Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-11
TROTTING SEASON.
In The Days Of Goldsmith Maid -Four
Months Mas the Limit.
NOW THEY GO NEARLY TEN.
A Dramatic Episode In the Career OF
Robert 7. Kneebs. Owner OF tho
Ringer .<sehsi.
philadelphia Prcss.)

This IL about the dullest part or tnf
year for those engaged In harness racing
active operations having been suspended
everywhere on this side OF the ROCKY
Mountains. The trainers have nothing to
complain of on the score of opportunity
for the campaign has been steadily length
ening for the past twenty-five years oil
more. Going back 20 the time OF Gold
smith Maid, by all odds the gamest trottei
OF the century. we find that the regular
series OF meetings did not begin TIL June
and were practically ended with October.
When this stout-hearted mare made her
debut in 1867 she won her first honors
at Newburgh. on the Hudson. early IN
June. and her last victory that year was
at Providence. october sd. During the
eleven seasons she was on the turf Gold
smith Maid seldom had more than -FOUR
months of racing, except on the occasions
when she was taken TO California. In 1877.
and used In special matches against
Rarus, In March. April. and May.
OF late years the light harness cracks
are kept longer In service, the spring
circuits arranged from Colorado TO the
Atlantic coast enabling them TO compete
for good substantial purses as soon as
the weather is at all settled. There has
been a meeting as early as the first
week I'm April at Washington. when tue
southeastern circuit was inaugurated III
1890. but IL has been found impracticable
TO begin the regular campaign before
May. From that time till the list OF
December there are valuable events 10 be
competed for Texas having climatic ad-
yantages which permits Of keeping UP
the sport till this late period 1t is no
new thing for the nomadic stables to visit
the Lone Star State. but the sport has
grown considerably there since the
present decade began.
4 regular series Of meetings was ar
ranged to follow the Western-Southern
Circuit. which ended at Louisville in Oc'
toDcr. OF these the most important was
at Houston, where a new mile track has
recently been laid out. The programme
there extended over twelve days, from
November 18th to December LIST, and when
IL was concluded the Texas circuit was
practically over Dallas. Taylor, and san
Antonio had previously held very success
ful meetings. and at the last named place
the record for half-mile tracks was lower
ct TO 2.OS Joe Patchen, who had been
winning high honorS In the North from
July to October. added this great ieat To
his other laurcls and was easily the star
performer OF the Texas campaign. He had
paced the half-mile course at Taylor IN
zoo. Just before ne went To San Antonio.
so that he has twice improved what any
other harness race had done over this
sort Of track
THE SCLKY.
Running events were sandwithed be-
tween those FOR trotters and PAGERS at
these various Texas meetings. but from
all accounts the sulky played leading
par. and the saddle minor one in every
case Sach well-known cracks as Ryland
T. and Aunt Delilah made the long jour
ney from Nashville to Dallas and took
part !n the FIRST classes there and at the
other points mentioned. The Stewards. Of
kansas city. who own or control these
epC dy ;rotters, INDUCED in tie same
questionable methods that have made
tEe.n notorious els where. and ana ii is
only surprising that the Texans did not
deal summary with them. They did not
escape entirely as at Taylor the pools
were declared off in the 2:lj class when
Nun' pelil1h. a hot faVoritc. was de-
fCa;ei IN slow time by Billy Bolton. At
one time Texas was infested with a nest
% parasites from the North and West who
locke! on that sDGrsely -settled State as a
suitable place for their freebootng ex-
cursions. with better organization and
reputable turfmen of that far-off Com
monwcalth have been able to protect
themselves. SO that the ringers and ras-
calls who handle them find IL about al.
difficult 10 conduct a raid on the pool-boX
there as i'm anv other State
Robert II. Kneebs. the Iowa trainer
who now lanGuishes In a German prison
On the charge Of taking the mar Ecthel
10 Europe and starting her under an
alias. was once a prominent figure on
Texas tracks. where he was noted for
his reckless driving and general disregard
~ the rules. He had more than one mar
r1w escape from being shot, but his cool
'ourage. which amounted at times to
.oolhaTdness. always brought him off
Nth whole skin. on one occasion an
tnraged trainer drew n pistol with the
aV0we1 intention of killing Kneebs. but
the latter faced the pistol without finch
Ing ana dared the man who held it point
"a at his head TO shoot. Mr.. NJ T.. Nc
Henry, the clever Illinois reinsman. Who
was present, says that the would-be
stssin was so surprised at this exhibition
of nerve that he dropped his weapon and
severely alone for the balance Of the
meeting.
LITIGATION.
Some idea Of the extent 70 which har-
ness-racing has grown may be gathered
from the amount of litigation which now
confronts the highest tribunals of the
National and American TrOtting associa-
tions. The latter has only been in exist
~
ship Is chiefly confined to the Western
and Southern States, and gets the docket
of cases that comes before its Board of
Appeals twice year at Chicago, which
is generally quite as large as that of the
older National Association. These re-
spective turf courts hold their regular
December session in this city and Chicago
during the week, reviewing a large num-
Der of decisions made at the hundreds of
driving parks throughout the country du-
ring the season just closed. Both boards
dispensed with any set form OF proceed
ings, 50 that the turfmen can in many
instances conduct their own cases. One
Of the chief difficulties of this free-and-
easy method Is that precedents count for
little or nothing. Men who have made
unsuccessful efforts To get a decision set
aside by one board are often able TO Sc
cure a reversal OF the first decision at
the next or subsequent session before an
other set of judges.
Up TO 1882 the rules of the National
TrOttng Association provided that no
sentence OF expulsion should be removed
except for error" yet on more than one
occasion men and horses who had been
ruled off for fraud, proved or confessed,
were restored 10 full favor. While this
was a direct disregard of It's own laws.
the National Association deemed 1t ex-
pedient TO pardon those who had served
a comparatively long sentence. and at the
biennial congress of 1892 the rule prohibit
Ing reinstatement was amended. Major l..
\. Johnston, of Lexington. president OF
the National Trotting Association. was
chiefly instrumental in bringing about this
change, his contention being that the
quality OF mercy should not be entirely
eliminated from the criminal code of the
turf Acting under this new authority,
he Board Of Review reinstated c. II.