The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-25
PLAYING THE RACES.
PICKING THE WINNERS A FAVORITE
AMUSEMENT. WITH CONGRESSMAN.
Good Stories of the Race Trask-Presi-
dent Harrison Has Saved 800, 900 In
the White House-Columbus Represent
ed in Marble as a Baseball Pitcher.
Especial Correspondeuce.,

|
the White House-Columbus Represent
ed in Marble as a Baseball Pitcher.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, May 2.-Last week our
statesmen were enjoying themselves at the
baseball games. This week it is the races
In the grand stand paddock and the bet
| ting ring at the Washington race course
| you may, almost any of these fine days. see
quorum of the house of representatives
and a goodly number of senators. 1t is
even charged that the managers of the
house contrive to so arrange the proceed
ings and debates that members sportively
inclined may leave the Capitol without
risk of their absence being disclosed by the
telltale roll call, though as to the truth Of
| this have some doubts.
Races have always been popular in
Washington and in the good old days the
| greatest races known anywhere in the
country took place within the shadow of
the dome of the Capitol. 1t is tradition
of racing in this country that the greatest
sums ever wagered upon the result of one
race were wagered here on trotting con-
test about forty years ago. Even now,
when ''plunging'' is not considered good
senator or representative in congress stand
! to win from 5000 to 5000 on one race
! The heaviest winning 1 have heard of this
| spring was made by a far western SEN
ator, who knows as much about horses as
he does of the law of the attraction and
correlation of forces. He had plenty of
money, ample nerve to place it and luck.
He won in five days something like So, 0O0
f-,a Ii=
the heaviest losers 1t has become trite
saying in Washington that the Kentuck-
ians know more about race horses than
any one else and pick fewer winners. AS
usual, when there are races in town, the
Kentucky delegation in congress is calling
on the sergeant at arms for an advance on
their salaries. Senator Blackburn has lost
steadily, 1.-The penalty" says an old horse
man, ''of having racer named after him.
Ever since right good horse was named
Joe Blackburn the senator has been losing
money on the races. 1t is hoodoo"
Editor Henry WattersOn has been in town
for some time, and of course he has attend
ed the races. Probably he will have to
borrow money to get home with. That
prince of good fellows and fine horseman,
Colonel Steady, correspondent of the Louis
Sllle COuTler-J Ourndl, hHOWS every racer
on the grounds and has an intimate &C
quaintance with every stable boy and
trainer, but he can't find the winners.
There was time when senators, cabinet
officers and all sorts of people were eager
to play Stealy's tips, but now his selections
are avoided as a sort of financial pesti-
lence.
Speaking of Steady reminds me of good
story concerning the manner in which a
couple of bright newspaper correspondents
played the races day or two ago. Louis
Garthe, of the Baltimore American, and
Z. G. Rowland, of the New York Press,
pooled their cash and their issues Garthe,
who knows good deal about horses went
to the track with the firms money, which
amounted to something like thirty dollars
while Rowland remained in town to write
the special dispatches for both papers. On
this occasion Garthe had bad luck, and by
the time the third race was over the CAPT.
tai of the Garthe-Howland firm had been
swallowed up by the bookmakers. Atthis
juncture of affairs O'Brien Moore, of the
ST. Louis Republic, took a hand in the af-
fair. Having heardof Garthe's copartner-
ship with Rowland, and their mutual mis-
fortune, Moore contrived to meet Rowland
on ''the row" and to remark, quite Incl
dentally and innocently, that one of the
correspondents had had big run of luck
at the race track. who is it?" asked
Rowland. "Why, man came in from the
track few minutes ago and said Louis
Garthe had won about $500 during the
afternoon" Rowland was delighted, and
set up half dozen bottles of wine for
number of good fellows who were in the
joke. His chagrin when his unfortunate
partner appeared may be imagined
Senator Wolcott, or Ed, as his friends
like to call him, has been often at the
races, but to the surprise of every one he
has not once been in the betting ring. VOL
colt has given up playing the races, and
now that he has married and settled down
he says he will never again be caught in
such q scrape as that in which he found
himself at Long Branch few years ago
the famous occasion on which he played
the tips of colored waiter and won $4,000
in one afternoon. This big sum was paid
him by the bookmakers in track money!
fves, tens and twenties which have seen
active service and frequent transfers from
one sweaty palm to another. The whole
made stack so big that Wolcott wrapped
it in and old newspaper and took the bun
die on his knees and rode with it and some
friends in cab to his hotel. There he gave
a coupleof walters fifty dollars apiece for
Strengthening it out and stacking it up
Still it was an elephant on his hands, and
with the remark that he didn't know what
to do with the dirty stuff, Wolcott, who was
not then the eloquent senator from Colo
RADIO, went over to Phil Days clubhouse
and lost the whole pile at faro. Those were
Wolcotts wild oats days, and thorough
bred he was too. Now he is as steady as a
cart horse.
Wolcott is already known as the most
gifted orator we have in congress. When
he made his brilliant silver speech in the
senate few days ago he was paid COM
pliment SO extraordinary and quaint that
/ must tell you about it. Old Senator
Sawyer, of Wisconsin, is business man
who never makes speech, and who as a
rule has business mans adherence Of too
much talk. When Wolcott began speak
ing Sawyer was in the clOakroom smoking
a cigar. Overhearing few sentences
through the open door. he was induced 10
move out into the chamber. Taking a
seat very near the young orator. be lis /
tened as one enraptured 10 the end. and