CHANNEL HOAX

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 177, 17 October 1927, Page 1

CHANNEL HOAX

Dr. Logan’s Amazing Story FAKE SWIM DELIBERATELY ARRANGED Need of Official Checkers Proved AN extraordinary Channel-swim hoax has been revealed. Dr. Dorothy Logan, who was credited with a swim better than the record performance of Miss Gertrude Ederle, states now that she staged a great fake to prove the need of an official International commission to check all the claims made. Certainly, she has proved the existence of such a need, for her story of success was fairly generally accepted in England. .The French newspapers were, however, more sceptical. Some of them even went so far as to insinuate that the majority of Channel swimmers hang on to the escorting boat for the greater part of the journey, and that the only authentic crossing was that of the Frenchman, Michel, who had a legal official in his boat. By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright.

Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. It is announced by the “News of the World” that Dr. Dorothy Logan did not swim the English Channel at all, but merely spent nine hours in a fishing smack, wrapped in blankets, in order to prove the necessity of an official international commission to check the claims of channel swimmers.

Dr. Logan handed back the £I,OOO cheque which she received from the "News of the World” as a prize for beating Miss Gertrude Ederle’s record. Dr. Logan, who had previously sworn an affidavit as to the crossing, walked into the office of Sir Elmsley Carr, editor of the "News of the World," and said: “I have called to ask it you still believe I really swam the Channel, because I did nothing of the kind. I want you to tell the world, but I hope the public will forgive the deception, aimed at showing that the new summer craze has unparalleled opportunities for hoodwinking. It will be noticed that my statements were confined to the heginning and the end of the swim, with no reference to the midChannel part. "We reached Grisnez In darkness, and the members of the crew agreed not to reveal anything for one month. I walked into the sea at 7.40 p.m. It was apparent to everyone that I could not swim the Channel that night, so I was taken out at 9.30, and retired to the cabin. "At daylight the pilot wanted me to resume, but I waited till eight o'clock In order to be seen landing. So, in full view of the South Foreland lighthouse, I resumed swimming three miles from shore, landing at Folkstone.” As proof that the hoax was deliberate. the “News of the World” inspected a letter signed by Dr. Logan, and deposited in the safe of the Imperial Hotel at Hythe before starting. “I declare that if the conditions are favourable I hope to swim the Channel straightforwardly and without assistance, but if they are unfavourable I will cross somehow to prove the necessity of independent umpires. I

undertake, if the swim is a fake, to publish the full facts within a month.” It must have been for the purpose of completing the deception before making her startling disclosure that Dr. Logan made an emphatic reply to the allegations of the French newspapers, which had cast doubts on the genuineness of her swim. She says she is disgusted with their lack of sportsmanship, and amazed at their scepticism, and terms it “absolute rubbish” to r take a legal official in the boat. She had always advocated the appointment of real experts, and she had, at any rate, a number of responsible people in her boat, whose word she hoped would be honoured.

OTHERS PERTURBED

OFFER BY MISS GLEITZE WILLING TO SWIM AGAIN Received 12.31 p.m. LONDON, Sun. The Logan episode has perturbed other Channel swimmers. Miss Gleitze Is prepared to swear an affidavit, but she doubts If now It is of any use. The best way to restore the prestige of British women swimmers would be to swim the Channel again. That she is willing to do if the expenses are paid and official observers supplied, preferably an international board. Mr. E. H. Temme’s father has pointed out that well-known sportsmen supervised Temme’s swim. Dr. Logan’s trainer, Carey, a busdriver of Hythe, shoulders the responsibility for originating the hoax. He persuaded Dr. Logan to agree to it.— A. and N.Z.

The following Is a list -of those who have swimi the Channel, .together with the time taken by each swimmer:—

H. M. G. Michel (September 10, 1026) . . 11 5 H. Vierkotter (August 30, 1926) . . 12 30 N. L. Derham (September 17, 1926) 13 57 E. H. Temme (August 5, 1927) . . 14 29 Miss G. Ederle (August 6, 1926) 14 39 Mrs. Gill (October 13, 1927) .. 15 9 Miss Gleitze (October 7, 1927) .. 15 15 Mrs. Corson (August 28, 1926) . . 15 28 E. Tiraboschi (August 12, 1923) 16 33 C. Toth (September 9, 1923 .... 16 54 Capt. W. Webb (August 25, 1875) 21 45 T. W. Burgess (September 6, 1911) 22 35 H. Sullivan (Auguste, 1923) .... 27 23