New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-06


The DEGRADATION OF TO-DAY
COMPARED WITH THE GLoRIEs
OF AN EARLIER PERIOD
IyRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT TRIBuyE.l
Long Branch. Aug. 5.-The best friends OF the
turf deeply regret that the unwise and indefensbe
o,,cy pursued by the Executive Committee of
Monmouth Park IL injuring the true interests Of
racing so seriously. The carefully people con-
.,der the matter, the more striking and remark
ah,e appears"the contrast between the Monmouth
- to-day and the Monmouth of years ago.
In earlier and better days the stockholders Of
Yarmouth composed body Of highly influential
americans who felt keen interest in fine horse
aesh and in the improvement of the breed Of
horses The list Of stockholders then included the
names OF D. d. Withers. of A. j. Cassatt, vice.
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad; Of George
peabody Wetmore. Ex-Governor of Rhode lsiand'
~ George L. Lorillard. of Pierre Loriard of James
Gordon Bennett, f-August Belmont, the famous
banker: Of lanes Galway, and of other men OF
,hair tvpe and standard Melancholy, indeed. is
,he decline from the turf glories of those days.
These gentlemen did not put their money into
Monmouth Park in order to fill their pockets. nor
d,d they ever betray any desire to pursue the
crseav and grasping policy which has been so dis
sereeabiy obtrusive at Monmouth this season They
we're contented with moderate dividends on thelr
Investments and devoted all the rest OF the money
which came from the track to making the stakes
I'd nurses richer and to the improvement and
development Of racing by the construction OF new
courses of new buildings and Of additions OF all
r,s In those days the Objectionable elements OF
IN. racetrack were not allowed to conduct them-
selves extensively before the gaze OF decent peope
,,ormouth Park has now sunk so low that 1t has
become trysting place and rendezvous lol '"e
aregs Of humanity of New-York, BROOKLYN Jersey
Ctv Newark and other big towns IN this part Oh
~ attendants
,h esnecialiy on Saturdays, is not mace up
oxc,us,vely of the worst Of the vicious ana oe
nraved classes; but degraded men ana women VI
hosterous conduct and unpleasant haoi's nave
hasn permitted to push themselves INTO lar 700
nuch prominence in the Long Branch grand
stand and betting ring $500
From every point Of view the present eoh-
s,,,on ~ AFFAIR. is to be depored. The Executive
Cor,,,,,tee has made so serious blunoers tha'
1, has done more than any other powerful oou'
~ racing officials In this country 10 priis i"@",e
generally into disfavor and disrepute Win peop'
~ clean lives and honest habits Inc senei"'
nub,c expected nothing better from such places
as Guttenburg and Gloucester East 81 houi''
and other tracks OF VIGOROUSLY pad repu.d''oa'
,ha, has occurred at those places, but the uaoi-
,,ons of the glorious times OF good Haroun Al
Raschd that is. the traditions or the pest Periou
Of Monmouth, the days Of the winners neihio"'
wetn,ore-L orilard stockholders ana orec'oi'
have led Americans interested in the turf 10 eH-
meet that lofty standard OF sport would be mann
,o,nod a, Monmouth, that all which is offensive
a., connection with betting and with reVelry at
q racecourse would be kept in restraint ana III
the background and that visitors to THIS celeDra.e
track could enjoy racing OF the hlghest qua'''
amid the most agreeable surroundings Doie-
fully indeed have such expectations been ois-
appointed this summer
THE PRESIDENT OF MONMOUTH PARK.
II NAV be of interest to Tribune readers TO give
some details concerning the careers OF the men
who now control the fortunes OF Monmouth PARK
and have brought those fortunes to so low an
ebb The president OF the Monmouth Park Asso-
citation IL A. F. Walcott He has never been a
man of marked influence and high position among
the prominent citizens of the metropolis, as MT
Withers was. Mr.. Walcotts career mas oee''
largely speculative In the seventies ne was III
California for some time as the representative OIL
a big Eastern grain house. Mr.. Walcott conducteo
grain speculations In that State on an extensive
ga daring scale. Finally the firm failed. with
heavy liabilities and not long afterward MT
WaIcott came TO New-York. He was soon
familiar figure the Eastern racetracks' anu
attracted attention by the holiness win which ne
weuld run up his wagers when fortune la'oreo
him For instance. If he made a comparatively
small bet on the first race. and the horse which
he backed won, Mr. Walcott would frequently
NM all of his original wagers and all his winnings
nm some horse In the second race, and so on UNTIL
II he were in good luck on that particular raoie
afternoon, his gains would amount to handsome
sum Mr. Waleott has plenty OF nerve ana courage
IN betting both on cards and at the races III
hSecarat at the Turf Club. where for years the
heaviest baccarat playing ever known IN this
country took place Mr.. Wacott was one OF the
brayest and most enterprising bankers who held
the table against all assaults. The TURF Ciuo'
where this baccarat playing occurred. was IN the
building at the southeast corner OF twenty BIN IN
st. and Madison Square. formerly occupied py the
Union League Club before that organization moVeo
To- its present home at Thrty-ninth-st. and Ffth-
ave Since the dissolution OF the Turf Club, which
was later called the Madison Club, the University
Club has occupied this building.
For years Mr.. Walcott was well known arouho
Madison Square. He was often seen In the COM
pasy OF his intimate friend. Charles Reed VINO
first gained notoriety In New-York as the partner
OF John Morrlssey and after Morrisseys dcath was
the head of the firm which carried on the Saratoga
racetrack the Saratoga clubhouse and the stump
tuous faro bank In Twenty fourth-st' just pacK o'
the Hoffman House. Mr.. Reed still Keeps up the
faro bank behind the Hoffman House. but years
ago he retired from all connection with the Saratoga
rsss,r.ck and the Saratoga clubhouse. He now has
a big breeding farm in. Tennessee. with the re-
nowned stallion st. Blaise at the heao Oh h''
stock Mr. Walcott and he were almost ihSep
arabic for a long time. Mr. Waicot' mas AWAY
been fond OF testing the faVors VI ~, -
t,ny ., ali sorts He has had his periods OF pros
perty and his periods OF adversely The Waico',
Campbell stable.s1r sfiicn he is the present heau
was no, his first, turf venture lie controlled 'h'
Fairfax Stable. which was conducted WIN suo,
iberality and enterprise. but which hnaly ,na
Out an absolute failure. He engageu do i' 80
James Rove,, now the Board OF Control s'ar'
who had ,ef, the service Of the Dwyer brothers
but even Rowe was not able to make the fa'ria'
Stable a success and the horses were at iast SOY
at auction Later Mr. walcott became ,l''eies'. :,
In some elevated railroad and other scheiHe' ="