The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-06-27
WE DON'T WANT THEM
NONE OF THE HAWKINS CROWD
CAN STOP IN KENOSHA.
PUBLISHED REPORTS AREFALs
Driven Out of Indiana and Illinois, the
Turf Gamblers Would be Given a Hard
Reception Here-The Spirit
Of Kenosha
From Tuesdays Daily.)

4 lie dSSOcldGeQ press Has given C1r-
culation to report that the city of
Kenosha is enjoying a boom at the
prospect of the race track of George Y.
Hawkins and his crowd locating here.
Part of the report is true, but the part
which relates to the boom enjoyed and
about the people being anxious to get
them here are absolutely false.
George Hawkins was up here with
two other men some two weeks ago.
This paper made mention of the fact
and said at the time that they had
been told they could not locate here.
The trio did not stop here long, but
during their stay they looked over the
Balm Driving park and took a drive
down to Spring Bluff. Mr.. Balm was
asked if he would give a five years
lease of this park. This was refused.
Then, it is reported, Hawkins wanted
to know what he could buy it for, when
Mr.. Balm told him it would take $780,
900 to get it. Mr.. Balm could not be
found by the reporter this morning to
verify this last matter, but there is not
the slightest ground for believing that
Mr.. Balm would sell to them. That
sum of money would be small one for
such skin-game gamblers as they are.
The associated press report goes on
to say that if the Balm Driving park
was utilized by Mr.. Hawkins and his
associates the building Of new grand
stand and stables would be required,
but little else, as Mr.. Balm has always
taken pride in keeping it in good con-
dition. The distance from Chicago is
considerable-ffty -one and fraction
miles-but with the new double track
system of the Northwestern, fair serv-
ice could be obtained for Chicagoans
Though Spring Bluff is nearer Chicago
by few miles, it is believed that the
better accommodations of city of r.
900 will influence Mr. Hawkins to favor
Kenosha as the best place to locate his
track, if he decides to come to Wiscon-
sin. Then, too, they argue that the
expense OF opening up a racing estab-
lishment at Spring Bluff would be
much greater than at Kenosha
Whether or not racing could be carried
on in Wisconsin without opposition is
an open question. Thus far this state
has had clean record as regards rae
ing, and the legislature has never been
called upon to suppress it. 1t is highly
probable, however, that if an attempt
! g fn i1o+o 1,o
state very hard fight will be made
against it.
The report published in the Chicago
Times Herald says that John F.
Heating and Ed Griffin. two of Keno
sha's leading sporting men, are doing
all they can to convince citizens that
the enterprise would be a grand thing
for the city. Following this statement
Mayor FAIR, B. Eic1elman and Emory
L. Grant are quoted in alleged inter-
views on the question.
The moment this papers attention
was called to these facts it recognized
the fact that Kenosha could not afford
to let such a crowd come here. Men of
the reputation that gang has would be
a blight to the fair name of the city and
| it was not believed for one moment that
i the citizens who believe in Kenosha
would tolerate the crowd an instant if
their attention was called to the move
ments being made by them. Recog
nizing this as most important matter
to move in at once a reporter inter-
viewed the citizens who were alleged
to have been interviewed in the Times
Herald article and some others TO get
opinions concerning their coming.
Mayor Farr stated in the most
positive terms that he had never been
interviewed on the point. Then he
said: q am opposed to their COM
ing either into the city or the
state, even if they brought ST., 100000
day with them to spend here.
/ wouldn't have them at any price.
From what | can learn Of them they
are cancer on the body polite. /
would be in favor of organizing COM
pany to run them out if they ever came
here. The three days races we used
i to nave were no harm. They were
source Of entertainment and amuse-
ment but these Hawkins people are not
to be tolerated. Of course, you under
stand that if they ever came and at
tempted any gambling they could be
arrested and fined for each offense, a
sum equal to five times the sum haz-
arded in bet. They would get hot
treatment here"
Bernard Eichelman, another man
alleged to have been interviewed, said:
That report was sent from here
probably by a Chicago reporter who
was here Sunday. | am not a sporting
man and was not interviewed. | knew
nothing about it, | thought it was a