New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
BLACK CLOUDS ON THE TURF
MANY RADICAL CHANGES NEEDED
A SERIOUS RACING SCANDAL AT aRAVEshNp-
MISSES AND SHOUTS OF ANGER HEARD
WILLIAM NJ. WALLACE lNDbh


GRAVE SUSPICION
August Belmont was nor at EraVese"" 'es'o'os'
A. Ia,mont II 10 he congratulated upo" h's
hsence II he had been present ne wo"'u "i''
80 oa,ped bv seeing some doefully queer racing
,,,u, prohahlv Mr. Belmont was too busy
ter really important affairs on the first DAY ai'er
his long stay abroad To concern himSe" WIZ" w.
matters II may he that he was 100 i''"o" 80
-, G., race,vinr reports from his employees as 10
,rha, had been going on while he was away 70 'hAo
VIC" ,s,, the racccourse. II M Belmont VINO
4. =, ,ha head of the Jockey Club. ana "'so ~ '''
n.ad OF the State Racing Commission mas niu
,ompetent person provide MIN VII" SUNNI 49,,
MA, the New-York daily newspapers nave Nv"
ay,,r about the acknowledgement oil .he ""N'
e"',% - an tho other side of the Atlantic AM
.,, the failure Of certain stewards I" 90 "''a'
thew ought to have done. when ne was Nv. w.,
,boss summaries Of newspaper arliV'eS "'' W. -
administration must have suppneo MI S
with much material for sombre rehe'"""' n.y.
NJ, nenort went away the turf writers ." ''''
.oor.rs believed that there was one man !"
rthor,tv who had courage enough aph'! e"ou'.
force enough. capacity enough All" -, ,h,
.rourh 10 restrain evil-doers on the '"' - -
s,.,e But after Mr. Belmont Saheu away no
s,s,r.ss,nslv obvious that he had l"'' 'o 0"'
n,,d him who possessed all the ou"".'eS ,.
- 90 ornihuate racetrack jobbery ana u'0nV''
,-nra,,diced observers q racing soon reaone" NV
conclusion that the evil elements OH '"e s Nv
having things too much their """ ~
belmont departed for England ,,,,,uda
II - not necessary 20 enter "po" ro
s,o,s ,,s, here and Just now. Anypo"H WI"
s,ras 20 acouain, himself with the mul''u"i'ou'
facts should study the files "i the ->e" rroat
napers since Mr.. Belmont took snip o' A.
britain II not one paper a'o"e ,a,
,ounced the many turf iuggles which nav ~,
,,rao,,s.d since Mr. Belmont embarked Inc ""'
nress Of New-York. in practicai! ,
chorus uhe solitary exception in the c"s' " w.,
writer who draws turf salary. "h'0" Ne -
,lu,,s his feeble pen daily does not COUNT mas
baen d.nouncing the acknowledgement Vi '"'
,rao,s d, this State since Mr. Belmont Desa" i'''
VOYAGE eastward. The daily newspapers ~ '
ne,ropolis do not agree. as IA RUE III many .e
They express discordant views OF md'iio'" mo-
,ers When they take on tone as 10 cer'"'" sun
fect II 10 he 4 r"HSo"d"''
they are far wrong ,,
Now II any human being who can rt'o pa"
English is I'm any doubt as 10 the oP'lio" " ~
press and OF the public concerning the iilS''"'s
mon, Of racing since Mr.. Belmont left New-forh
e. ,,,,o,, 20. that nerson read every turf article
,rirted I'm every New-York newspaper (eXcept the
one whose turf articles are inspired Ny " '"'
ealarv) since Mr.. Belmont began his travels he"u
what the newspapers have said "po"' t"e "i'''
ness OF weakness or nefhciency or ncompe'e"c!
of the racetra * stewards. Read what the news
rane~s hay. said ~ to the operation, OF Naliac"
and Grammar and Pat Dunno ana WINE Nai'i"
and others OF the Western clique ana the 'ahtoid'
and the ccZenlrg WlNcn il L. Schcia"E ~
Iieved has been carried on by certain owners
trainers AMI Jockeys. can all these newspapers be
always in error? Is that in the least probapie OF
IN the least possible? Where there has been so
much smoke has there been no fire? Where there
has been so much pitch. is every hand still clean?
Read again and again the many articles that have
been printed ia all the most important newspapers
I'm New-York about spineless stewards. astygmauc
officials and paralytic pensioners Of the turf. VINO
have been allowed to dodder along in places OF re-
lg1l,. uhnllx t1DA
Some Of the Western gang have already gone to
their Western dens. bearing their spos with them.
Others will start soon Much treasure stolen from
the simpetons of the Empire State has been sent 70
Canada already. More Is on the way Notwith-
standing these things some Of our racetrack stew
ards since Mr. Belmont went TO England have been
simpertng and grinning and chuckling and siggling
as II II a fine joke that certain owners. train
ers and Jockeys have been allowed TO carry on all
sorts Of trickery and put up jobs on poor foolish
dupes and escape unscathed.
Certain cynics and pessimists declare that If peo-
pie are unwise enough 10 go 10 races and bet on
races they have themselves TO thank If they lose
their money and no laws should be enacted to pro-
tect them and to suppress frauds on the turf. In
deed, Why then do all civilized countries pass laws
to suppress faro banks and gambling houses OF all
sorts? Who is there bold enough 10 apologize for
faro banks or TO ask any Legislature to take such
action that faro banks shall flourish unchecked and
unmolested? Nothing De palmer than that
racetrack gambling, II the sport Is not clean ana
fair. Is just as pernicious to the community az
gambling In faro banks Moreover, nothing can be
more certain than that many faro banks have been
races have been in this State while Mr. Belmont
has been In Engiand Ihen why should the Legisa d
require the police TO close the betting rings of race
tracks, II Is probable that bill Will be introduced
at Albany next winter similar to the statute now in
force in New-Jersey. which will be- so rigorous that
sibly be carried on in this State No has been
audacious enough to try to hold a race meeting in
enacted Ia sister State. II similar law Is
enacted IN this s{sts racing VIII stop hsre r fss
sters. various Canadian coggers and cozzeners Ger
is,n TaSeTck stewards Who in My
absence have been inefficient as II their brains
chalk and their hearts OF oleomargarine. exult
over the ruin they have wrought Untii Mr. Bel
mont was compelled 70 go abroad ne was exerting
In this State a most important influence for the I'M
OF the @ s ss Msn we se oSs
and the sons OF Belial have been PLAYING Internal
Consider the class Of people who went to the
races this year after unscrupuous turf manpu-
Beimonis absence. Consider the contrast between
he quality and appearance Of the ira track gatherings
ny and appearance Of the track gatherings IN this
state ten ago easy the ober
newspapers have explained clearly to their readers
he right sort have been going to the races in the
asst twelve weeks in comparison with me
~ NIB turf TSo weR dp ten chac &
han they have been in this State since the open
ng OF this summer When that bill. similar TO tho
New-Jersey law and intended 10 extirpate betting
On entirely is introduced at Albany next WIN
Ter a committee hearing will be held. At that
hearing many turf articles from many New YORK
newspapers published since July 1896, will be read
the committee. How VIII the bill fareF WIN
recetrack stewards. who have done 20 little 10
protect from the trckery of turf rascals
his year able defeat IT? Remember that the
bill which in effect closed the racetracks in New
Jersey adopted by Republican Legislature by
an Overwhelming majority Remember that the
Republican Constitutional Convention in this State
adopted the amendment against raCetrack betting
oy a prodeious majority. Remember that the
voters OF this State ratified that amendment
Whenever there is a square. clear. plain issue, the
voters Of New-Y York and Ncw-Jersey will always
vote against the gamblers. The voters are not
Gin PM thnA. alA