AQUATIC SWINDLE

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1080, 12 October 1883, Page 2

AQUATIC SWINDLE

The Globe Democrat of a recent dale publishes an interview between one of its reporters and one of Hanlan’s chief backers in the matter which was to have taken’place at Chautauqua on the day following the sawing in two of Courtney’s boat. In their interview, Hanlan’s backer is credited with saying that in 18.78 Hanlan and Courtney came to a conclusion by which they should row three races ; that Hanlan was to win the first, Courtney the second, and they were to settle after the first two were rowed as to which get the third. The first race took pljce ,a,t Lachine, October 3, 1878, and lyatg for citizens’ prize of 6000 dollars. As per previous agreement, Hanlan won this race, but Courtney, according to the statement t.f Hanlan’s backers, received 2500 dollars of the capital prize. The second race was to have been rowed October 16, 1878, and was for the Hop Bitters prize of 6000dols. Courtney, it is alleged, told his friends that ho was sure of winning. They told all

theirs, and a large amount of money was raise! and placed upon him. When Hnnhm arrived at the lake he is said to have been much alarmed at finding so much money upon the race, and that if he lost he wonld swamp his friends, and exposure wonld follow. He then backed out of his previous contract, and told Courtney that he could not give him the race. Courtney, it is alleged, knew that he could not win, and seeing that if he rowed that ho would ruin every friend that ho had left in the world, took the only course he had left out of the difficulty, and sawed his boat in two. The interview is crammed full of facts, and the statements-are such that it will he hard to refute them. Perhaps they would not be published now but for the recent angry meeting between Courtney and Hanlan.