New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-03
FRAUDS OF THE TURF.
EVIL ELEMENTS IN AMERICAN RACING.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISHONESTY THAT
OANKERS AND CORRUPTS.


some racing writer's are getting their eyes opened
Broad Church, has written great deal OF entertain
ing and attractive matter turf subjects In recent
years. lie is conscientious but his conspicuous la
ing in the past has been that which characcrlHcs
nearly all comments on races which are pnDhs"eu III
journals devoted to sp0rs-a complete lnaDly 10 sec
Il fragrant steal carried out under his very nose bu'
even Broad Church. is getting awake AZ la''' nc
now saws: In these latter days. when In Tor WORK
has become the prevailing fashion with owners ana
trainers the practice is made to cover multitude OF
sins for any system that bamboozles and deceiveS
the public cannot be in accordance win the e'ho'
Of hight toned. legitimate racing Just ana truc'
Broad Church. Well said. If all racing writers
would be as candid and severe in these times oi 'r
frauds some reform might be accomplished
In writing Of jockeys In the West, " Fro'd 'huFch
saws further as TO the prospects for this season
The bulk Of the work VIII, | Judge. be done 10y
ncompeteuts bunglers and shoenakers' anu "icic
Will not be wanting those those who VIII not hesitate
10 place a horse. when asked or Instructed to DO So
And all this helps to furnish the banc of the Western
turf to-day. The thoroughly competent. sklinl and
energetic Jockeys are few and far between while
there is quite an array Of the other kind Other
statements are made by this writer which tend To
show his conviction that attempts at fraud have been
frequent in the New-Orleans races
Now, the opening of the eyes Of " Broad Church
Is somewhat significant. There have been many in
noccnt and crcdulous souls who have been pcnnins
articles on American racing for years and are yet
apparenly so simple that they believe every owner.
trainer and Jockey to be honest. unscish and d.
interested. There are other writers who not
at all simple and ccduous. but who act substantially
as accomplices OF thieves. These writers know all
about the robbcrcs which pracscd. but make
no effort to expose them, because it is for their pc
cuniary interest TO keep silent put false gloss
on fraud and attempt TO make it appear fair dealing
telling tho truth about racing, the pirates bachlegs
and trichseis who now fill then own pockets bN ihil
swindlcs would soon find their cheating dangerous
and Improbable. But the NUMBER Oh paper ',."v'
daily or weekly. that really try 10 get at the BOTTOM
facts in turf matters and publish them i extremely
small. Many influential owners and racing men, VINO
know perfectly well that thIcVcy J. constantly prat
Used on the tracks which they control prefer % ger
the dishonesty 20 unchecked rather than have the
PROSPERITY of the turf damaged by scandals. a. ticN
put it, But any prosperity which Is based on 'orlip
lion must be rotten ana cannot endure Una tlai the
American turf Of today l. At bottom, 10 great cN
tent one OF the foulct sinks OF fraud that the world
ever saw is a ccrtainty Every ccarcycd man OF in
trlliccncc and experience in such matters KNOW. inns
TO be true. The turf Infested with professional law"
breakers men Of the worst instincts, practices and
records. Among IL, owners, trainers and Jockcvs IL
includes larger percentage OF INSCRIPTIONS and IN
prncplcd scOundrc, than any other interest on
earth which enlist, much capital and 80 extensive
public support. study the crowds at the race courses
examine flc careers, associations ana cAplolts OF
many Of the owners. trainers and jockeys. and y"u
cannot be surprised that the turf rrcl> with ih and
fraud with 80 big evil element i'm n. the man
who expects That all nearly all the racing. even
upon the most conspicuous and most popular Of the
rscc-tracSs Will he on il merits. viii be free from
ccancry. double dealing and theft. must be seven
fold imhccc. There are some things - plain that
even The blind cannot ignore them. They can feel
these truths even If they cannot see them.