The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-03
WINNING BY SHOCK
Ingenious Schemes for GalvanIe-
ing Old Race Horses
No Track II Safe from Thcm-Why Dis
honest jockeys Employ the Electric
Battery and tho New Electric
Saddle.

''No racetrack. however great It's
reputation for tho most respectable
racing, is safe from the schemes Of
turf iobbers,"s remarked a sporting
man to a New York World reporter.
Doubtless it would seem like treason
to remark that in all probability a
strongly fortified confederacy has put
through many q Job upon some of the
best-known tracks in the country
Sheepshead bay, Morris park. Mon
mouth, Washington park. in fact, ali
the better tracks, to say nothing Of
Guttenturg, Gloucester, East st. Louis,
New Orleans and other racetr2eks that
have gained the name OF being the
haunts of the jobber, whether right
eously OF not. Men of high purposes
and the best Of intentions are placed
in command at the various racing a.
sociations, but despite theh efforts TO
surround the sport with every possible
protection, the assistance Of the scien-
itific application of electricity to para
phernalis prepared by men OF inveD.
tive genius arms the jobbers with tools
that almost battle detection II must
not be supposed for an instant that,
because horsemen are generally very
illiterate, they do not possess in an I'M
common degree the tact and shrewd-
ness of cold-blocded schemers. Science
walks arm-in-arm with the college
student and the disreputable horse
owner or trainer In other words, we
- H. o. R,,v - -
prevent q continuation Of the big turf
Jobs that have been pcrpetrated by the
medium of Observation-Disclosures whips,
spurs and other appliances True IL
is that since some crude attempts to
rejuvenate, or. I might say. galvanize
old horses that once possessed speed
were exposed several months ago, no
one has heard of the electric battery
being used at any Of our tracks, al
though the suspicious actions of sev-
eral long shots might have warranted
Paragraph of section
1859 of 1.-THE American Racing Rules"
adopted by Che American turf congress,
provides for expulsion for the use Of
any electrical, mechanical or other ap-
pliances for the purpose Of stimulating
the speed or endurance of horse, and
woe be unto the jockey found with =
battery slowed away in his saddle or
with body, boot or whip battery.
'Why should the schemers use the
battery? Well, there are scores of ami
mails at every track that possess flights
of speed, but which are what the train
ers term cunningham is, they have
grown so wise in their business that
they, very human-ike, refuse to be
battered about from track to track and
raced almost every day. They know
that they will always be accorded about
the same good treatment and receive
just as good food, and consequently
they rarely feel in the mood to let
out. 1t is with these ami
mails that the jobbers deal, much to the
surprise of the horses, which are
frightened into winning races, and
well placed are the bets that those In
The job put upon their horses in every
available poolroom in the country.
Since 1891, when the electrical device
was first experimental with by the
gang untold jobs have been put
through, and, as said before, no track
Is safe from invasion"
The acme Of the electrical conspira-
tors art was reached when the electric
saddle was invented. This gave q
larger battery concealed in the pad
ling and method OF applying the
electric shock far safer than the body
battery. By the ingenious use of very
ine wire and tinsel and the method Of
making the circuit down tho stirrup-
straps to the base iron, where the pres
'ure Of the boot Of the jockey forms .
contact and conducts the current |
through the spurs to the animal. this
levice is made almost proof against
detection. It was the custom of the |
obbers to take into their confidence |
'nly such jockeys as would promise Sc
recy and faithfulness. A neat and al |
most imperceptible switch is located in
he pommel, which can be thrown at |
my point in the race by the mere pres
ure Of the riders finger. and the |
'lasses Of the judge will reveal no sus-
'icious action. How many times the
lectric saddle has been successfully |
Ised but few can tell. Sufficient to say |
Is use has never been detected