Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-08
THE TURF TRAGEDY.
Mayor Washburne's Honor In
volved in the Feud That
Cost Three Lives.
CHARGES OF BRIBERY
Banded. About in official Circles in
the Windy City,
THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF FROM,
0f Chicago's Chief Executive Traced to
Woman's Influence.
WHAT LED UP TO THE FATAL AFFRAY

L
CHICAGO, Sept. 7.-Horse owners re
fused to race at Garfield Park to-day and
the track shut down for the afternoon. To-
morrow afternoon, after they get through
mourning for their deceased friend, Colonel
Jim Brown, they will be ready for the re-
newed raids of the police. For to-day, al
least, the police triumphed. The racing
folks declare, that, come what may, sport
will be resumed tomorrow.
Sensational results will grow out of the
warfare. On one side will be the gamblers
millions ready to overthrow the Mayor.
The Mayor and police, once the warmest Of
friends, have been estranged, and are now
| in such position that the reputation OF
| one or both of them for personal honor and
official integrity is jeopardized.
And all this comes of jealousy between
| two sets of gamblers, one at Garfield Park,
the other at Hawthorne. The old fight be.
tween Corrigan, who was then running the
former Garfield Park track, and the down.
town gamblers, who now control it, is still
on. Corrigan started the Garfield Park
track, and through some mysterious infu-
ence downtown poolrooms were closed.
Later things came the gamblers way. Nc
Donald, Hankins, Condor, Dahl and the
trust had the best of it. Corrigan heard
that money was being paid by the gamblers
to somebody close to the Mayor Then he
filed sensational bill, charging the Mayor
with receiving money for letting poolrooms
run
McLaughry Wasn't to Be Persuaded.
The administration did not defend itself
against the accusation. Corrigan did all
ne could to defeat Cregier Some of
the gamblers worked for Cregier and others
for Harrison. Washburne was.elected and
Corrigan claimed credit for it He had no
need of protection because his trick was
outside the city.
Again the pool rooms were suppressed.
After that, Hankins ct al started the
present Garfield Park Club track. Nc
Claughry was haunted day and night by
emissaries of both parties, one trying to
persuade him to close Garfield track, the
other to induce him to leave it alone. He
was offered bribes but refused them. Then
he was threatened. Intimations that
crooked work In his penitentiary connection
had been found out and would be exposed
were made to him, but he declined to be
frightened.
Then systematic work was commenced on
the Mayor He was easier than the Chief,
and it is claimed that the Garfield folks
now hold a club over his head and that he
must obey their bidding The war against
Garfield Park actually commenced last win
ter. The club continued its races long after
the regular season, and Chicago was for a
time a second Guttenburg. Finally the
newspapers refused to notice the track and
the meeting came to a sudden, end. This
spring license was granted to'the club for
80 days, but was extended for week
The Conflict With the Ordinances.
The meeting opened May q and closed
June "a On June % the meeting of the
Washington Park Club opened before the
Garfield and Hawthorn tracks were shut
down. The summer meeting of Garfield
Club commenced July %. The club could
not secure a license and started in without
one. For q day or two the admission was
free and then the usual prices were charged.
The meeting Of the Northwestern Associa-
tion of Trotting and Pacing Horse Breeders
opened August ID and continued a week,
during which time both race tracks were
closed
1t was after this meeting that the trouble
really began. The club secured an injunc-
tion and later the City Council passed an
ordinance obligatory on the Mayor to issue
a license to any mile race track within the
city on payment of 500 per day. The
Mayor vetoed this ordinance. Then the
counsel for the Garfield Park tried to prove
that the Kenny ordinance, forbidding pool
selling within the city limits, had not
been printed in the newspapers and
was therefore void. The Court held that
the ordinance was invalid, and Gar
field, which was shut down for day,
again resumed racing. No admission was
charged, but the receipts from the bookies
paid for the purses, and, as the public spec
ulated literally, the officials did not worry,
but they had no licenses. While the pool
cases occupied the attention of courts,
racing was continued, and to evade the law
no admission was charged, but the Pinkerton
did not display badge. The ticket sellers
required patrons to fork over dollar at the
window. Then the dollar and ticket was
showed back.
Then the Raids Comm menced.
The first actual raid was made last FRI
day, when the officials, track employees and
jockeys were arrested. Then on Saturday
more decisive raid was made. This time
bookmakers, sheetwriters. cashiers, officials
and horse owners were roped in. On Mon
day Garfield was in state of siege after the |
races had been run. The police demanded
admission at the gates, and being refused,
battered them down. The patrol wagons |
rumbled, and about 15 arrests, including |
several unruly spectators, were made, and |
yesterday came the climax in the running |
gun fight which laid low Colonel Jim |
Brown, of Texas and two brave policemen.
This statement of the Garfield side of the
case is from its attorney, Knight
s'Previous to these raids, he said, 'the
police have treated us fairly. When we |
differed on point of law we submitted to
The arrest of one man, and the case was
tried in the higher courts. In the manda-
mus proceedings against the Mayor to COM
pei him to issue US license, we abIded by
the decision of Judge Baker The police
validity of the act of 1877. Then Judge
Kettle decided in our favor, and. the next
move on the part of the police was to arrest
another man under the Kenny ordinance
Ind one under the amusement act
"Judge Mcconnell held that the Kinny
was invalid and discharged the
prisoner. In the other cases he decided we
,ould not run races and charge an admis-
lion fee without license, and we gave free
admission. Then McClaughry came along
With his opinion, and man named Wind
or swears out warrants charging us with
,eeping disorderly place. 1t is con-
piracy, and the Chief of Police is the head
md front of it !"
The Mayors Sudden Change.
1t is certain that the Mayor and his Chief