The Washington times., 1895-04-19
OUTLAWS FEEL The frost
Old Dominion Track Making Hay
While the Sun Shines.
DAY OF RECKONING is NEAR
Thsir Catch-Penny schsmss Are Played
Without a Tinge of Remogss-Eothing
But chaR Comes Out of Thslr Miil-sec-
retary TOmpkins' Number sevsn-1t Nay
Be the Open Sesame to the Fraud

A well known turf writer once described
the racing at one of tie New Jersey race
trakcs. as Similar to an enticing game in
which little ball and certain little pockets
play prominent part. He wrote, If
those in charge favor u certain pocket the
BAN rolls that way"
III this writer would pay visit to the
Old Dominion Jockey Club at the other
end Of the Long Bridge, ne would be able
to say. 1.-THE little bail rolls, but there is
no pocket in which it can go"
The game discounts any catchpenny
scheme ever tolerated. 1t is a disgrace to
the turf, and TO the commonwealth that per
mits its continuance.
The place started OFF with every promise
of furnishing first-class racing. Its pro-
moters appeared before the Jockey Club and
gave every assu rance OF making their track
a credit to the turf. They were granted a
license, and they took the pains to see that
the fact was heralded all over the country.
SHOWED THE TRUE CoLoRs.
I'VE mean to give honest racing" said
President Jones and his associates, but
after the first day all pretenses OF carry
ing out these promises were cast to the
winds. 1t did not take long for the
Jockey Club 10 ind out the true character
of the place and its racing.
They promptly Tescinded the license
that had been granted, and the track since
has been run as d Tree lance" Day By
day matters have gone from bad TO worse,
until it has become perfect sink hole Of
corruption
The public continues to patronize the
gone, but they do So for want Of some
where else 10 go Many heavy bettors
make regular uilgFimages to the track.
but as spectators only. They can easily
see the game that is being pTaCticed, and
they decline to be a party TO 1t.
The best patrons or the place are small
bettors, who go il biindly, hoping they
may guess the winner, for 1T is only
/ guesswork that can do il.
Public form il a delus5on and a snare
at this place. and il can hardly be any
/ thing else when, do as you please, when
ever you please, is the motto OF those in
charge
! y cannot believe it rossi ible that a place
I OF this kind can go on Tobbing the public
I without some one calling a halt said
/ a well known bookmaker, who was al the
/ track yesterday-
/ He certainly hit the nail on the head.
TINE WILL TELL THE TALE.
/ The place has gone beyond al limits,
/ and is only a question OF a short time
/ when a close-down VIII be ordered The
| plans for this shutting down of the gates
are already under way aud when it comes
/ it VIII be in way and from such
/ source that ii VIII re Instantly obeyed.
Those IN control have carried their
1 heads high and have been so accustomed
/ Ia a rhsafr a.
4 are inclined to believe that they hold power
/ that is absolute, but TIE reckoning they
| VIII be asked 10 give VIII only be the more
! surprising.
/ Yesterdays events furnished the regu-
l lar number of cases Of in and ont running.
Meadows showing was perhaps the most
! glaring case. On March p he ran and won,
| establishing a new reCoTd for the dis
| tance. four and a half furiougs.
A few days later he ran again. and he
| was disg FacefuIly beaten. Yesterday
! he was in with a fair lot, vet carried
( big Jumps OF stable money. and OF course
! won easily This sort Of running would
not be tolerated on any other track in the
| country. Is is beyond explanation, yet
the officials who pose as the pubIic's pro-
! tectcrs are entirely satisfied.
CLOSE TO THOSE IN CHARGE.
Meadows is from a stable known to be
| resentatives have been the cause of scan
dal since the day the track opened, but as
| they share their secrets with those liz
| power, no questions are asked. The
crowd kicked and sneered, but ''the faith
fur had profited, and nothing was done.
The fifth race was won by Secretary
| Tompkins' Grand Pux. The right
money was on in Jumps, and of course
everything went through satiEfsct oril Y.
| He was given the rail position. and OF
| course the best Of the start. This en-
abied him to get around the turn in front
| and he held his advantage to the end.
Some of the owners who had starters ID the
race did not take kindly 10 this fayoritiSm,
but they were compelled To accept it with
out murnluT. for the complaint would
certainly bring a reckoning in the future.
1t was noticed that Grand PTix's number
| on the programme was :. Bones was au
other seven, in fact all the horses that are
entered from his stable carry number seven
| FoNDNEss FOR SEVEN.
1t would be interesting to know how thi;
happens Could it be Secretary TompkinS
has a fondness for this particular number
1t does not. however, affect the horses
chances, but it certainly shows that il
making enteries forthe stable some doctor
ing is done.
The closing event OF the day was woT
by Count Fell, Ham up. The tip on him V as
q strong one, and the management tOIG
their friends to get aboard. The pet
jockey of the track was riding, and,-wel
he was awarded the rail position and wai
sent AWAY in front when the flag wa!
lowered.
These proceedings may have been brouSh
about purely by chance, but not Que in {
hundred believed them to be, and man.
did not hesitate to say so in the strouges
kind of language.
The reputation OF the place is too bad
to expect people TO show even reasonable
amount OF doubt,