New-York tribune., 1896-03-30
TALK ABOUT TURF AFFAIRS
LITTLE PETE" AND THE EXPOSURE Of
HIS TOOLS.

THE THREE YEAR -oLDs AND TRAINING NOTES
PROSPECTS OF VARIOUS STABLES
"1dt,le Pete" Of Chinatown, certainly is bred
upon the same lines as All Sin, he OF the s"'lie
that was chldlikc and bland" made famous py
pret Harte Little Pete Is well-kn"wn char-
acter on the California tracks. MoreoVei ne -, :,
| the pantata OF Chinatown Last year I1ttie Fe'e
had two books on the Bay District track that were
managed for him by some white men VINO pose 40
sports" when east OF the Rockies The cunning
cbInaman found to his cost that the ways OF the
man who made his books peculiar. and ne
saw many possibilities Of easily gained "eaith u
the right sort OF combination were mane VIII"
the Jockeys His lines were coled with great care
and some OF the jockeys we're engaged iohs before
| the racing season in California begun Familarty
with the crooked methods OF some OF inc DooA-
makers who form combinations with dlsreputaDe
| track owners and racing officials who Wink at
| crookedness when their employers are the gamers
! caused him to form combination on the outsiue
| OF the betting ring, for the ultimate purpose OF
Numbering the plurderers. The way his plans
| were laid indicates that Little Pete is far more
familiar with racing history than large majority
| ~ racing officials. II is said that Little Pete
had an agent at Baltimore last fall, who reported
10 him that points In crookeiness could be learned
| in the East which had been unheard OF In the
| West. When Little Pete had formed his COM
bnation his own satisfaction. re felt secure from
molestation by the racing officials
With the records OF the great jockey como'na-
lions that resulted in much scandal in England
| and Hungary to guide him. Little Pete did not
make many serious bunders. HIS knowledge or
| racing invariably caused him to select a horse
| that had chance win az the race was to be
| run on the eveD to he bet on for the comblna-
| ton The Jockeys who formed the combination
took good care of the selected TO win and saw
| 10 It that any dangerous contestant in the field
got into numerous pockets and was otherwise
| hampered until his chances were destroyed
COMBINATION IN THE EAST
| II ,s sad that a similar combination OF three
Jockeys existed In the East last year and that some
valuable stakes were won I'm such manner that
certain shrewd bettors have not fully recovered
from the shock caused by defeated favorites.
| Little Pete" had no serious trouble in managing
| his combination until some OF his commissioners
! began to hold our part of the winnings More
| over the jockeys in the combination wanted their
par: Of the winnings divided. share and share
alike The leading Jockeys. however. demanded
more than the less prominent ones
/ When George r. Smith declared TO the racing
| officials that a corrup, ring existed, some OF tho
! officials called HIM "squeaier Who could not
| stand the gar." lie opened their eyes by winning
! races with tis horses with John Lamey or Tod
| sloane in the saddle. Affairs were In such state
tha; he sold his entire stable and left the turf
forever So far as the ownership OF horses Is con-
! c.rned One man. however had reason to believe
J that Mr.. Smith right. He sent FOR detective
a his expense. and In short time became
| familiar with the working OF Little Petes'' ma
chine. The race.rGck proprietors I'D rot take hold
o. the matter until their revenues from the betting
| r.ng began 70 4 m,nsn. "L,trie Pete" began 20 10
| his own betting ard made fe a burden FOR the
sweet ,.,tIe crerucs perch on box and lay
/ long odds agin dead uns." The Old FOUNDERS" OF
me turf, whose hands had been firmly placed on
the public purse FOR years. wept bitter tears when
day after day they were compelled 10 pay large
stacks OF br sht. shining gold to Little Pete"
! one OF his ex-comiIssioners dropped a hint 70
! Little Pete that he wanted to go East. Little
Pete" replied "wAikee. alice samee biookmaker.'
FURNISHED CLEw.
Some angry remarks furnished cew that gave
the de;e tive from outside chance to unearih
the scandal that Is almost certain to purify the
atmosphere OF TIE turf the ramidca-
tons OF the Little Pete combination are made
public tieorge f. Smith started the investigation.
and him every homes: raccgoer OF
thanks. The evidence against many OF the jockeys
! In the combination is complete An effort may be
made 10 save certain trainers who called upon
Little Pete" socially but 1t Is almost certain
that 4 Duplicate copy OF all the evidence In IN.
case is In this city. and that several copies will
be made. to be used. should occasion require them
Turfmen at the Uptown leading hotels and afes
louu IN tnef praises or Inc Tribune yesterday.
Il behooves the Jockey Club to dispense with the
services OF every official has served at any o.
the VIGOROUSLY scaDdalous meetings that have been
run since the organization OF the Jockey Cluo.
Reports from Albany say that the average citizen
from the rura districts objects most srenuously 10
ndvce from allen sources about ANYTHING that pe
tsins to the horse. Venezuela any other subject
The average coun;ryman Is a believer In the Mon
roe Doctrine. except when that measure Is compared
At the raeetrscks the trainers In despair on
! account OF the weather. Some trainers not so
imid AZ others, consequently their horses out
every day. There is so much discussion about the
three-year-olds In training that some important
matters almost certain to result from the In
tense rivalry OF the partisans of Requitsl. Ben
are in excellent condition. and every indication
points to their being ready for the Morris Park
Mcheal F. Dwyer may no, ship Ben Brush to
Louisville but It is almost certain that he Will race
doing sS spienddy I'd W In his work ' and Philip J. p%yer
gains s1ndsnce in hs 81, D. every day n
| much cafe conversation hence a stranger IN the
city IS not & half ns So likely to hear about him as he n
and One | Love were the champion two-y.ar- IDS
cerned and taking their records into consideration.
there is no vad G reason yet adyanced , why they
form Hastings however, is "A different kind Of sub
ject TO consider. David Gideon and John }. Hyland
Consequently Hastings is Likely TO cause bettors to
hesitate before plungng heavily on the neld against
Hyland's cnoice OF last years two-year-ods
MIX. GIDEON EXPECTED TO-DAY.
David Gideon IS expected to arrive In this city
to-day lie Will visit Ho,mde tomorrow and in
s,ect the horses that viii carry the Gideon dark
blue. Haziet ran some remarkable trials two
year-old lie easily led the second division OF his
c.ass and has improved wonderfully during tho
winter. Mr. Gideon retained Hazle; although ht
went through the sale ring twice. Some believers In
what they term Gideons luck laughincly assert that
the chestnut OF Sensation ard AlIny will follow
precedents and bear away the threeyear-old honors
from the hgh-priced division.
There Is a tip being whispered about that Bona
parte II the coming three-year-Oid. Another tiI
that causes racing men to smile Is tnat Frank Har
ris liz a dangerous horse. Some persons VII agree
with this tip. especially bettors who may be tempted
10 him.
the three ycar-old division shoId furnish excel
lent sport II the conditions OF The for tha
class judciously arranged. There Is little said
about the aged division and the handicaps. Henry