Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29
PLAYING THE RACES.
The Enormous Fortunes Won and
Lost on the American Turf
THE STORY OF DAVE JOHNSON.
Penniless Last Year, Now Worth Quarter
of Million.
HOW BIG PLUNGERS FINALLY LOSE ALL
HE STORY OF DAVE JOHNSON.
HOW BIG PLUNGERS FINALLY LOSE ALL
rwRrrrrN FOR THE prsPATcH.I

this country and in England are so entlrely
different that it would perhaps be TAR easier
to institute a contrast than comparison
There is no manner Of doubt Tor example
that far greater sums of money are wagered
on the result of big races on the Eagnsh
race tracks than are wagered here, and that
a greater number of men there place small
fortunes on the issue OF these two and three
minute contests. The consequence is thai
when we read. as we have had an oppor-
tuuity of reading recently, that Mr.. Ernest
Benson. more generally known as Jubilee
Juggins. was quite in the habit of losing
$3.50, 900 on a single race meeting or OF win
ming an equal sum, the statement carries
with it a certain amount of surprise, and
when be declares that be backed Bendlgo to
win 10000, or SS0,0OO running in. the
Jubilee stakes at Kempton, it seems almost
incredible that human being would stake
on a single chance money enough to carry
along man almost in luxury ior his entire
existence. But 1t must not be supposed
that such performances are altogether un-
paralleled.
GAMBLERS WHO BRAG.
The amount of betting generally here
NAV not be so great or tor such extravagant
amounts, which are common enough IN En-
gland, but on the other hand there are q
number OF cases where just as large sums OF
money have been won and lost on the turf
in America as in anv other country IN the
world This NAV not, OF course, be SUBJ
iect or boast illness, and it is because
Americans who have lost and won these i'm
mense fortunes are not in the habit Of boast
ing and don't write book anent their ex-
periences that Mr.. Benson's narrative of his
own career on the English race tracks has
appealed to newspaper readers with all the
fascination of romance and has. during the
past fortnight, attracted the widest kind of
comment and attention.
The only people who tell stories of mar
Telous winnings on the turi which a ter
ward get into the newspapers are very small
plangers indeed, who win a few long shots
and then satisfy their vanity by exaggerat-
ing their good fortune. The men who really
win and lose big money say very little about
it. 1t is known for example that Dave
johnson, who may be seen any evening in
the Hoffman House cafe or the lobby oil the
St. James Hotel, started in this year with
out dollar OF his own, and began as a book
maker with few thousand borrowed money
kindly loaned him by friend in St. Louis.
Last year he ended the season dead broke.
He didn't start in this year until the Bati-
more and Washington meeting, but at the
conclusion of the meeting at Sheepshead
Bay II was known that he WAS a verv heavy
winner on the season, and finished up with
a fortune which an ordinary business man
would look on as the
BASIS FOR COMPETENCY.
johnson is tall, handsome fellow with
dark eyes and a generously proportioned
1hustache, straight features, calm and In
deed an absolutely imperturbaOle good man
ner and is always well dressed. He is to-
day probably the most industrious and per-
slstent plunger on the American turf. He
is bookmaker, to be sure, but he does not
make books in the mathematical and con-
servatve way advocated BY the mere cold
blooded representatives Of his class, but
recklessly lays odds on animals which he
likes A bookmaker who does business
after this fashion can scarcely be called
bookmaker at all. He is practically back
ing horses instead of laying odds against
them, and in brief is paying bookmaker's
rental of about 500 day Tor the privilege
of plunging.
John Macdonald, who is also a book
maker, but OF the modern plunging kind,
has the reputation of being the most sue
cesstul man who has made book at the
various race meetings this season. He is
credited with having won at least 5000, 600
since last May and many good authorities
put it up to $250,0O0. These results are
quite equal to anything that johnson has
ever achieved but probably do not exceed
them. 1t is known that one time johnson
went down to the meetings at Baltimore and
Washington S68, 900 behind and came away
$50, 900 winner. In other words be had won
practically 100000 during the progress of
those two brief meetings Macdonald and
Dave Gideon, who has also reputation for
plunging are understood to he at dagger
points now over turf experience in which
they both figured aud which is now two or
three years old.
TWO NOTED PLUNGERS.
The two most notable plungers on the
American turf during the past five years
have undoubtedly been Walton and
Bernard. Walton and Bernard figured in
the betting ring about the same time and
were known as the plunger and the little
plunger, although when it is stated that
d
race, that is to say when Gowaua ran in the
Withers four years ago, exactly where the
appropriateness of the description OF ''little''
comes in is difficult to see. However, they
were known as "the plunger'' and "the
dipper," and it is stated, and generally be-
Geved, that five or six years ago Walton
left the Monmouth Park meeting at the end
of the season at least $500. 600 ahead. The
next year he carried this over to England
with him, or at least great part of it, and
not only lost all the money he had, but lost
money that he didn't have at all. In fact,
he Jailed to meet the obligations he con.
trscted on English turf toward the last OF
his experiences there, and settled his losses
for shilling on the pound.
The story o. Bernard is as interesting as
any OF them, and ends as all the others do
with practical bankruptcy OF the plunger,
Bernard began about six or seven years ago
and won $50, 900 in the course of a single
season. and With this $50, 900 bought a
number OF fast horses which he ran under
the name of the Clipsiani stables. He was
remarkably fortunate, and everything he
touched seemed to turn into money. As
soon as he had become a stable owner, how
ever, his luck seemed 10 turn, and in a short
time be was completely wiped out.
LUCKY MILLIoNAIRES.
The stories which always appear in print
toward the end OF the racing season. and
which describe the successes of small
plungers, are usually exaggerations. A
well-knovn business man who is popularlv
supposed to be q millionaire, won a few
thousand dollars at Saratoga this summer.
and inside OF 4S hours the gossips OF the
track had multiplied iF to S25, 900, and this
story was published. This millionaire. by
the way, is one OF the fortunate beings who
put little money on Remsen the second or
third day OF the Saratoga meeting and got
back 81 600 on $40 when Remseu won. The
winner sTterward stated that he had put
410 IN Remsen besides his son md .ho -