The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-24

bTlDeTy on tne luTIs
The large sums OF money which Mr.
FRANCIS T.. WALTON, popularity known as
the Plunger, has realized within the last
two weeks at Sheepshead Bay, have once
more called attention to his modes OF deal
ing. He argues that there is no harm in his
paying Jockeys and trainers, inasmuch as he
does not pay them to lose IL race or pull
horse, but always to win. Very little knowl-
edge of either turf matters or human nature
Is required to establish the fallacy OF such
IN argument. In the first place, the jockey
or trainer is in the employ Of the owner, and
receives what Is considered q fair remunera-
ton for his services. Now, a boy who gets
S25 for riding winning race Is apt to
forget his duty to his master when Mr. WALL
TON retains him ut the same time with q fec
of $500.
tits understood that Mr.. WALTON has lately
invested a portion of his winnings in Wall
street firm, in which he has become q special
partner. What would he think II Mr.. GOULD
or Mr.. RUSSELL SAGE should pay his book
keeper treble or quadruple the amount OF his
ordinary wages for divulging the secrets OF
Mr.. WALToN's stock operations Either of
those gentlemen might say, II do not bride
Mr.. WALToNs bookkeeper in order to de-
press stocks of which he tells me his EN-
ployer is long, or to put up stocks OF which 1
am informed he is short. l merely wish to
win in company with Mr.. WALTON" No one
would hesitate for q moment to denounce
such n proceeding as scandalous and dis
graceful; yet there are people who pretend
that they cannot see its indecency when
practised on the turf.
The temptation offered to jockey to strain
every nerve to win q race when he has been
promised a large sum. is likely to make him
willing to share his good fortune in order to
secure it. Thus IL two horses are racing
neck and neck, what is to prevent the jockey
retained by Mr.. WALTON from whispering to
| his opponent, stand to win $500, let me do
| it and will divide" Nor Is it too much to
| suppose that the boy who has once been paid
| by Mr.. WALTON, will not be overeager in an
other race to defeat a horse that he knows
Mr.. WALTON has backed. These considera-
| tionS alone must convince everybody that
| Mr.. WALToNs methods are Injurious to hon
est racing, apt to seduce jockeys and train
ers from their allegiance to their employers,
and opposed to the true interests Of the turf.
| But there Is another point from which
| to view the subject. Messrs. LORILLARD,
| WRITER'S, KEENE, and a number OF other
/ ownvIs keep ur large racing establishments,
and very large sums are every year expend-
ed in the purchase OF yearlings or in the breed
ing OF youngsters. These horses are run for
the qualification and profit OF their owners,
but their performances supply healthy and
exciting amusement to thousands Of people.
Every person who visits a race course is to a
| parfaip aytapt npiar n nhliputipn n tho
men who own and run the horses. 1t is,
therefore, only right and fair that they
should have every opportunity to at least
partially reimburse themselves for their out
lay. But when a man like Mr.. WALTON, by
his peculiar methods, acquires the informa-
ton about the fitness of their horses which
should OF right belong to them, he forcstalls
them in the betting and gets long odds. leav
ing them only odds too short for profitable
investment. He has never done a single
thing to benefit the turf, while the men whose
servants he has seduced have spent thou
sands of dollars in promoting its interests.
The gamblers theory is that the matter
lies altogether between WALTON and the
bookmakers. They say that the public
do not lose anything because WALTON
wins $1,000 from REED or KELLY. A mo-
ment's consideration will show how delu-
sive such an argument is. Mr.. WALToN's
plunging runs the betting down to such short
odds that the public cannot get in at fair
price, and consequently give up backing
their fancies. Betting may be very wrong and
sinful, but the racegoing public do not think
So A bet, no matter how small, gives a
thrilling interest in a close finish which no
mere love OF horses can supply
Mr.. WALTON is dangerous enemy to the
turf He Injuries owners, he Injuries their
servants, and he Injuries the public Racing
can never be fair as long as men like him can
do what they like on the track. II he does not
directly bride the jockey to lose he does SO
indirectly by paying him to win, and thus in
ducing him to bride brother Jockey to lose