ATHLETES IN ARMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 302, 12 April 1877, Page 3

ATHLETES IN ARMS.

At the Eastern Oval racas at a 100 yards race was to have been vim between Sharp, a local man, and Selby < of the Ail-Etighind Eleven. The Shir says that during the progress of the handicap it was more than hinted that there would be no 100 yards spin ; but when the starting bell rang Sharp t merged in tights and scri-oii.s. meming Selby fully dressed at the ■ e 'ate. Sol by then informed Sharp not ran, as the origin:!! , to ran for LIOO aside v.--!* oV., yud that he would not run fur no: -Hi; auarp orlered htm L 3 to run ort" fi u ' :: f <mkv. and :ne t -.vith tlie same reply, the crowd, which very quickly gathered, cheeri!"4 Sharp loudly. An uproar arose, the Hi' >i: jeering one of Selby's companions, who shouted back a challenge to Sharp's backers to bring their " sugar, 7 ' as their (the Englishman's) man was not going to run for nothing. The shouts of false play and cheers continued for a time, but sank into silence when Selby mounted one of the uprights of the reserve fence. With a furious tirade of abuse against Sharp's principal backer, Mi*. E. Williams, Selby volunteered to expose " a swindle.'' The match, he said, was made at the first visit oi the team to BaUarat, when he and Sharp had each deposited LlO. Then he lt:ul sent LiO to Mr. "Watson, solicitor, and telegraphed from New Zealand on three occasions to ask if Sharp's money had been e-stxl. The cost of these telegrams he had rue himself, and at Chris tGhurch, receiving no reply to his telegrams, and fearing that " something was up," he sent Mr. Watson, through the Union Bantc, the second LSO, malum-; up his LIOO. At last he received news that Sharp had forfeited his LlO, and found that Williams and Sharp had conspired to deceive him. Hearing from Ballarat people that Williams was not reliable, he had got a Mr. Cooke —a sporting man—to arrange matters for him. Williams had offered him LlO and a third of the gate money taken on the day of the races to run Sharp. Ho had been badly treated, for the original agreement, which was off, had been used to draw people to the Oval, 'i.'cost ui his telegrams, and even of one - fivni Air. Watson to himself, he had to pay ; and instead of getting back his own LIOO, with Sharp's LlO, he ouiy received LIO9. He then, in the heat of passion, used several epithets towards Mr. Williams and Sharp, and made assertions as to the private character of the former that we cannot print. The speech was interrupted several times by cheers from the crowd, and Selby concluded with a challenge to Sharp to run for LSOO a side within ten days, putting down L2OO, or he would run Sharp "for L 25, if he'd a mind." When Selby had finished, Williams addressed the crowd from one of the seats in tiie reserve. The fickle crowd cheered him in much the same style as they Lad done Selby, and the " washing of dircy linen saenied to be thoroughly enjoyed. Mr. Williams said that when the match was made they had thoroughly intended to go oil with It. Several persons had offered to subscribe to make up LIOO for Sharp, and accordingly the preliminary deposit of LlO was made. When Selby beat Montgomery Sharp's backers got frightened,

and when Selby beat Ellis they refused to pay up their money unless Sharp consented to run to suit them. He would not consent to this, and lie was unable himself to risk LIOO on Sharp's chance. Mr. "VVatson had approve;! «;? his in the matter, and he had iVi-iVi'ca Sharp s deposit. After some difficulty he had got Selby to agree to run for part of the gate money, and Selby then asked him how Sharp aud lie wei'e to run. He told him straight, that Sharp would run to win: that Sharp had run under his training for the last live years, and he had never yet won a penny on him, nor had Sharp run a cross. Selby had told him thai "he was a fool who would never make money unless his man were run to lose." He would give L 5 out of his own pocket if Selby would run Sharp. Mr. Sweeneywas here accused by Selby of being " in *' with Williams, and a row arose. Ultimately L 25 was collected on the ground to back Sharp, but Selby refused to run at once. High words arose, and continued until the parties dispersed.