The New York herald., 1869-04-18
GOSSIP OF TIE ENGLISH TURF.

GOSSIP OF TIE ENGLISH TURF.
--~~~-~~
LONDON, March a. 1869.
The week just expiring being Passion week, actual
sport has been almost completely at stand still.
and the races held In some unknown districts In
various parts OF the country are altogether beneath
contempt. Racing men. with all their faults, have
sufficient good taste to prevent them running cOun-
ter to the current Of public opinion, and they have
accordingly confined themselves to their resorts in
town. Even from these they were driven yesterday,
Good Friday, and those who went to the Albert or
the Victoria Clubs to get little money on their
fancies were wofuly disappointed, for the doors
were Shut During the earlier portion Of the week,
however, an enormous amount OF speculation took
place, more particularly on the City and Suburban.
which Is run on Tuesday next at EPSON, and which
is at present exciting great interest.
CURIOUS MOVES IN THB .MARKEr."
As illustrations Of the tortuous policy sometimes
INDUCED in by owners or managers OF horses for the
purpose Of keeping the public "off" and thereby be
In position themselves to get ION" on favorable
terms shall mention two GASES that have occurred
during the week and causing good deal Of COM
ment and not little amusement. You are very
likely aware tnat Sir Joseph Hawley, who has
many Derbies is highly esteemed by all classes OF
sporting folks, both as judge Of racing and as an
honest man. that any animal OF his which he chooses
10 back becomes at once tremendous favOrite. On
Tuesday last his City and Suburban candidate Vaga-
bond was "tried" at Kingsclare with The Palmer,
Blue Gown and King Cophetua, all Of whom he beat
at the weights with great 1t was to the inter-
OF the party Of course to keep the fact secret;
but the "touts' had been watching anxousy all the
morning, and from their coverts had witnessed the
experiment. The "wires'' were Immediately put in
| use for their employers, and before six O'Clock
| al
| ner Of the kingdom. Those who were thus
| put on the alert at once sent out their
agents In all directions, and before ten O'Clock at
night the horse had been backed for thousands Of
pounds down to short price. The betting men in
| London, Manchester, Shenleld, Birmingham and
| other centres were out betimes on the following
| morning. and several who were not aware Of what
had been going on were induced to lay 10 and even
| IL to l. SO eager was the desire, however,
to back vagabond that before business commenced
| at the higher class clubs to was taken about
him; and accordingly, when Mr.. Herring, Sir Joseph
Hawey's betting agent, came down to the Victoria
to execute his commission, that was the best price
he could get. 1t was natural enough that he should
70 somewhat dsgusted 5ut half loaf Is better than
no brsad and ma he chosen to invest his money IN
straightforward way he oud nave goo m on srea'
deal. lie dad not choose to do sv, "7 100 against
the horse, and afterwards Offering further .vv
loo The object OF TINS move was OF course to give
the public the Idea that vagabond would not run and
Thereby drive him to longer price In the quotations.
The contrary, however was the result OF this
attempt to 'ig the Market" for hackers not to
vest being still on the increase, little as to
taken. AT the same time 1t was observed that
several persons, who were well known as confeder-
ates Of Mr.. Herring were also laying against the
horse, and for little this gave rise to an uneasy
certain that by the shfty policy OF the
Sir Joseph Hawey has not yet succeeded In backing
his representative for shilling. vagabond may or
| may not run, and 1t would not be unnatural II the
| owner should, under the circumstances, "scratchn
him for this race; but no will believe that
OF his honesty would deliberately order his agent to
| lay against his candidate In order to pocket the
money for which the public supported him. The
consequence that IL the horse does start tue
commissioner viii have to take the responsibility OF
the bets he laid and by getting hold Of the hackers
Investments FISK compromise OF sir Joseph Haw'
which also occurred on Wednesday, was that of The
Sawyer, who Is the property Of a well known Lon
| don betting man. and was runored 10 have an ex
cellent chance. For long time he was exceedingly
nrm at 1000 to 90; but on wednesday Mr.. Charles
Head, bookmaker, "opened fire" against him In
the most mysterious manner by laying large sum
against him at 10 to aud then offered TO back MIN
leOoo 70 400 or zs 70 l. though when any one else
smaller sums he at once laid II. The horse finally
reached as much as 40 to 1; but there - no doubt
| thSt all these bamboozlng operations, which some
Of tie older school OF betting openly character
lied "barsfaced robbery" were intended TO drive
back The sawyer that more profitable Investments
might be made, and 1t Is almost certain that before
Tuesday, when the race Is run, he VIII be great Ia
| vorite.
| SUSPICIOUS PROCEEDINGS BY OFFICERS.
The turf world has been partly amused, partly en-
ragged by the revelation OF some proceedings on the
part OF some officers OF hussars, which, in lower
sphere OF life would very likely be called 'wech-
ing.r on Monday last, In the Scotch Court OF ses-
SONS before the Lord President, Lieutenant uchln-
son, OF the Eighth Roya lrishj Hussars brought an
action for defamation OF Character against Mr..
Char,es Gardiner, an Ednburg bookmaker and dam
| ages were laid at $4,000 The libel complained of
was tnat the defendant had written to the piaintin
| and Two other officers, named wentworth and Rich
| ards who did not join In the action, q letter In
| which he stated he had s'obtaned unqucs-
tonabe evidence that they had been holding illegal
| and Improper collusion with certain telegraph
clerksn and that from his private kilograms they had
'surreputiousiy got possession OF the Information
gained or won moneyn-that s, In fact had from his
own private sources OF Information betted with him
| on certainty and had pocketed his money Those
| statenents,u appeared, he was now making openly
| anu had moreover threatened to report the whoie
| matter 70 the war Once IL appeared from the evil
dence, which revealed a great many curious mat
ters that the three officers mad induced Gardiner TO
bet with them on races at distance after they had
been decided, but or course on the distinct under
| standing that no one knew the result. ON the llth
| september they backed with him ". Mungo TO win
| the nursery at Doncaster and Ventn0r ior place,
| and pulled 0if' both contingencies. Something
In their manner as he booked the bets aroused his
suspicious, ana on sending out his son 10 inquire
what had won the race he found that the result had
| been known for some time. His statement now was
tnat pursuing his inquiries, ne discovered That the
omcers were IN league with o telegraph clerk named
Shaw, and this individual In the witness box openly
confessed that he was In the habit OF supplying then
with information Gardiner refused to settle on the
bets, was brought before the steward OF Musse-
borough races and on declining TO abide by their de-
| clson, which was against him, was turned out OF