The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-02
IN EXCITING DAY.
Some Red Hot Races at Rigby Yes.
terday.
AND SOME VERY FAST TIME WAS
RECORDED.

Trot and Allen Boy Wins First Honors
Among the Pacers-The Judges View
leniently a Clear Case of Pulling-A
Great Card for To-day.
Whoever listened to Starter Walkers
announcement of the decision OF the
Judges after the second heat of the 2.33
trot at Rigby yesterday could read be-
tween the words totally different an
nouncement from the one which came
from his lips. Mr.. Walkers voice had
melancholy twinge which said plainly
enough, "this is the decision OF the
judges, and I've got to announce 1t, but
if had a finger in the pie wouldn't
soak 'em.'' MIR. Walkers supposed senti-
ments had reference to driver or drivers
in the 2. SO class. The particulars Of the
heat are told in detail below. 1t was as
yellow an exhibition of pulling" or
failure to drive or whatever else you
choose to call it as was ever seen on
Maine track, and the drivers in question
may thank their lucky stars that owing
TO the extreme good nature or the
sublime faith in the rugged honesty of
man on the part of the judges. they are
not sufferers by heavy fines. The way
Senator Blackburn and Blackstone Brine
went past the wire was simply sickening.
1t seemed to be the idea of the drivers to
see how slow they could finish and still
keep trottlng. A perfect shout of shame
and derision arose from the spectators
as the horses finished and everybody ex-
pected the drivers would lie taken down
and when the announcement of the
judges was made, giving the horses the
places in the order they finished the
crowd was simply thunder struck.
Now nobody questions for moment
the honesty and high standing of the
gentlemen who composed the judges, but
how in the world they could be SO credu-
lous as to believe that nobody should be
punished for that exhibition it is i'm
possible for the PRESS man to study
out. From all the horsemen that saw
and talked with, and from all the new :
paper men who followed the races and
are thoroughly posted there came but one
opinion, and that was that somebody
should have been punished and punished
hard. One of the best horse racing
authorities in New England, said:
sit was evident that neither the driver
Of Blackstone or Sen ator Blackburn
wanted to mako their horses win the
heat. It was as fragrant an exhibition as
l ever saw. There were just two ways to
settle it in my opinion. One was to call
il dead heat, give each horse the mark,
fine each driver round sum and take
them from the sulkies The other was to
call all sets off, give Senator Blackburne
the mark and fine Marsh, who drove
Blackstone.
The simple fact is that the judges heard
the statements of the drivers that they
tried to win, and the owners that they
wanted them to win, and believed them
in the face of evidence. which was strong
enough to cause hundreds of people to
hiss and shout in derision.
The faith OF the judges in human
nature certainly exceeded that of the
crowd.
The decision of the same gentlemen in
"distaneing Blackburn for, running"
when he made but one break, which
was losing one; that in al
most in the last eighth, and whom he
finished well up with the leaders cam OF
be attributed to the same cause. By just
what system of reasoning this conclusion
was arrived at 1 have not been able to
discover.
From all the facts in the case and all
the opinions, could obtain from good
judges, should reach the following CON-
clusion.
Both Marsh and Hayden deserved
severe oensure in the second heat when
they didn't get it. Hayden eventually
was punished and severely, by the dis
tanoing Of his horse but when he didn't
deserve it.
The races as a whole were fine; close
and exciting, and some very fast time
was made. It was an ideal day and if