The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-09-02
A Job OH the Public.

We have no desire to criticise any
one harshIy or unjustly; we lave 80
desire to pose as critic or make a
mountain out of mOle-hill; but
after a thorough study OF all the facts
in the Hal Pointer and Direct race
Mt Columbus, Ohio, last Thursday
and Friday, we believe it is our duty
TO state them to the pubic, and ex-
pose what we believe TO have been
a put-np job on the public by M
Hal Pointer went to Columbus with
a record Just won Of 2i0514-the
worlds harness record. He had
beaten Direct twice before this year
in easy time to him, ranging from
2:OSL to 2:l34, driven by Ed. Geers.
He was evidently in the best OF spir-
its and condition, for as Geers went
off to take charge of Hamlin's strirg
elsewhere, leaving Pointer in an-
others hands, it is said that even
Geers admitted that anybody can
drive Pointer and beat Direct" And
IL looked so; for there were, without
doubt, fully Ave or six seconds
difference in their respective
apeed forms, and a great deal oi
difference in their respective ability
to keep up the clip.
When the two horses meet, Pointer
takes the first two heats Ia 2:ll14 and
2:IO, which is just about Directs
capacity to carry him this year
But the next heat is revelation tC
toe pool box. Pointer is allowed to
| be beaten in 2:15, and in The nexl
heat IN the miserably Glow time oi
2:2O Think OF q horse going the
week before in 2:0514 without skill
or apparent unusual exertion, anU
/ /. IN OfO0
| driven by n man who is an acknOwl
edged master reinsmSn and who
| knows his business! Thnse from
| here who saw the race say it was 1
/ banplingIy arranged job. That no
| only was Pointer pulled" VisiblI
aud openly, but that after being hel(
i'm. lac WAS so suddenly turned loos'
as nearly to be precipitated to hi
knees.
| Mr.. Splan had been an uuknowl
d. .iver he would have been taken ou
of the sulky then; but they left hin
TO nut up one more farce OF heat AM
this one truly was al eye -op"ner
They paced what the judges ?
caIlsd a dead heat" but one which
in fact, Direct won by good neck
SO saw the men who saw II. In othe
words the game was over ,'layeC-
; they out-Hamletted Hamlet; an
after some vigorous prOtestsfrom wv
OF the SPEC tatOrs who were inteTesle
in seeing fair play, Mr.. Splan ws
taken out Of the su!ky and the hei
was termed a "dead heat" A dea
= heat in 2:I4, when Pointer went tn
/ last quarter of the first heat in ~;
seconds!
8 AS soon as an honest driver WI
!, mt up, Pointer went on and Won u
| O.1I3[ and ended IL
/ farce.
we learn that the Columbus Ass
: citation is not amenable to the IuI
: Of either the American or Nation
Association and that therefore II
! gang has had full sway and plS
= Without any danger of being called
account. But in the name OF II
n thousands OF hOrsemen who love u
= horse and all honest and fair spol
d we most resp, ctfully state u
foregoing facts, and ask that they
held accountable at The bar OF puol
opinion, il no where else. IL Is SUI
scenes as these which lower the rae
course in the eyes OF honest men 81
make it target for the shots oI @ tho
who believe the Whole thing Is wron
Without any desire to do any one }
o Justice, we, for one, will continue
e shoot at every fraud We see, wheth
u he disgrAces the judges stand
n polIutes the sulky sat behind
e honest horse.
j. The owner of Temple Bar and h
d driver were expelled for no worse
II lob than this, aud Nelson and i
d horse for far less. If this kind
e thing be allowed to go unrebuked,
J. had better hitch our race horses
e the plow and save the moral chara'
II er OF the track by more honest,
l. not so exciting a sport.