Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-11
s. HARTMAN.
"PLUNsER" JONES CAREER.
A College Graduate who is Astonishing
Turfmen by His Wagers.


The most noteworthy among the new
lights In the crowd at the American
Derby was slim built young man, who
apparently evinced little interest as TO
what was going on. Occasionally ne
looked at the bookmakers' boards and
went up and down the line, placing bets
on horses he fanced.
To look al him one would think his
limit would be about fifty dollar note,
but appearances in his case were deceit
full, for the young man is one Of the
heaviest betters in the United States,
says the Chicago Tribune. He is a
Washingtonian and his father was an
old time printer, who worked at the case
on morning newspaper for almost fifty
years. His name was Jones and he had
five boys. There were Ike, Corydon,
Ned and George Milton, called "Milt'
for short, and Orlando. The four first
named grew mp TO be men Of the world.
They kept club houses in Washington,
were interested ia race tracks, made
books, and, in fact, were sporting men,
pure andssimpie.
Orlando Jones, or, as he was called,
Lander" was the baby OF the crowd.
Old man Jones used to say that he did
not intend Orlando to gamble at all. He
was his mothers boy and his brothers
sent him TO college, where he received
the benefits Of q good education. His
habits were exemplary. He never drank
and he never diSsipated. His associates
were good AID nobody ever saw Liam
der" Jones in gambling house or a
pool room. Everybody predicted great
future for him. Some folks thought be
was going TO be lawyer; others said
he would make famous doctor or q
first class architect. Lander" Jones
was highly respected and everybody
SAID kind things Of him. His brothers
were all right enough in their way;
their word was good, and they did not
resort to shady ways to get money. So
Lander" Jones grew up in good sur
roundings with the promise Of profess
sional life before him.
When he got to be about twenty years
of age be made discovery that sur
prised him. He found out that the
young fellows with whom he associated
were all pleasant companions and would
accept his hospitalities, but that was all
there,waS OF It. So be came to the con-
clusion he would abandon all idea Of a
professional rife, and greatly to the sur
prise OF every one began writing a sheet
In pool room owned by his brothers.
Folks said, "ISn't 1t too bad TO see
Lander Jones throw himself away"
but it never occurred 20 these self-same
people that they might have made a
different man of Lander" Jones il they
had recognized his merits. He was a
gentleman by education and associa-
ton.
But Lander" Jones developed into
the greatest bettor the Washington race
tracks and pool rooms ever knew. He
was as cold as a cake of Lake Geneva
ice, and he calculated the chances OF a
horse race with as much accuracy as an
astronomer foretells the transit Of We
nus. Washington was too small for him
and be soon went over to New York,
where lie ard mis- brothers opened up a
big pool room. In the last four or five
years he has made and lost four or five
fortunes.
This quiet, essy-going Orlando Jones,
who used 10 be around the streets OF
Washington, makas all these plunges
like "Pittsburg Phil" and that crowd
lie Quiet. He won an immense purse
the other day in New York with his
horse Charade, aud he came out here to
place Mr.. Dryers money on Don
Alonzo and other horses fancied by that
gentleman. Dwyer has implicit conf
dence in him, and that is the best evil
dence of Orlando jones' shrewdness.
BE has all the daring and pluck of his
brothers, with the determination and
will power Of the old printer, his father,
who stuck to his case and settype until
within day or two OF his death, and
with it all he is easiest, most gentle
manly young person you could meet in
a.day's walk.