The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-21
THE AMBITION OF A JOCKEY
LITTLE ROBBIE KENNY RODE TO
SUPPORT HIS YOUNG
SISTERS.
THOMAS H. WILLIAMS JR. WILL
EDUCATE THE Two Be-
REAvED GIRLS.

Little Robert Kenny, a jockey-boy at the
Bay District track, died Monday night
from fall in an exciting race.
Little was known about the boy, and
perhaps less was cared by the crowds who
watched him ride his last horse around the
track. Nor did those who were closely as
ISOLATED with him, either as horsemen,
jockies or attendants, have half an idea of
the brave little heart that beat beneath his
colored jacket. At the racetraek he was
Robbie, the jockey" and nothing more,
though his employers wondered more than
once at the lads industry and model
habits, and his enthusiastic desire TO please
the men above him.
Young Kenny's death revealed the
secret of his short life, which in brief is a
really pathetic story.
His father had done little or nothing to
support the family in years, and when
Robbie came to be a jockey with a salary,
Robbie, with his two little sisters, parted
company with father and mother. The
sisters are about II years of age and have
been living in a friends house, where
Robbie supported them. They went to
school and dressed well, but very few
people knew that their brother, a boy of II,
paid every expense incurred by them.
Last night they cried their eyes out beside
his coffin, and would not be consoled by
friends.
Thomas n. Williams Jr., President of
the Jockey Club, heard of Robbie's sisters,
and also heard for the first time Yesterday
that his young Jockey had been schooling
and supporting them while denying him
self many little comforts The horsemen.
Jockeys and track employees had already
opened subscription for burial fund and
to give the girls something, but Mr.. Will
Jams said, ''give the money back"
The money was given back to everyone
who contributed and Mr.. Williams prom
ised to pay for the funeral and to place the
dead jockeys sisters in boarding school
where they will be educated and cared for.
An informal meeting of the Jockey Club
was held yesterday and the matter was
talked over with a view to doing something
for the children.
The horsemen then learned that Robbie
neither drank nor smoked nor spent a
dollar that could be used to advantage
for the benefit of his sisters.
Where the body lay last night there
were many sad faces. Hundreds of the
men and boys who had known young
Kenny at the racetrack visited the under
taking-rooms and paid their sorrowful
respects to the little fellow. The Jockeys
sent beautiful floral piece representing a
whip, horseshoe and cap with his colors,
and there were pillows and many other
exquisite designs in flowers. All were
white, with cluster of Easter lilies above
them on the casket.
The dead Jockey was devout Catholic,
and attended worship regularly at the
Star OF the Sea Church in Richmond. He
was never known to miss Sunday from
the church, where he was great favorite
OF Father Coyle, the pastor. A high
requiem mass will be celebrated over his
remains by Father Coyle at 8 o'clock this
morning, when is expected the church
will be crowded with the riders and others
connected with racing at the jockey clubs
track