New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-19

insnce in social life. lie was willing, ana III
deed eager, to enlist the most extensive popu's'
patronage for IacecOuIsco. and t. Duild si'h"
stands and las out grounds on the most AMBITIOUS
scale. - as TO provide fOr immense muiutuues
OF spectators and followers OF the sport D"V
in the rules which he drew up, and the adoption
of which by the principal 10 key cubs he an
90 mich to secure, and in almost every exercise
Of his ovelpoWering influence in the racing a,'o-
Citations. he was firmly on the side OF the Jockey
clubs. their officials, their stockholders ana the
racing owners who were most closely allied with
them. rather than with the great mass oil race
gcerS, without whose favor the American luil
cannot possibly exist for season
In thing, not a few Mr.. WitheIs was obstinate
and stubborn. As a rule he was not ha>ty or
impctuous in making up his mind, and was VIII
ing to listen to counsel but he was raiely di-
ycrted from his own conclusions by the aleu-
ments or advice of any one man or any num-
Der Of men. His intensity Of resolution was 80 con-
snicuolIs. and he was 80 bent on having his own
way. that fow attempted to resist him In turi
affairs. lie held the Monmouth Park Ass00a-
tion in the hollow of his hand and his voice ana
his will were far more potent than those OF any
other in the councils of the Eastern jockey clubs
which are associated with Monmouth Park in the
Board of Control.
A remarkable figure has gone out of the racing
world. Mr. Withers was more familiar with
racing precedents, with pedigrees, with ancestry,
with all the details of breeding and CT the sport
IF which he was ~ fond. than any other person
who can be named but with all his study Of
every branch of the subject, and with the long
Yeas OF practical experiment which he spent IN
breeding and racing thorOughbrds, his success
fell far below his expectations. Ills hne breed
inu farm at Blookdale, New-Jersey, never sent
to any racecourse "A really great champion Mr.
Withprs bred troops Of short distance horses OF
exceptional speed, but very few animals of much
stayng power, courage and resolution came from
his breeding establishment. This was source
Of bitter disappointment to him; but ne never
lost faith in the SoundnesS OF his own theories,
and he never wavcrcd in carrying them OUT 10
the last. Other breeders and other owners might
point out to him over and over again how much
larger measure of success than he had achieved
had been accomplished by other men who fcl-
lowed different theories Of breeding and of train
ing: Mr.. Withers could not be shaken. lie was
still firm in the conviction that his own ways
Wcrc the best
1t was easy for turfmen TO sec that the Master
Of BroolldaIe made many mistakes. and that the
most serious of all was his reluctance TO wage
the most rigorous and unSparng warfare against
the vicious clements of the racetrack. But Mt
Withers was extremely avcrSe to exposing by
official action the extent to which corruption ana
dishonesty had become n gangpne eating at the
yitals Of racing. While his own methods, so FAR
as fairness and int gritty were concerned, were
absolutely above criticism he rsolutely put aside
from himself the acknowledgment and disclosure
Of the extent to which scores and even hundreds
Of owners who were less well-known INDUCED
In evil practices. In this way, with his consplc-
nous position and hs vast influence, he did the
turf an immense amount of injury, although his
own skirts were clean. But with all his Pc
culiarities of manner and ecccntricitcs of char
actor, there was vast amount of liking for Mr.
Wi,hcrs among the best men on the turf Ills
very riegedness of nature endeared him TO them
They could criticise his oddities and his mis-
takes. vet every ono on the turf, high or low.
could not fail to feel that there was stcngth
and force about him, an energy and resou-
ton. that exorted admiration. Even if he were
not a believer in turf republic, but rather IN
turf autocracy of which he should be the auto
crat. his purposes and his aims in the main
would have been those of IL benevolent and pub
lic-spirited autocmt if such a head of turf
tlc~potism can well be imagined. His death
leaves even a greater gap in the American turf
than the death Of Mr.. Belmont left. There Is no
one who can fill his place; the Master OF Mon
mouth leaves no successor.