The New York herald., 1878-12-05
TURF TROUBLES.

IMPORTANT CASES BEFORE THE BOARD OF RE
VIEW OF THE NATIONAL TRoTTING AssocIA-
TIoN-THE ''TwENTY-FoUR" RACE AT UTICA
WHY EDWIN FORREST WAS BEATEN.
The Board of Review OF the National Trottng As
sociaton continued in open session yesterday at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel Colonel Charles W. woolley in
the chair The greater portion of the day devoted
to the investigation OF the alleged fraud in tho
twenty four at Utica, n. ". trotted August
IA last. The supposed combination and conspiracy
of drivers with the view of defeating the bay geldna
Edwin Forrest, since purchased by Mr.. Robert Bon
ner and retired from the turf is set down by
many intelligent urfmen the greatest fraud of the
year Forrest beaten and the "job cleanly
perpetrated that those interested in it made large
sums of money The inquiry Of the Board purposes
TO be of the most thorough character. and perhaps
the .true inwardness" of the affair may be fully
reached before the case is closed. Forrest had
won first money in his class all through the
great rottng circuit which began at Cleveland beat
ing every occasion the field of horses as ap
pcared against him at Utica On the morning of the
he immense favorite the field, but
seemingly in moment and just before the horses
were called, the betting changed in remarkable
manner, the field then bringing more money than
Forrest The first heat fell to Forrest, i'll a:1s; the
Gus Gdden drove him these heats. The Judges in view
of the fact that Forrest cut his quarter during
the second heat by a collision with Woodford MANI
brino and of the great outcry of the spectators,
nade the horse start in the third heat there being
new driver Higbee. behind him. Higbee proved of
account and Forrest beaten, the
third heat being in 220 and the fourth
heat in 2:211s. The chestnut gelding Edward
the The same day Forrest was
defeated he passed into the hands Of Charley Green
who it is said. paid $4,000 for him. and the next
week. at Hartford Forrest rotted exhibition trial
in the wonderful time Of 214s the first heat and in
216 the second heat the latter with two breaks This
under Charley Green's driving. who had not become
.essed different from the majority of fast trotters
THE TESTIFY.
So much had been said about the event, and so
widespread was the nsinuaton that judges the
were unpleasantly mixed up with the 'combi-
nation said to have been formed by the drivers to
beat Forrest the Utica Park Association sent large
delegation before the Board. Among them were
Colonel Hutchinson the judges i'll question: and
several drivers. Colonel Woolley conducted the ex-
animation. Colonel Hutchinson was first to testify
He had complaints to make knew the
previous records OF the horses. and was on
respect; while in his box he received telegram
from Philadephla warning him that the
should take such a somersault itdid. If there
fraud perpetrated it was so skilfuy conducted lie
could not detect it. In his opinion the selection OF
Higbee to drive the third and fourth heats poor
one though he did not attribute wrong motives to
the judges in this particular The judges are men Of
high standing in Utica
Mr NJ g. Thomson presiding Judge the day of the
race, next made statement. He reviewed the race
in detail, explaining the reasons why Higbee was
placed behind Forrest when Glidden was removed,
and the reason why Charley Green would not take
the vacant seat. Hgbee was passing under the stand
at the time and his selection was dne M to his being
he had business that required his attention at
the time. After the third heat another change
asked for by many. but the judges
thought such measure would do injustice to
Higbee and would be confession on their part that
they had made mistake The crowding OF Forrest
to the fence in the fourth heat by Trampoline and
Deck Wright admitted, but neither Of the drivers
Of these horses was punished. Mr. Thomson is
combination formed that altered the general char
acter Of the race; but az the judges saw nothing
wrong, and had no evidenc. OF A., "job,p
Osgood. associated judges with Mr.. Thomson, in
dorsed the latters statements, and we're anxious to
convince the Board that they felt there was APP
parent wrong in the race. Mr.. Mcintosh spoke OF
kilograms received cautioning them against ''job "
and from The facts he regarded some things con-
nected with the event very queer. All the judges
think that Higbec drove to win. Neither had dollar
on the race. Mr.. Thomson acknowledged that he
had Forrest trot all his from Cleveland 10
Utica.
JounNAIIsrs. DRIVERS AND SPECTATORS.
Mr.. William T. Chester. journalist referred to the
matters Of suspicion that surrounded the race, and
was told before the horses started i'll the first
heat by Dan Mace that Forrest would be beaten His
opinion formed during the racel that it q
Job and he still entertained such belief.
Mr. Hamilton Bnsbey also . journalist. testified to
nearly the same effect as Mr.. Chester.
Gus Glddcn the driver of Forrest in the first and
second heats. examined at length. He knew of
nothing wrong. and could give clews to the Board
get at the bottom OF the affair. He said that he
interested in the pools. but If he could have
won the race it would have been To- his advantage.
When asked how. Glidden admitted that he had been
given certain percentages OF the winnings Of few
friends during the circuit He also admitted he had
stood in" that day with Mace on his horse Darby
'just for q hedge"
Edward pyle driver of the chestnut gelding
Edward. the winner OF the race also thought every
thing oil right and that Forrest was beaten
his merits" Pyle had not sent nor authorized the
sending of kilograms TO Philadelphia announcing that
Forrest to be pulled"
Mr. Burdett Loonis, of Hartford, who was in the
timers stand. free to say that there gen.
eral disposition on the track to gamble ON the race
being Job"
Charley Green driver and trainer heard of no CON-
bnation, and thought Higbee drove AS well as any
body else could have done under the circumstances
Green said he purchased Forrest after the race.
Mr.. Charles kcrncr and Mr.. George b. Alley, Of New
York. the race. and felt there JOB in it
and that Forrest was not driven to win.
Mr.. B. s. Sheldon, of Rochester, y. r., of the
same opinion. During the meeting Rochester the
preceding week he had been approached by party
with the view Of asking him if Edwin Forrest could
throw the twenty-four race their track. The
messenger said the affair would lie worth $1,000 or
$1,000 to him if successful Mr. sheldon told him
that he had the wrong place. and If the best
horse did not win both horse and driver would be
expelled At Rochester Forrest quite handily.
beating the same horses that opposed him at Utica.
The is still open. and may not be decided for
long time The Board feel that they should sift the
alleged fraud to the bottom and that the guilty should
be punished.
rNE-BoSEsErrER CASE
The case of Mr. H. V. Bemiss and Frank Van Ness
ys. the Chicago Jockey and Trottng Club also re-
ceived attention. This protest of Mr.. Bemiss has
created some STIR among turimen. 1t in the
free for all" at Chicago, October III and ~
last. The bay stallion Boncsetter, represented ny
IIpnli heat. I'm flp nt1
wnen the fifth heat was trotted patrol judges
stationed around the track Bonesetter came in
first, aud, had the heat been given him. would have
the Instead of giving Bonesctter the heat
the judges called it dead between him and the
brown mare Protcine. The reasons alleged tor TAX
ing the heat away from the stallion that he left
his ieet and ran great deal. Protcine finally won
the race Mr.. Bemiss presented many strong afiida-
Wits show that the patrol iu igc had made y mis-
take, aud that Boncsctter level throughout the
heat lie asks that the decision of the judges be re-
versed
THE COLUMBIA YACHT CLUB.