Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-25
MISCELLANEOUS SPORTS.
A Few Interesting Remarks About tn
Suspension of John e. Tur "r-Pros-
poets of This Weeks Rae z q Home
wood Park and Other Events

An Eastern authority, writing out 'e
suspension of John Turner at Ph;ii eiph n
last week, and also the prospects tho
Homewood meeting, has the followin to
say:
The episode at the Philadelphia Driving
Park last Wednesday, which resulted in the
suspension of John E. Turner, is. certainly
the most peculiar one of recent date regard
ing the application of the law which pro
vides for change of drivers where there is
the appearance of fraud. Standing, as he
does, in the front rank, and one ofthe Oldest
trainers still in the field. the affair naturally
causes no little stir, and is the chief theme
of turf gossip just now.
A unique character is this gray-haired
whip, who, like Murphy, comes of Irish
stock, and has worked his way by sturdy en-
deavor from the obscurity of stable boy to
fame and considerable fortune on the trot-
ting turf. Turner does not profess to be a
saint, but his record is more creditablesthan
most of his early contemporaries. He-is a
veritable sphinx bout his own affairs, and
condolences with him are as safe as if they
had never been impaired
The very persistence which has won him
more than the usual amount of success has
proved at times a disadvantage, for, once
than once he has driven out races against
his own interests and with loss to himself
and his friends As recently as the meeting
havoc by winning the 2:16 pace with Mann
brino Hannis when he did not set out to get
first money. Gray Harry was to do the
and matters got tangled after the second
heat. Turner was annoyed when Monkey
Rolla cut loose for a heat, and, needless of
all requests, sent his pony PAGER along in the
fourth heat to the CONSERVATION Of those
who depended on him to wait for the gray
sidewheeler.
Though he begins the campaign ut the
earliest opportunity, Turner's policy is
against going to the front till the season is
well advanced. The old-time dread of get
ting horses out of their class is a part of his
very being, and no man approaches him in
managing matters so that he can keep in the
background till the time is ripe for victory.
This has become a proverb, and especially
among his enemies the General" F" as he is
called, has come In for severe criticism on
When Linkwood Maid needed a new pilot
to satisfy the public at Point Breeze on
Wednesday that she was really unable to
win the go trotting class, the lot fell on the
man who above all others prefers to attend
to his own particular affairs. More than
once before Turner had been asked to do
way avoided it, This time it was a aperemp-
tory order, which at first he saw no way of
evading. He had bought a couple of tickets
on the little mare from Baltimore and would
have tried his hand but for the overzeal of a
bystander, who fancied he made some sort
of signal to Greenway, who was in tempo
rary disgrace by his peculiar way of han
ding the favorite. This was whispered to
the judges, and when the starter told
Turner that he not only wanted him to
drive, but to win if he could, the old mans
blood grew hot, and he fatty refused, as he
said, ''to drive as criminal" Some of his
friends tried to persuade him to comply with
the command, but Turner would not have
mounted the sulky If his refusal debarred
him from driving for the season.
For the meeting at Pittsburg, which comes
fourth in the Southeastern circuit, there are
sufficient entries to insure another lively
week, and If the local authorities VIII be as