Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-07-25
MEN Who Bet ON RACES
AOU4RTER OF 4 lIILLION CHANGING
HINDS IN 4 SINGLE DAY.

seventeen u1tY.
The first speaker drew large roll of
money from an inside pocket, counted out
seventeen 800 notes, and, adding $50
note to the pile, handed it to the man who
had said seventeen fifty.
The two men were sitting on the star
board side of the steamboat St. John, for
ward, on their way to Monmouth park
races. They were young members of the
bookmaking fraternity, and were surround
ed by betting men and others connected
with the turf. A cool breeze coming in
through the gangways rendered the party
good-humored and sociable.
'How many bookmakers are there?" in
quired an interested listener.
''Forty-two," replied one of the guild.
GLOW much money do you book on an
average race day."
''How much passes drought our
hands?"
eyes"
''On good day at Sheepshead Bay, for
instance, the heavy men will average $780,,
600 each, while some of the new light
weights will not book more than a few
hundred dollars"
"What is the highest bet ever booked in
this countryf"
"The pPlunger bet Horton, Charley
Reeds partner, $4,000 to $4,000 on Giro
fe, in her race with Barrett and Bootjack
last fall at Sheepshead Bay, and Charley
Reed bet the Plunger another $4,000
even on the same race. That was the big
gest sweep in a single race"
"Who is the freest better among
horsesmen?'
'Pierre Lorrllard. He has placed $4,000
on race. He bets in an of-hand, indis-
crimlnate way, and backs his own horses
handsomely. The Dryers back their
stable heavily at times, as well as the
horses of other owners. They are
more careful than Pierre. Ex-Governor
Bowie is strong hacker. The owners of
the horses run under shrewd old Eph
Snedekers name, including Gerhard, oc-
casionaIly dive in deeply; the Days chip
up their money freely; in fact, al the own
ers, trainers, jockeys, and even stable
boys take their chances.
When betting in the great ring becomes
dull the bookmakers often jump at each
other. Gray-headed James E. Kelley,
when the tit is on, will put up from $4,000
to $4,000. He has won and lost more
money, probably, than any other member
of the fraternity. When a young man he
worked at plasteringss for dollar "a day.
| One hot Saturday night he threw down his
tools, swearing that he would starve before
he would handle them again. Young David
johnson, son of Thomas, is the most i'm
pulsive gambler in the ring. His shout of
$4,000 to $1,000" was the cause of his
paying over the former amount to broth
er bookmaker recently. Cridge & Co.,
and few others will risk many thousands
on a race, but the majority confine
their possible losses to about $4,000
Heavy individual betting is exceptional
however. The bnlk of the money, which
sometimes aggregates a quarter Of a mil
lion day in books, mutnaI and auction
pools and combinations, comes from the
general throng of racegoers.
In the crowd that journeys to the races
are groups of rollicking, wide-awakt
Irishmen. Many of them are saloon
keepers, livery stable keepers, tradesm Ell
and politicians. They have plenty Of
money, and they all bet freely. On hear
ing them discuss the merits Of the horses
what weights they can carry and win, wha
distance suits them best, which Is the fast
est horse on dry track, and which is thu
best slayer in the mud, one wonders how
they can possibly lose. That they do lost
may be inferred from the malediction
hurled on the homeward trip at horses an(
Jockeys who, the losers swear, might havt
won if they had raced and ridden differ
emily.
Next in number come market men ant
prosperous dealers who begin their labor
in the morning and finish by noon, anC
others whose work commences at gasligh
and lasts until the small hours. Brokers
club men, men about town, actors, sport
ing men of all grades, professional mel
| of light practice, sinecure oficeholders
gentlemen of leisure and their families
clerks and young fellows on their summe
vacation, literary men engaged on flour
ishing weekly and monthly publications
! and billiard men all help to swell thu
crowd. Women have become imbued wit
, the betting mania until there are nov
hundreds of regular betting spectators il
the ladies' section of the grand stand
Messenger boys are employed in carrying
perfumed crisp bills from the occupants o
private boxes, as we'll as rumpled AM
greasy money from the wives and daugh
tiers of plain people in the tier below, t.
| be exchanged for the little colored ticket
l covered with cabalistic figures.
To stranger at the races all seems OK
, element, tumble and confusion. When
large number of horses are racing tn
} colors intermingle and change with tn
rapidity of revolving kaleidoscope. 1
is impossible for any but trained eye t.
follow and separate them. Even old rae
goers often ask at the reporters stan,
which horses secured places. The crow
is also puzzle to stranger. He watche
it move, and change, and surge, withou
, apparent sense or reason. At the fms
: of each race there is a sudden disappear
/ ance of thousands from the stands, tn
great enclosure fronting the quarter
? stretch, and the field. Some have gone
t the paddock to see in what condition tn
horses have come in from their grea
struggles, in order to store up some point
! for future betting and gain informatio
9 for the next race; other
4 have hurried to the betting quarters to &c
their winnings or to make fresh inves
=. ments, while many swarm around the bal
to drink to their good luck or drown thei
3 ill fortune, When the final bell summon
IS the horses to the post for another rae
: the crowd surges back again, Selling O
d every available point of observation.
That keeneyed, wiry veteran who is NAL