Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-08
4 Talk ,ctth the Drirers.

The commissioner of the Spirit Of the
Times had talk at the Boston tracks with
Splan, Turner and WoodmaEsee and thus
tells the story:
:. Every one fond Of racing, who is fortu-
nate enough to enjoy the friendship of
Gen. John E. Turner, Mr.. D. w. Wood
mansee, VIM. Weeks and others of that
ilK, can pick up great deal of horse
knowledge in their society. Before the
spectators gathered to-day, We had quiet
convention of these men of horse wisdom,
and, of course, turf matters were the sub
iects of discussion. Turner began, in q
joking way, to talk Of judges and
the Judges stand after this fashion:
sit is an old saying, set q thief to catch a
thief and sometimes the people that Low
ell used to call robbers on the turf find
their way into the stand, and they are the
rankest of the rank. The great trouble
horse owners and drivers have to contend
with is that many respectable judges don't
give racing enough attention to protect
the man who trots to rule, and some of the
Judges who know enough 10 deal it out Oh
the level can't be depended upon"
Spian suggested, in his logical wey, that
ct would be good idea for horse owners
TO form society, and at an annual meet
ing elect a starting judge for at least the
Grand circuit, and let the association pay
him we'll to travel just as legal circuit
Judge does. His character should be
looked into to see that he is a man who has
never done mean or dishonest thing
one that we could be. would Lot da5ble in
the pool-box; tnat We could depend OF Civ
ing heats and positions strictly to rale,
and have knowledge, frmpess and decision
enough to handle q party of horses and
drivers in scoring. If We had sucha man
there would be less nonkeying and dissat-
isfaction all round. It would be better for
the associations and everybody"
Turner remarked, jokingiy: "You
ought to have seen me and two other
JOCKS in the stand out west. We saw who
was doing wong on the scoring, called
than up, and said, Now it will cost you
five cases apiece'-there was three trans
grassors-'if you come up in the lead
again We intended to collect the five,
and pay ourselves for our trouble, but
they came up all right, aud We had no
chance"
Turner added: 81 seldom 60 in as
Judge. The last time I was there they ap-
pointed no starter, and Barney Perry
having neglected to withdraw Gettysburg
the night before, was ordered to bring
him out the day of the race. He refused,
and they were about to expel him when
said, Hold on, make it lighter, or they'll
say Pm hard man, to go back on one of
the trade.' think as Splan does, there
ought to be one good man appointed as
starter whom every body could respect, and
rely on doing what is right"
The general then changed the subject,
and addressing me, said: ''You remember
showed you, at Springfield, piece that
some crank had Published in, I think, a
Poughkeepsie paper about me and my
having Thorne pulled, and lot more
stuff on the style of everything wrong,
nothing right; trotting gong to the dogs;
Hickok, Splan, myself, and a few more to
blame. Well, Mr.. Thorpe replied to it.
Have you seen his letter."
'No."
"Well, you ought 90, it puts the whole
matter right. The fact is, there WAS not 2
heat this year, from the time Thorne
faced starter in the circuit, that he did
not try to win. thought that hs would
be q good horse at Rochester, and would
either beat ST. Julien or make him 60
faster than he had trotted this season; but
the best I could do was to make stand
off with Whitherspoon."
believe that and think it is an of year
for Thorne. Since then had chat with
Mr.. Edwin Thorne about it. He is of the
opinion that the horse had too many easy
heats on haif-mile tracks in the spring. and
got his rate OF speed set SO that the at
tempted sharpening up on mile tracks
later failed to bring him to an edge.