The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-05
DRIVER CURRY Was FINED
Charged with Pulling Joe Patchea at
the Belmont Park Track.
SPECIAL RACE MAS A FARCE
In the First Heat John K. Gentry Went the
Mile In zoe LA. tho Fastest Time
Ever Made by q Harness Per.
former ON That Track.

Philadelphia, Sept. 4.-The special
race between the crack PAGERS, John
Il. Gentry and Joe Patchen. at Bel
mont Park this afternoon resulted In
a lamentable failure. and but for the
fact that the Pennsylvania law against
the selling Of pools was rigidly enforced
n scene would doubtless have been
precipitated.
Owing to the character Of the attrac-
tion nearly 5000 people were In attend
ance over one-half OF whom left before
the race had reached conclusion. In
the first heat Gentry took the lead. and,
though never headed. was closely at
tended all the day around to the dis
tance flag by Patchen, where the latter
broke Gentry coming home well within
himself in 2.06h, the fastest mile ever
made by harness performer on this
track.
In the second heat Gentry again
went out In front and was never head
ed. although there was never anything
in evidence to show that Patchen.
under Curry's skilful guidance. was
doing anything to push out the stall
lion. In fact Gentry seemed to be
pretty we'll used up. while Patchen
showed no signs Of being In trouble.
Did Not Try to Win.
In the third heat there was as
flagrant an exhibition Of not trying
to win on the part Of Curry as was
ever seen anywhere. The pair went
the quarter In SlA, and travelled as a
double team through the back stretch.
In negotiating the hill, Patchen went
to the front, but in rounding the turn
he was brought back by Curry. But
Notwithstanding all of the latter's
efforts. Patchen was full of go. and In
the journey down the stretch to the
wire he made up the lost distance and
fifty yards from home he looked like
a sure winner. But to the surprise and
disgust of the spectators. Curry yanked
him Off his feet and let in Gentry a
winner.
This was such q palpable exhibition
Of pulling that the judges declared 1t
no heat. which decision was received
with applause by the spectators. Be-
fore they We're sent away for the fourth
heat Curry was admonished by the
judges to so out and win. Curry pro-
tested that he always tried to win.
and incidentally offered to bet a good
round sum that he was never known
to try to do anything else but win. At
the same time he volunteered the in
formation that the Gentry horse was
done" and that he would win and
win easily at that.
patchcn Won the Heat.
They got away to q good start in
which Patchen held Gentry safe all the
way around, winning out In 2.11. In
the fifth heat both horses acted tired,
going to the quarter pole In 331a. Cen
try led into the stretch, where he was
collared by Patchen. The latter. ap-
parently. had the race won, but Curry
again pulled Patchen off his feet. This
was awkwardly done. and the judges
again decided mo heat" and called
Curry into the stand. The judges in
timated that Curry was not trying, an
intimation to which Curry vigorously
dissented. and went so far as to sug-
gest that the judges put up another
driver. When the horses were called
for the sixth heat the judges conclud-
ed to act on Curry's suggestion, and
selected Dickerson, who had piloted
Fred Kohl to victory In the 2.35 class,
to drive the stallion.
The advantage of the change was
made manifest at the first quarter,
which Patchen reached in 3la, two
seconds faster than the preceding heat.
The half was reached In 1.01%, an i'm
provement of 5L seconds over the pre-
ceding heat. Then McHenry, who evil
IDENTIFY did not want to make too much
use of his horse, pulled up for the ap-
parent purpose of being distanced, arpl
Patchen walked home in 2.13. The
judges. however, called out, Joe Patch
en- first, John r. Gentry second
Curry Fined Five Hundred.
There was no semblance Of horse
race in the seventh heat, McHenry pull
ing up Gentry after passing the half,
and Patchen coming home by himself
In 2.32. After the race the judges held
a meeting the result of which was that
Curry was fined $500 and another 500
was taken out Of his share of the purse
to pay Dickerson for driving the last
two heats.
What little betting there was, was
on Gentry, to 5. Lynne Bel had no
trouble In taking the big end of the
money In the 2.25 class. Larabie was
supposed to have the second race at his
mercy. but he broke badly In the first
heat and after that could not reach
Fred Kohl. who won In straight heats,
Summaries:
First race, 225 class; purse, $1,000
Bithers and Walters blk. II, Lynne
b, ny st. Bel tBithers) ........,, II /
Etie lite (Baldwim ............... 2 2
KIM Albert CTysoD ................. 8 3
Bost n (Clayton), dis.
Julia o. (Benton) dis
Time. 2.l6h. 2.lGls. 2.16a.
Second race. 235 class; purse, $1,000.
Fred Kohl. by Guy Wilkes (D.ck-
Larabe (Wilson) ............ . .
Menlo Princes. (stackhouse) ...... 3 dis.
Time, Elsa. 2.14h, 2.1Gh.
Special race. purse. $4,000.
Joe Patchen: blk. s.. by
DaNn nhnvS