead Heat He contended that
Koiehniainen won by four inches.
Capt. Robert Aiken Of the Fourth Com
pany, OF which Kiviat Ia a member. also
spoke OF Kiviat's condition and said that
no ran only so as not to disappont the
public He declared that there was no
inducement for the men other than the
CUB and two watches. one for tho first
/ man ana one for the second
/ Lawson Robertson told of tho arrange
mcnts for the race and caused a laugh
when, In reply to n question by poollnR
~ to whether II was possible for two mcr
to run a dead heat. he said. Not unless
they rehearsed II for "A coupl. OF years
+. j. V, Delaney, one of tn" judges
said that he watched the race closely and
that In his opinion both men did theli
best. Kiviat especially showing good judg
m-nt in keeping behind his opponent and
depending on his final sprint, Also in tbs
line Of expert testimony We're the state
mcnts ~ Frances Alhertanti. Geors,
Underwood Harold Dihblee, Harry j
Smith and Joseph Mc,iinn All went e
bear out che idea that the men did tn,
best they could. bad as It was
Not word was spoken against the run
ners and II took the committee only hal
an hour to arrive AT a verdict. Those VIII,
acted on the case We're j. w. Stumpf
John NJ Connolly. George y. Matthews
John j. Degnan and &. A. Elhert
As result of the verdict the men ar,
free to run whenever they please AN,
: kiviat, who has recovered entirely from
! his Illness will he a starter in the Hunte
mile at the Boston 4. A. games on Sat
urday.