St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-01
The Retirement Of Commodore Kittscn
From the Trotting Turf Causes
General Regret.
It is Generally Believed That He Found
Too Much Dishonesty to Meet
His Ideas.
The Minnesota Races and What May
be Expected OF Them Monaco
and Lady Stout Dead.
Santa Claus for Sale--The Prices PaAd
for the Trotters Harry Wilkes
and Albert France.
TURF MORALS.
why it Was That Commodore ki'''
SON Withdrew From the Turk.

Gnn Withdrew EEOLu thkt ~ uAAe
The retirement of Commodore Kittson
from the trotting turf has caused wide and
deep regret. All the papers that are inter
ested in trotting speak of it in the same
manner that they spoke Of the retirement
of Mr.. Lorilard from the running turf.
They were pillars of the turf, and TO have
such men step out is loss that is serious.
We might multiply extracts from papers
without end in which the general regret Tor
Mr.. Klttson's withdrawal is expressed. The
following from one of the leading horse
papers papers of the United States, Wilkes
Spirit of the Times, may be regarded as a
sample:
Au announcement which win be received
with regret is the permanent retirement OK
Commodore n. w. kittson from the trotuns
turf as an active member. Failing health and
bpSinesS cares compel him 20 take this step.
In Commodore Kittson the trotring turf loses
a staunch supporter, as the love OF sport, pure
and sinple, has been the sole guide TO his ac-
lions Asa means of adding TO his worldly
Dossessions the Klttsou stable of trotterS
6oro q very unimportaut part. On the con-
trary bOnors and the fuTtherauce OF the
breeding interest were made the primary con-
sderatiOnS, and we must acknowledge the
brilliant galaxy of trotters and PAGERS tnat
claim their homo at Midway have done much
IN elevate the standard of this branch of the
rurf We are not to regard the commodore
rs entirely lost to the turf, however, as he
will retain his place as breeder. and as pres
idCut OF his state organization, VIII lend coun-
sci and influence to the interestof his section
OF the ereat Northwest. Won Arnim and
Revenue will continue in their present sphere
of usefulness, together with the matronS
destined To bring fame to Minnesota. The
great string, Fanny Nltherspooh' Minnie H.
Johnston. Little Brown jug and Blackwood,
.Ir. VIII be sold. We trust they will pass into
The hands of men as high principled as the
gentleman who cared ouly TO see them driven
Tor first honOrS.
In announcing last week the fact of his
withdrawal we attributed his action princi-
pallv 10 the state OF his health and pressing
business cares. These are the reasons that
the commodore himself gives in private con-
versaton. and the only ones. He is not a
man. however. to make any complaint.
Some of the papers in speaking of his
action assert that the real reason for his re-
firing was the dishonesty and trickeTy he
was compelled to come in contact with on
the circuit. If this is the fact he does not
admit il, or make any point of it. Still it
is not at all unlikely that it is the fact. 1t
is very well known that on several occa-
sions he was opposed by unprincipled CON-
binations. The Farmers Advocate in
speaking of this matter makes this state
ment:
The natural impairment of his health incl
dent to advanced age. making it unwise, to
say the least, to impose upon himself the
cares of such an enterprise, and his loathing
of the trickery that has crept into the man
agement of too many of the trotting associ-
ations. as also of the managers of the horses
themselves. While the first cause assigned,
impaired health, had undoubtedly consider
able force in influencing the commodore's
decision, we are inclined TO think from our
knowledge of him, that it was the latter cause
that really led him 10 make the decision at
this time.
1t is well known that when Commodore
Kittson embarked in the horse business his
directions were to win wherever possible. It
was not so much a matter of money with
him as it was desire to win on the merits
of his horses. He expended large sums of
money to secure good horses and fast ones,
and also endeavOred TO secure competent
men to handle his stock. In short the
commodore did all that good judgment and
an abundance of money could do to win
success on the turf. In this matter he I'M
doubtedly met with trickery and dishon-
esty. and by combinations that were dis
graceful to the turf. Ii is this kind of
swindlng that drove Lorillard and Megib-
ben from the turf. Mr.. Lorillard is free to
say that the only reason for his retirement
and the sale of his great stable of racers is
the fact that as affairs are now administered
on the turf an honest man has but slight
chance of success, and he more than init
mates that foul measures, going to the ex-
tent of deliberately cutting down danger
Gus horse, are frequently resorted to when
less radical means will not suffice. 1t is
very unfortunate indeed that turf matters
should be so arranged that wealthy men
who are willing 10 put large amounts of
money into horses, large stables and costly
establishments, without any expectation
whatever of getting their money back,
should be driven from the turf by lot of
ricksters and dishonest people.