Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
NEVER RAN TO WIN BUT ONCE.
.sCrook 3D., lareer "a q S.,rinfer

Then He Got Pistol Ball which Ended His
"Crooked" Career . Sprinter.
Among the prisoners captured by Anthony
Comstock in his raid on q Barclay street gam
bling house recently, says the New York Herald.
was well-built, muscular fellow about thirty
two years old. His face had such a familiar
look to me that followed him around to the
Church street police station to see what name
he would give the sergeant
John Jones of Jersey travelling mar" didn't
enlighsen me much, though, and it was only
when he was taken below that a slight limp in
enabled me to place him.
Jones-for that name will do as wen as any
of his dozen aliases-was at one time a very
fast professional sprinter. In 1885 he was max
ing tour of the west with his hacker, a rascal
named McMurtha, and a confederate. Their
scheme was an old one. The party would drop
into some little town and get acquainted with
the sports in the place. Jones would run
some remarkably fast hundreds and match
would finally be arranged with some local
Splinter. Jones allowing fair handicap. The
foxy sports" would all want to back Jones.
and so, when McMurthas confederate arrived
on the day Of the race he had no difficulty in
placing goodly sum on the local man. Jones.
OF course. would lose the race; his party would
leave for the next town, and the sports who
had the straight tip" and were playing a
copper-bound cinch' would realize that they
had been played for Suckers
The last town which the party struck was A.
buquerque, n. NJ, and it was here that l be-
came acquainted with Jones. l saw him run
once or twice in practice, and. having had some
experience in athletics. was satisfied that he
could easily beat the half breed Mexican and
alleged phenomenon in spite of the three and
one-hah yards which he was to concede in the
| To a
TIN, a weli-known sporting character of Albu-
querque, who asked my advice, but told him at
the same time that tho race was almost sure TO
be crooked.
i've had some experience with these people
before. I'm going to see this man Jones"
Jones, it seems, had had quarrel with Nc
Murtha over the division of spoils from the
last town they had cleaned out" He claimed
that he was being cheated and had threatened
to get square Martin had in some way learned
OF this and it paved the way for a proposition
which he made Jones-Jones was TO run to win
and was to receive $3.50 therefor, $3.50 in cash
and check for $500 dated the day after the
race. To this scheme the sprinter readily
agreed.
Then Martin staked every dollar he could
collect-about "a 800 in all-on the result of
the race. So confidently did he place his money
on the local man that McMrrtha's confederate
became q trife suspicious. OF course it was
too late then for him to do anything about it.
Well the race run. McMurtha had had
another quarrel with Jones, who acting in
a very independent and exasperating manner.
Perhaps the hacker suspected something. If
so, he said nothing, but when the racers were
on the marks waiting for the crack of the pistol
he stood at the finish looking quite uncon-
cerned.
As the runners breasted the tape. however,
Jones yard in front-McMurtha walked to-
ward him. and before the painting athlete could
move muscle had fired two shots at him from
revolver which he had kept concealed in his
jacket pocket. ''D-n you," he yelled, saw
agely. ''youN never run another race
1t was impossible for moment to tell whether
Jones had been hit or not. Before the last
word was fairly out Of the shooters mouth he
had leaped toward him, seized him bv the
throat and thrown him to the ground. Then il
was seen that the front of his white muslin
running trousers stained with his blood.
''D-n you, he almost shriekeu to the pros
trate man. ''and you'll never shoot another
man" Before a hand could be raised to pre-
vent him he was stamping McMurtha vicio6sly
in the face with his long, sharp-spiked running
shoes and fairly tearing the skin in shreds.
Both men, though, had spoken the truth.
The pistol ball which had lodged in Jones leg
had severed a tendon and made him perma-
nently lame. and both McMurtha's eyes had
been pierced by the long spikes Of Jones shoes.
When last saw McMurtha. six months ago. lie
was sitting alongside the stree. in Chicago sell
ing lead pencils. On his chest there hung 9
sign, PITY the Blind"