The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-05
TO PURIFY THE TURF
Horse Owners Take steps, to Form
New Jockey Club.
They Propose to Lift the Running Race
Track Above the Suspicion
of ~CrOOkedness.

NEW YORK, Jan. 4.-If a sport had en-
tered the Hoffman House this afternoon
blindfolded he would have imagined him
self to be in the betting ring on Brook
lyn Handicap day. The sporting element
was we'll represented. In one corner Dick
Croker had Phil Dwyer and DIR. Knapp
in close conversation, while "Pittsburg
PHIL Snapper Garrison and veteran
Billy Hayward held an animated CONVEX
sation in another corner, and a few feet
away from them Charles Reed. the we'll
known sportsman and horse owner, kept
a coterie of horsey individuals in continual
laughter with his mot time-worn' Jokes.
This assemblage of the sporting element
was brought about by the advertised inten-
ton OF the horse owners association, or
rather the new American Jockey Club,
which sprung up mushroomlike two weeks
ago into what promises to be a standard
organization. Committees from the board
of control and from the horse owners have
been IN consultation for the past week,
with the object in view of making the
American turf an exemplary association.
Several meetings have taken place, and the
sporting world and all that pertains there
to anxicUsly awaited the outcome Of these
committee consultations.
a. NJM oLICA ~ " NAS VI
three. comprising Messrs. B. r. Keene.
j. o. Dcnner and Perry Belmont, took the
elevator up TO the meeting hall on the sec
ond floor of the Hoffman House. They rep
reserted the horse owners association In
the interviews had with a representative
committee Of the famous board of control.
The horse owners who were awaiting the
statement which they had to make We're
p. j. Dwyer, j. A. Galway. A. l.. Walcott
and John Hunter. They met behind closed
doors, where they were closeted for fully
half an hour, during which time the sport
ing element, which has been described
above, was anxiously awaiting the word
that the game was open"
When the public meeting was called to
order Mr.. j. r. Keene, chairman, opened
the proceedings by reading the report of
the subcommittee. The report, as read. in
formed those present that the
appointed at a meeting of the horsemen on
Dec. q advised a scheme Of organization
Of horse owners. The committee after hav-
Ing conferred twice with the board of con-
troll unit Of three and with race-track
owners and officials, suggested that the
desired result could only be accomplished
by charging the board of control. For that
object the committee deemed it desirable
TO form a new jockey club which should be
limited to fifty members.
AS soon as Mr.. keene had read this re-
pert he told those present that the object
of the proposed jockey club was to purify
the turf Among other things. he said; I'VE
have come to the opinion that some scheme
of turf reform was badly needed, and the
formation of a jockey club will, to my
mind, be the surest method of success In
our enterprise. We want il distinctly I'M
derstood that our idea is to give the same
opportunity of success on the turf to the
hI mbleSt man as we'll as the wealthiest.
/ am willing to resign from this committee,
as | did, If l may call 1t resignation, in my
declining to accept a similar position in the
beard of control some time ago. We do
not want people to grumble at the way
matters are transacted. We shall endeavor
to have every contest above suspicion and
for the credit of the American turf in gen-
eral."
Col. j. E. Brewster, representing the
Washington Association, of Chicago, asked
if the intended jockey club was meant to
cover the United states. or in part, or the
Eastern portion Of it particularly.
In answer to that. Mr.. keene said: II
racing matters in the East, in fact in New
York and New Jersey, will be important
enough for us to consider, or even try to
govern. What we want to make and what
the turf wants to have is tone and char
acter, and without those two the American
turf will fall"
man to say something in reference TO an
increase in the stakes or purses offered at
the local race track, and in a brief way
answered: u am willing to do anything in
my power TO forward the interests of ev-
cry person connected with the American
turf. There is no racing association in this
l viii. l will do everything that lies with
in the bounds of my power, and all l ask
for is 10 give US good peopie-no figure
heads, but good workers." Mr.. DIVERS
remarks were loudly a~pplauded.
Mr.. j. a. Galway tneI said: " In refer
ence 10 the remarks of our friend, Colonel
Brewster. l think that the sense of this
meeting and me objects which it wishes