Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-17
POISONING OF TEN BROECK.
How n Scheme to Threw the Race
was Frustrated.

How n Scheme to ThEOW the Race
was Frustrated.
The present issue Of the Kentucky
Live Stock Record has the followingfrom
the pencil Of Ben Bruce, its editor:
In April a match OF four-mile heats
for $4,000 was made between Ten
Brock and Mollis Mccarthy. at Louis
vile, KY, which took place July 4. and
resulted in the victory of Ten Brock,
who distanced Mollie Mccarthy in the
first heat in 8:l94 Ten Brock a the
fsvorite at odds OF over two to one, but,
if the appearance Of Ten Brock is to
be trusted, with the startling and aggra.
waiting symptoms he exhibited after the
first heat, the horse was suffering from
q heavy dose OF opium or morphine. If
the horse had been beaten, it would not
have done to mention the fact, as his
enemies would have said that it was only
trumped up as al excuse for his defeat.
Who gave it to him, or how he was got
at, we are unable to say, but we are per.
tectly certain that his owner, Mr.. Il. B.
Harper, is perfectly innocent in the mat.
ter. A distinguished physician and pro-
lessor of anatomy in one of the Louis.
vile medical colleges went and examin-
ed Ten Brock after the heat, and he
stated that TIE horse was labUring under
the effects of q powerful opiate. His
eyes we're injected, the pupils contracted,
the brain and lungs congested, the mus
cular strength greatly diminished, and
there was a feeling Of great languor and
drowsiness, and it was necessary to Ian,
whip, aud keep the horse moving to pre-.
vent him from lying down and going to
sleep. He was so sanguine of the cor
rectness of bis diagnosis that be offered
to bet $1,000 to $40 on it.
On Wednesday evening, between the
races Of that day, the editor of this pa
per was called on in consultation at the
Club House, with Mr.. Lewis Clark, IT,,
president; Colonels r. johnson and ].
W. Hunt Reynolds, vice presidents of
the Louisville Jockey Club, and Mr.F B.
Harper. Mr.. Clark informed Mr.. Harp
er that be had reliable information con-
veyed to him that a bargain had been
made by his IF. B. Harper's) trainer,
Harry OOlston, to throw the race to Mol
lie Mccarthy, and the price agreed upon
was $500. Colonels johnson and Rey-
holds confirmed the statement. Mr..
Harper doubted the fact, aud did not be-
lieve that his trainer would throw the
race. After consultation it was decided
that Mr.. Harper should remain at Ten
> Broeck's stable during the night, and up
: to the hour Of the race. Notwithstand-
E ing these precautions, from the symp-
toms and condition of the horse after the
first heat, there seems to be little doubt
> but that he was fixed, and if Mollie Nc
Carthy had saved her dirtance the first
heat, Ten Brock would never have been
: able to start for a second heat.
From whom Mr.. Clark obtained his
information we did not learn, but it
: seems there is something here that re-
quires further investigation; and for the
sake Of the horse, as well as for the good
repute Of the turf, the matter should be
thoroughly ventilated and the guilty par
Q ties exposed. We have no wish to charge
wrong on any one; our object is the good
= of the turf, which we wish to see occupy
/ its proper place as the first Of American
2 sports, purified from the pestilential va.
pors OF fraud which have so nearly
s~mothered it. Let the officers of the
Louisville Association investigate and
| probe this raee to the bottom; let the
trainer OF Ten Brock satisfy them and
the public why the horse was in such a
eongested condition after the fret heat;
: why was it necessary to fan, whip and
: keep him moving to prevent him from
7 lying down and going to sleep, and why
this should happen the day Of the race,
when he was announced TO be-, for weeks
before the event, in the pink of condi.
ton. Let him do this and the public
will be satisfied; but, on the other hand,
his failure to do so will be conclusive Of
the truth of the report that the horse
was got at and dosed.