Evening Star Newspaper, April 25, 1896, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1896-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES, HILL TOP’S TRAGEDY The Double Murder Still Involved in Mystery. COCEING HELD IN SUSPICION Statements Regarded by His Neigh- bors as Improbable. LYNCHING PARTY FORMED Special Dispatch to The Evening Stor. LA PLATA, Port Tobacco, Md., April} Hill Top murder mystery ts by 1g solved. The citizens, as a rule, | @ to the conclusion that Joseph | husband of one of the murdered and brother-in-law of Miss Daisy | » other victim, knows more about tragedy than he is willing to 25.—The no me: Attorney Adrian Posey de- night that there was no sus- ached to ( ng, and he also ng had been put under ar- ugh Sheriff Wade said he was est, end that a deputy herif! was of the house at Hill Top, where was detained. So well satisfied citizens about the identity of the had committed the crime that sundown they abandoned the the murderer, and, it ts said, eir attention to forming a lynch- icipated trouble, and he eS sworn in to protect the Hill from the hands of the mob in their making an attempt on his life. Last night Deputy Sheriff R. a rge of the house, and The Cocking House and Store. and George to lend B. Wenk were aiso what assistance they y Posey was at the down, a of Cockin He walked { appeared very ner-in-law ight at the hotse. ‘com, and t of the house, uss the affair. because he ple in the county would become ex- 1 and commit some act of violence. The Invasion of Newspaper Corres- pondents. ning’s train brought to this place of newspaper men from Ralti- i Washington, and they made a rough road to Hill Top last the latest developments fn the 4. the state’s attor- coming. He rode strict orders that the © in the w al for the lynchers, hand, to disperse. The o'clock this morn- ar men left Hill Top, lea heriff's deputies in com- officers there murder- . Cocking lay rior, and the mouri n@ law officers, re- him. lin the room wit The Home of the Cockings. ng in which the Cocking family far from the Hill Top store ce. It is a two-story frame h three rooms and a public r. "This hall is rented and cov- ullding over the store. ms adjoin the hall. re Is In addition to the st a dining room, parlor and kitch- \. lay night Mr. Cocking kept his later than usual, so he says, r 10 o'clock when he went his room. His wife, her sister, Miller, and Malcolm Cocking, Sherif Wade. the four-year-old child, had retired earlier fm the evening. The women each had a room, while Mr. Cocking and the boy slept fn the hall room. The other children, An- t years old, and Willie, two years spent the night at their grand- ‘Ss, having gone there direct from school There was nothing unusual in this, for they had been in the habit of visiting thetr grandmother and remaining over In yesterday's dispatches to the fi t the terday morning san old colored His name !s William N. Jones, but he fs better known as “Nick” Jones. He m seventy years old, and bears putation. His home ts only a nee from the scene of the double tragedy, and it was not more than 7 o'clock when he called at the store. There he found the front door open. Heard Groans in the Ce!ar. Part of the fastening of the door had been broken, and groans in the cellar at- tracted the old man’s attention. Going to the trap door In the bar room he called down “Who's dar?” “I am,” came a feeble response. “What's de matter, Mister Joe?” the old man next wanted to know. me down here.” comin’.”” lown the steps the aged colored man There was not in the but old Uncle “ was able to Gistinguish the form of the grocer seated on a box. Hils groans grew louder, and his pains seemed to be on the increa “What's de matter?” the old man quired. Briefly he was told what was the matter. Whe grocer’s feet we vi z of rope, which was severed by Who used his pocket knife. Then, according to the siateme Qocking and “Uncle Nick,” the 1 ed the former up the steps th Sosa door and made him as comfor:! in- possible on some bedding, spread on the parlor floor. The Bodies Discovered. “Go upstairs and see what has happened to the rest of the family,” the old colored man was told. He obeyed, but did not re- main long. He came down stairs in much less time than it required to go up. Badly frightened, he hastened up to the road to the Hill Top store and post office kept by Mr. J. M. Carpenter. Entering the store he said: “Something terrible has happened down the road.” “What is it?” Mr. Carpenter asked him. “Mrs. Cocking and Miss Miller got killed,” was his response. The old man related to Mr. Carpenter the PARLOR story of his visit to the store and of his ghastly ¢ very. He told how he was at- tracted to the cellar, where he found Mr. Cocking with his feet tled. There wag blood on his hand and his shirt front, and his coat and vest were spattered with blood. : rglars he said to me,” said “Uncle Nick” to Mr. Carpenter. ‘He told me that his hands had been tied as were his feet, but he had cut the rope with a piece of broken glass.” At the suggestion of the man, who claimed to be badly injured, he went upstairs to see about the rest of the family, and, finding them dead, he had hastened to his (Car- penter's store without informing Mr. Cock- ing of t he had seen, Questioning Cocking. “An hour later,” said Mr. Carpenter, “T went to the house, and there I found Mr. Cocking lying on a bed-spread on the dining Ho with his son Malcolm clasped of the affair, as alre penter did not think his dy given. Mr. Car- story plausible, and tion him. Cocki tore, and of hi > cause of it. When he stepped from the hall near the dining room to the store he was dealt a stunning blow knocked down. There were two and they tled his hands d to beat him, and then to the bar and threw him through p door to the cellar. at time did this happen?" Mr. Car- as about 1 o’clock asked why he sat s, until some one at he did not re- He said, however, had cut the cord from his hands Deputy Barbour. with a plece of broken glass, and Mr. Car- penter red why he did not cut the cord t couldn't reach it,” was his re- stion. r also questioned the Iittle but he was unable to tell anything about what happened, as he was asleep in his father’s room, the small hall room. lical Examination. lan was sent for, and during the J. T. Diggs, Benjamin Smith and S. Owens called and examined the dead bodies, as well as the man who claimed he had been assaulted by burglars. They found that a hatchet had inflicted wounds on the dead woman, the blade 3 been used on Mrs. Cocking, while unt end was used on Miss Miller. The the doctors found that one Llow Inflicted on the wife of the suspected man had cut her ear in twain. The blade of the instrument hed penetrated the skull and the unfortu- nate woman's brains oozed from the gap- ing wound. This, it is thought, was the first blow inflicted, for the other two wounds in the same part of the head had failed to penetrate the skull. The condi- tion of the body showed that the woman had probably made a struggle for her life after th first blow was inflicted. Those who suspect that the woman's husband did the killing have an idea that during her brief struggle she scratched his face, for the marks on his forehead, the doctors Say, appear to have been made by finger rails. Evidences of Blood Spots. Miss Miller occupied the room between that used by her sister and the hall room, which Mr. Cocking and the boy oc- cupied. Her body was fourd in bed under cover, and the physicians think she never knew that she was assaulted, for there was no evidence of a struggle on her part. The blunt end of the hatchet had been used on her, and her temples had been crushed in. As in the case of Mrs. Cock- ing, there was a pool of blood in the bed and the bare floors were badly stained. Cocking’s Slight Injury. Dr. Owen, speaking of the affair, sald that when he was called to go to the house he was told that Mr. Cocking’s skull had been fractured, and that his brains were oozing from the wound. “But,” he said, “when I reached there I found that there waS scarcely anything the matter with him. He was certainly not hurt. There were finger-nall prints on his forehead, and a slight contusion over the eye. The blow which caused the con- tusion was certainly not dealt with force enough to knock him down.” The doctor said he had been told that there was no blood in the cellar, although there was some at the trap door in the bar, and Cocking’s clothing was also discolored by blood. He was told that his nose had bled. Concerning the reported robbery in the store, the doctor said that the money drawer had been forced open, and Mr. Cocking said he had left between $6 and $7 in it the night before, while the amount found in {t yesterday morning was only 383 cents. The Officers in Charge. Deputy Sheriff Barbour ts taking an ac- tive interest in the investigation, although the state’s attorney has apparently as- sumed the duties of sheriff In the matter and taken entire control of the case. It was because of his orders that Deputy Sheriff Cross ignored the orders of Sheriff Wade and refused to admit the newspaper correspondents to the house. It was‘stated last night that Cocking had not gone up- stairs to see the dead bodies of his wife and sister-in-law, and some of the officers think that when he does look at the bodles he will break completely down. The officers and a few citizens who have been In the house have an idea that Mrs. Cocking was killed first, and they are sure sel that her resistance did not make © enough to arouse Miss Miller. There had evidently been but one visit paid to the room of Mrs. Cocking, for there was a blood trall leading from her room the big hall over the store and (hrough the narrow hall trom the | | | i which was| back room to the steps which led down stairs. - Stopped to Listen, At the head of these steps the murderer had stopped, it is thought, to listen, to take certain that Miss Miller was still asleep. There blood had dripped from the murderer, probably from his clothing, and formed a pool. Then he had gone in the room occupled by the young lady and done his murderous work. This was apparent from the fact that there were two blood trails from this room to the hall. The weapon with which the double mur- der was committed was found in the store on the counter, where Mr. Cocking had to pass in order to reach the bar room, where the trap door fs located. This hatchet Mr. Cocking identified as belonging to him, and a piece of cord, found in the cellar, the piece with which he said his hands were tied, also belonged to him, and had been taken from the store. He complained that his assailants twisted his neck, and that im throwing him down through the trap his neck was injured. The Coroner's Inquiry. At noon yesterday Magistrate Hindle, act- ing as coroner, held an inquest on the body of Miss Miller. The inquest was held at the home of the grocer. who is now under suspicion, and the jury was composed of J. T. Mattingly, foreman; James B. Wenk, William Dows, J. L. Padgett, Robert Price (colored), John Leeland, Robert Ferguson, L. B. Owen, J. P. Gibbons, Thomas Frank- lin, J. S. Green and J. W. Golden. When the jury met at noon there was a crowd of fully two hundred persons about the house. It sooa became rumored that Cocking was suspected, and because of the excitement it was concluded to hold the inquiry behind closed doors, and the jurors were sworn to secrecy. None of them was found who would tell anything of the testimony, but it was learned from another source that the inquiry was of a searching nature, and ali the witnesses found were examined. What was considered an important plece of evidence, so far as it reiated to the gro- cer, was the testimony given by John Dy- son, colored, who Cocking said was in the store late Thursday night. The colored man contradicted this statement. He said he was not in the store after about sun- BED RON, Miss MiLceR. Roane, MMR. COCKiNG- AND BOY SLEPT J THIS ROOM. PUBLICSHALO ev? EL008" down, and had witnesses to substantiate what he said. William, otherwise known as “Nick” Jones, the old man who discovered Mr. Cocking in the cellar, and Harry Dod- son, also colored, were examine: Mr. Cocking also made a statement of the affair, telling the jury his story as al- ready related. He was nervous and ex- cited. When all the evidence had been heard the state’s attorney requested the jurors not to render their verdict until later, and Mr. Wenk, who had acted as a juror, was deputized to assist the sheriff's officers. Today at noon the jury reassembled at the house at Hill Top, and commenced the ring to determine the manner In which Mrs. Cocking came to her death. At the suggestion of Dr. Owen, the body had been left in the bed in the condition in which {ft was found, and the blood prints on the ficor were also there. These were left for the benefit of the jurors, to whom the cir- cumstances of the finding of the body and the blood stains were fully explained. Cocking'’s Bearing. It was stated today that Cocking took the affair rather calmly at first, but since then has at times appeared to be dazed. During his conversations he sometimes stops talking and waits a while, appar- ently to collect his thoughts. He Is an Englishman, about thirty-elght years old. About twenty-five years ago his father bought a farm near Port Tobacco. The young man has always been regarded as an honest and peaceable citizen, and had many friends throughout the county. His Parents are dead, but it is said that he has a brother and sister living in Pennsylva- nia. Mrs. Cocking was the eldest daugh- ter of the late Dr. J. W. Miller, who was one of the most prominent physiclans in the county. He was also prominent in democratic politics. Cocking had been in business at Hill Top for about three years, and it is said that his business had been so dull recently that he was about to close his store. Deputies Gross, Barbour and Wenk re- mained at the house all night, and the lat- ter two admitted that they were on duty because it was feared that Cocking would be violently dealt with. ————_ A PROMISING SPRINTER. Record of the Young Washington Boy, Theodore McGirr. One of the most promising sprinters on the track !s a young Washington boy, Theo- dore McGirr, now in Philadelphia. This sprinter has not as yet attained his major- ity, and has been running but a short while, yet he has made records which have caused old followers of the track to Jook upon him with surprise. His ability Mes more in the direction of long distance running than in sprinting, though in the short runs he has made a good showing. The University of Pennsylvania was anxious to secure his services, but was unsuccessful. Some of young MeGirr's records are as fol- lows: 100 yards, 11 2-5, made at Philadelphia at a meet recently held under the auspices of the St. Maurcas Club. For 220 yards his record is 25 seconds, made under the aus- pices of the Ridgeway Athletic Club at Phil- adelphia. His best official time for 440 yards 1s 55 seconds, flat, which was made in a relay race between the Ridgeway Ath- letic Club and the De Sales Athletic Club, in which he was a member of the former team, and which won the race. For 880 yards his record is 2.06, made at Brooklyn, N. Y., in_a race given by the Bay Ridge Athletic Club. His best time for one mile 1s 4.34 3-5 seconds, from scratch, in races of Bay Ridge Athletic Club and the four- teenth regiment of New York. At Hiverton, N. J., under the Ridgeway Athletic Club’s meet, he ran two miles tn 10.22, flat. He holds the record for 3% of a mile, over the Bay Ridge (New York) course, his time for the distance being 19.21 3-5. Saturday, April 18, he was in a race of 5 miles, cross-country, in which he traveled through mud for over one-half a mile, about a mile of stony road, up about five hills, jumped twenty-one fences, waded nine brooks, and finishing on a hill with a grade of 18 degrees, in the remarkably good time of 20.15, flat, winning the race. He will be in the relay race of the University of Penn- sylvania this afternoon as one of the teams of the Catholic High School of Philadelphia. The team will consist of Dolan, Kervick, Kernan and McGirr. In the race between the Purple Crescents and the Untversity of Pennsylvania last year he ran five miles in 27.04 3-5 seconds, winning the championship of Philadelphia. He has raced with most all the sprinters on the track, and while thelr junior by many years, he has bright prospects before him. He came in second and right behind Orton last summer, and last Saturday he defeated BH. Hjertberg, the New Jersey wonder. Young McGirr is entered for races with the Y. M. C. A. of Philadelphia on May 80, in which he will enter several events, rang- ing from one to five miles. A large number of prizes ere evidence of his skill on the track, the most highly prized of which is the large silver cup which went with the championship of Philadelphia. He also has a number of jeving cups, a score of medals, water pitcher @ number of other tro- TRIP TO BALTIMORE a= Tie Project Being Discussed by Local ens. Dd A WARM WELCOME WILL GREET THEM Cyclists From .the Monumental City to Return: the Visit. ip +g GOSSIP OF THE CLUBS The scheme Is being revived for a united trip of local wheelmen to Baltimore. The project was brought up last fall, but owing to the lateness of the season nothing was dene, outside of the determination to make such a trip. The wheelmen of Baltimore were highly in favor of the plan, and be- gan working up a scheme for a rousing re- ception. But the cold weather blocked the movement. Now the matter is again brought up, with every assurance of success. No date has been set for the trip, but it is likely to be made before the end of May. There are plenty of bicyclists of both sexes in the city who would be glad to take advantage of an opportunity of this sort, and the pro- jectors of the trip are anxious to make as large a showing of wheelmen as possible. The general outline of the run ts to take the trip some Sunday, which ts the most convenient day for @ majority of riders. Special railway rates will be obtained. Those contemplating going will assemble ata given hour in the morning, and ride to the depot in a body, where a special train will be in waiting. Upon arriving in the monumental city the wheelmen will be met by the wheelmen of Baltimore, who will take them around and show them the city. A stop will be made for dinner, and in the afternoon a trip will be made through Druid Hill Park, up to “The Point he return will be made early in the evening. The projectors of the plan are Messrs. William Hayden Henshaw and W. Kk. Larri- more. The Baltimore wheelmen will pe ex- pecied tc pay a return visit and be recely- ed by the local wheelmen. Two Races. Next week there will be two local races. The first will come off Tuesday evening, and the scene will be the Condult road. The course will only be one mile, and there will be only three contestants. The entries will be B. F. Fry, J. Orr and Al. Sigmund, unattached wheelmen, who have gained a reputation as scorchers on the course. They are hot riders, and though neither has ever been on the race track in a competition Trace, yet they could give many of the lo- cal racing aspirants a very hard tussle for honors. The race 1s the outcome of a friendly rivalry among the three riders r garding their speed merits. Capt. Cc. Edwards of the Corcoran Cadets became interested In the matter, and he has offe eda silver trophy cup to the best the three. This will be an incentive @ Good race can be looked for. The men bave been hard at work for the past week over the White Lot course, and they man- agel to distance all of the candidates for racing honors who nightly spin around the course to test their Bpeod capacit The other race will be the one mile race, held by the Eastern Athletic Club for the championship of the organization and the Weiss gold medal. The entries will be lm- ited to the club members only, and among the number will be Harry Gaither, the pres- ent holier of the medal, who won the championship iast year when the old Po- tomac Wheelmen gave the affair. The course will be somewhere in East Wash- ington, the intention being to get a 5 away mil? over the commons on with 15th or 16th streets southeast. a If this cannot be done the race will come off on the Hamilton road, near the insane asylum. Nothing has been done during the week in regard to the road race which the Ar- ington Wheelmen decided to give soon over the Conrult road. The distance will most Mkely be ten instead of twenty miles, and the club has sécured the promise of a val- uable silver trophy.. The committee in charge will meet during the week and ar- range further for the event. The race meet of the Washington Road Club Decoration day is being pushed for- ward and the entry blanks will soon be out. Mr. Perry P. Patrick, the chairman of the racing committe, has losf the as- sistance of a valuable man in,.the resig- nation of Capt. Willlam Jose from the club. Mr. Jose found that he «ad no time to properly attend to the work. Mr. A. G. Gensler has been appointed tn his place. Cyclists’ Plans. Tomorrow will be a great day at Dick- ey's, at the Virginia side of the Great Falls. Three Washington clubs are sched- uled to make runs there, in addition to a crowd of cyclists from Rockville and the unattached wheelmen who regularly visit the hostelry. The Washington Road Club, the Queer Wheelmen and the Arlington Wheelmen are booked to take the run to- morrow, and as a club run to Dickey’s generally brings out the largest represen- tation of any other run, there will be a lively crowd at Great Falls. There will be a game of base ball be- tween the Road Club and the Queer Wheel- men, Capt. Jose having challenged Capt. Boyd. The line-up of the teams will be something as follows: Queer Wheelmen— Clokey, catcher; Slack, pitcher; Pitkin, first base; Chas. Long, second base; Geo. E. Boyd, short stop; Fred. Vogt, third base; Chas. Campbell, left field; W. H. Henshaw, center field; Atkinson, right field. The Road Club team—Perry P. Pat- rick, catcher; Eddie Coleman, pitcher; C. I. Ronsaville, first hase; C. E. Gause, sec- ond base: Charlie Wood, short stop; A. H. Wall, third base; Joe Prince, right field; A. C. Gensler, center field, and William Jose, left field. This will be the first all-day run of the season of the Queer Wheelmen. The run will start from 812 14th street at 9:30 a.m. sharp. Capt. Boyd has in course of prep- aration a two months’ schedule, which he will mail to all the members of the club. The Altair Wheelmen will take a run Monday evening to Takoma Park, startin: at 7:30 o'clock from the headquarters, a 1208 32d street. This is the second run un- der the schedule prepared by Capt. Baker Weaver. The Liberty Wheelmen have arranged a run for tomorrow morning, starting at 3 o'clock. The course will be out the Glen- wood road to Soldiers’ Home, thence across country to Brightwood and Tenleytown, and home via the Conduit road in time to cool off before dinner. As there was no run scheduled for last Sunday a party of fifteen of the riders of the club, accompanted by their wives and lady friends, took a trip to Fort Myer, Ar- lington and Alexandria by way of Mount Vernon avenue, returning over the “track path.” : There is a moverjent'}n foot among the Liberty Cli to form a ladies’ ladies of the cycling club, but whether the membership will be confined to; the few who have the inatter in hand or will assume larger pro- Portions is a secret Jealously guarded by the projectors. ; President R. R. Revell of the Eastern Athletic Club is gaining quite a reputation as a rapid cyclist, although he disclaims any desire to be a scorcher. H. B. Fryer, captain of the E. A; C.,’speaks in glowing terms of the new material admitted to the ranks, and predicts @ brillant wheel year and plenty of work. DESPITH THE WEATHER. Quite a Good Attendance at the Ben- ning Races. There was quite a goof attendance at the Benning race track yesterday, despite the unfavorable weather. The track was little affected by the rain, being safe and far from slow, as was indicated by Shakes- peare running six and one-half furlongs in 1.2% 4-5, within a fraction of the track record, 121 1-2. The race which he won was the stake event, the Federal for three- year-olds, beating Roundsman by more than a length, ke a head in front of Brisk, who was twelve lengths in front of Sep- tour. The first two were at 7 to 5. The first race, six furlongs, was won by Gold Dollar, who closed at 6 to 1, Silk, the 6 to 5 favorite, being beaten by a length and a half, he twenty in front of Daric. The Clark lining-up machine was again used in this race, and again worked per- fectly. The second race, for two-year-olds, at half @ mile, was won by the Morris’ im- ted Prompt, by Kilwarlin out of Active, fri 2-5, he being a 2 to 5 favorite. He t Domitor a head, he twenty-five lengths in front of Second Chance. Allen L., at 7 to 6, easily won the fourth race from The Swain, at 6 to 5, by pearl tg length, Eclipse being half a length behin Captain T. was a 1 to 2 favorite in the last race, but Sue Kittle beat easily b; lengths, she fifteen in front of Mrs. The winner was 9 to 5. Cincinnati Wins. Cincinnat! had very little difficulty in hitting Young yesterday, while Rhines was practically invincible. Up to the eighth inning but three hits were made off the Cincinnati's pitcher. Pitchers. Rhines and Fisher... two ‘tuart. Cincinnati., Cleveland ,, R.H.B. 812 2 444 League Games Today, Washington at Baltimore. Cleveland at Pittsburg. Brooklyn at Philadelphia. Boston at New York. Chicago at Cincinnati. Louisville at St. Louis. Standing of the Clubs. Clubs, W. L. P.C.)_ Clubs. W, L. P.O. Philadeiphia.. 5 1 3 500 Pittsburs 61% 4 429 Washington... 4 2 4 1429 Clucinnati... 4 8 4 1929 Ohicago. 48 5 (187 Geveland:.1.. 8 3 6 1148 Daft on the Rusie Subject. A crowd of New York produce exchange brokers caused an outbreak of enthusiasm among base ball cranks yesterday by post- ing a large sign in a Broad street firm's window: oO. NOTICE. Bankers and brokers, also the public at large: Do not patronize the New York team until Ruste is put back on the nine. There were cheers from a large crowd which gathered and blocked the street at times. LOCAL COLLEGE GAMES. Contests That Have Been Arranged for the Coming Week. In local college base ball circles next week will be rather quiet, and not as many games played as during the past week. This afternoon Georgetown is scheduled to play with University of Pennsylvania team on the home campus. No game has been announced for next Wednesday, which is an open date, but Saturday, May 2, the ‘varsity team will visit Philadelphia and play a return game with Pennsylvania. The playing of rgetown during the week has been decidedly ragged. There was only one game played, and that Wed- nesday, with the Richmond College, but the showing made was entirely unworthy of the ability of the boys of blue and gr The team piled up errors, and wild throws and fumbles were frequent The work ut the bat was not up to the average, and in the “lucky seventh,” when ten runs were made, the visitors practically went to pieces, and materially aided the scoring by their errors. The team of Gallaudet College, as pre- dicted by The Star, has mac wonderful improvement, and the team is now putting up a good article of ball. In defeating Johns Hopkins University Wednesday the boys showed their ability. From now on till the end of the season the team can be locked upon to play winning dali. This af- ternoon the team visits Rockville and plays the strong team of the Rockville Ath Club, Wednesday the Maryland Agricul- tural Colleg? team will be met again, and Gallaudet will undoubtedly win the game, although the agricultural boys have strengthened their team since the first game with the Gallaudets. Next Saturday afternoon the boys will play the team of the Catholic University at the Catholic University grounds, and a close game can be looked for, the first game of the serles being won by the Catholic University. The Maryland Agricultural College nine, under the direction of Manager Stickler,has been strengthened since their last game with the local college, and better ball play- ing is expected. So far this season only one game has been played, the second game of the season being p d this afternoon at College Park, with the team of the Western Maryland Colleze. Next week there are two games on the schedule. The first will be played Wednesday in this city with Gallaudet, and the second game will be played Saturday afternoon at College Park w the team re senting Johns Hopkins University. COLUMBIAN RUNNERS. They Will Appear'in the Relay Races at Philadelphia. Columbian University will be represented in the relay races at Philadelphia this af- ternoon, though in a different class from that of Georgetown. The team of the uni- versity will not compete for the champion- ship of America honor, but has been as- signed by the managers of the relay meet to a race with colleges as near as could be judged its equal. The Columbian boys will Tace against men from Johns Hopkins Uni- versity, Fordham College and the New York City Coilege. The race will be he- tween the Columbian boys and the repre- sentatives of Fordham University. Columbian will be represented by Clem- mons, McKelden Scott and Capt. Cabrera, and this team left the city yesterday morn- ing for Philadelphia. ‘The boys are in splendid physical condition, and have been in, for some time past, hard training at Eclipse Field. The make-up of the team is good. Clemmons was a member of the Ana- lostan eight of last year, and bas gained a reputation lately for his sprinting. Me- Kelden has the promise of being a good man. He is new in athletics, but has de- veloped some good speel. Scott fs also an excellent man and can ‘lied upon to up- hold his end of the ling. Capt. Cabrera is a good runner, besides being an expert bi- cyclist. He will coach the team and look after its interest. The Columbian preparatory will hold their first annual championship games on Monday, May 4, and they will undoubtedly be very exciting. This is the first time in the history of the prep. that any interest has been displayed in athletics. The pro- gram has been arranged through the ef- forts of Prof. H. G. Hodgkins and Cabrera, captain of the ‘varsity team. Eastern Athletic Club Nine. The admission of the Eastern Athletic Club to the City League has revived interest In the national game among the members. Thos. Ellis, the matager, ts an active and persevering worker, as well as an old play- er. The team fs a strong one, and every in- centive will be offered for team work. Wm. Betts, the umpire-in-chlef of the Virginia State League, and a member of the E. A. C., has offered a gold medal to the player having the highest batting average at the completion of the City League games. The personnel of the team is incomplete, as the manager is determined that competition alone shall secure the positions. DISTRICT LEAGUE SCHEDULE. Games of the Local Ball Clubs Ar- ranged for the Season. A meeting of the District Amateur Base Ball League was held last night at the rooms of the Shamrock Athletic Club, and a sched- ule adopted for the season. Four clubs, Shamrock, Mile-Limit, Canterbury and Eastern Athletic, comprise the league, the playing strength being about equally divided, and good games are looked for. The following is the schedule to be played at National Park: April 29—Canterbury vs. Shamrock. May 4—Eastern A. C. vs. Mile-Limit. May 6—Shamrock vs. Mile-Limit. May 8—Canterbury vs. Eastern A. C. May 11—Shamrock vs. Eastern A. C. May 13—Canterbury vs. Mile-Limit. May 14—Eastern A. C. vs. Mile-Limit. May 16—Canterbury vs. Shamrock. May 20—Shamrock vs. Mile-Limit. May 22—Kastern A. C. vs. Canterbury. May 25—Shamrock vs. Eastern A. ©, June 20—Canterbury vs. Mile-Limit. June 23—Shamrock vs. Canterbury, » June 25—Eastern A. C. vs. Mile-Limit. June 29—Shamrock vs. Mile-Limit. July 4—Canterbury vs. Eastern A. C., and Shamrock vs. Mile-Limit. (Two games for one admission.) July 9—Shamrock vs. Eastern A. C. July 11—Canterbury vs. Mile-Limit, July 14—Shamrock vs. Canterbury. July 16—Hastern .A. C. vs. Mile-Limit. July 18—Shamrock vs. Mile-LAmit. July 21—Eastern A. C. vs. Canterbury. July 23—Shamrock vs. Eastern A. C. July 25—Canterbury vs. Mile-Limit. July 28—Shamrock vs. Canterbury. July 30—Eastern A. C. vs. Mile-Limit. August 4-Shamrock vs. Eastern A. O, August 6—Canterbury vs. Eastern A. August 1¢—Mile-Limit va, Canterbury, This is the store where sYour Credit is good.” This is the store—the only store—where you can find Anything and Everything You want to furnish a home—and to keep house with. TIME IS is cheerfully conceded here. where you can take your own time to pay the money. Credit This is the store where MONEY, seeriente sostengon Seog sete os PPO eceeriontees Here’s a momney-saver. This Large-arm Library Rocker- Just like the picture— DAL a0 And $4.50is not more'n half what Seaoeteateateedeeeatratenecoatvalenetoateateeazentetoatendrereceedrncoatonaten ened the chair is actually worth. | Reetorbonteatoatontentrttonseatateestoa STRAW MATTINGS—you know you're going to need. REFRIGERATORS — are right-away necessities. BABY CARRIAG Look everywhere else for all these things here. We want our stock measured by the best values—best S—are in demand now. and then look variety—best terms you can find anywhere. Ours'll win. i $ Sninteteteinintntstnininintentnintetetet: OUSE AND Nocfoateatonteatm tects if eeaestenteadent HERRIMAN N.E. COR. 7TH AND I STREETS. edestodo-Sostondentonteetoectontestortee BEST TABLE GAMES Local Contests in Chess, Checkers and Whist. TOURNAMENT OF ‘THE CAPITALS Notes of Events Clubs. in the Local HAPPENINGS ELSEWHERE About thirty players will participate in the pyramid knock-out whist tournament at the Capital Bicycle Club next Friday even- ing. It will include the best players of the club, as well as some not so good, and a few Invited guests. The tournament will begin promptly at 8 o'clock, when all the players will be paired. At the end of an hour all playing will cease, and games unfinished will be adjudicated. Players winning in the first round are paired for the second hour's play. At the end of the second hour the winners therein are again paired, and so on until but one player remains. Losers of games drop out of the tournament. Four-handed chess has also been intro- duced at the Capital Bicycle Club. This game, as the name indicates, is played by four players, on a board of 12% squares, two rows of eight squares each being added to each side of the ordinary board, on which are placed a set of men for each player. Players sitting opposite each other play as partners. The game continues until both opponents are defeated. A player may be checkmated when he ceases moving, but subsequent play may remove the checkmate, then he resumes playing. A tournament for pairs 1s talked of at the club. Mr. Hanna won the fourth game of his match with Mr. Usina. When play was re- sumed Mr, Hanna was two pawns ahead, Later his opponent had chances for a draw, but threw them away. The game lasted ninety moves. he score stands: Hanna, Usina, 0; drawn, 2. Mr. Walker won two games from Mr. Tibbetts the past week, gaining an advan- tage in the middle game, and won the match by the score of 4 to 2. Messrs. Gwyer and Gichner have played another game in their match, the forme winning it. The score stands: Gwyer, 2; Gichner, 1, Mr. John T. Barry of Boston, the latest aspirant for championship honors, gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Broaklyn Chess Club last Saturday evening, playing fourteen games against twenty-one players. He won twelve games, lost one, and drew one. In the game he lost, W. E. Napier, Brookiyn’s boy champion, and A. E. Swat{- field, were consulting. According to latest aivices, the score in the Steinitz-Schiffers match stands 5iy to 4% in favor of Steini:z, with two games to play. 2 After sixteen rounds, Englisch and Schlecter are tled for first piace in the Vienna national masters’ tournament, with the score of 11 euch. Marco and Weiss have 10%, and Schwarz, 1); Halprin, 8; Al- bin, 74; Judd and Zinkl, 7 each. The great international chess tournament of the year 1s announced to begin at Nur- emburg on July 20, Six prizes, ranging from 1,000 down to 200 marks, will be given, Mr. W. B. Mundelle, Washington's crack checker playor, has just returned from a trip north, having visited Baltimore, Phil- acelphia and New York, where he met all the strong checker players, except Dr. wes beate but three times First by Mr. Head, ¢ New York, Mr. Cohen of Denny of He played none but ® and came out four games ahead on the total de, not count- ing the results at 1 where he won and then by Mr. 5 to 8. most of the gam quit even Mr. Clawser, checker editor of the tom orld, and with McIntee, an: c ted the wooden man at the musee. results show that he is able to cope the leading players of the country. with Mr. T. Homer Mead, one of the strong ers of the Minneapolis Whist Club, has the city the past week. He has been down to Old Point Comfort, Va. for the benefit of his health. Mr. Henry Chadwick of the Brooklyn c Club, the > ball writer, was at the chess club the past week, and met some of the strong players there. Mr. Chadwick is a lover of all kinds of sport. HISTORY OF AWN TENNIS, It Was Introduced in This Country in IsT4. The Lawn Tennis Bulletin has the fol- lowing interesting remarks to make of the infancy of tennis In this country: “The introduction of lawn tennis into America took place as early as 1874. A Boston gentlemon, while traveling in Eng- land, bought @ set, more as a curiosity than anything else, and brought it home with him. The court was laid out at Na- hant, which has since become famous for the many important invitation tournaments which have been held there, and in August Dr. James Dwight and F. R. Sears, jr., an elder brother of the latter champion, play- ed the first game in this country of which we have any authentic record. “W. W. Sherman of Newport also brought t in the fall of the same year, not used until the spring of . The implements used for the game Were very crude, as compared with the present outfits. The rackets were small and light, and were made in that awkward shape which we have all seen and smiled at. The balls were made of uncovered rub- ber, varying in size and Weight, and the net was five feet high. The two courts above mentioned were undoubtedly the first laid out privately In this country, but the Staten Island Cricket and Base Ball Club claims the honor of first adopting lawn tennis as a club sport. “The prime mover in this instance was BE. H. Outerbridge of Staten Island, who owned a set. He, with some English friends who had learned the game in their own country and who were oO members of the Ptaten Island Club, formed a nucleus about which a very thriving litue band of tennis enthusiasts soon gathe The first tournament of which we have any record was played at Nahant in 1876. It was en- tirely a local affair, and Dr. Dwight and Mr. Sears had become so proficient by this time that it was necessary to arrange a handicap. “Besides these two gentlemen there were thirteen entries. all of whom received large odds. Dr. Dwight won from Mr. Sears in the finals, both being at scratch, after a hard and Driliant match. The scoring wps done after the style employed in rackets, each player serving until he lost a point, the game consisting of fifteen points. This placed the advantage always with the server. ne — No Action to Be Taken. The expected action against Capt. Otto G. Simonson fer certain alleged improper conduct on his part in connection with the December company match In the gallery will not materialize. In view of the ex- cellent work accomplished by Capt. Simon- son and his company since the Ist of Jan- ary, the inspector general of rifie practice has recommended that the papers in the case be filed away, and the suggestion hag been approved by the commanding general —— The dominion parliament was formall Wrorogued at § o'clock Thursday night bi the governor general of Canada,