The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-21

new H.elsss nrssasrs Take vp enc "Rs-es
tngt RroRrem.


taG" Rronien.
The ofioial reports of the recent meetings OF
the two turf courts. which have Just been Is
sued. tell the story Of . vast amount OF lltiRa-
tion In the ranks OF the harness horse fraternity.
Cases involving the Identity of horses make up
n very large proportion of the dockets ~ usual,
and emphasize the fact that ringing 10 the
commonest Of turf crimes in the territory Of
both the National and the American ~trottinS
associations.
Progressive turfmen have long complained
that the existing rules OF harness racing are
wholly Inadequate to atop the practice, which
seems to be on the increase of late years. par
ticularly on Eastern tracks. The only safeguard
now provided Is the rule requiring Identification
In case of protest or on demand of the judges of
q race, but IL is well known that this provision,
like the rule against laying up heats, is nearly q
dead letter.
Tho notorious George G.. alias Charley p,
was so ~cleverly and circumstantially "identi-
fed" by the parties who were ringing" him
through the New England circuit when tho
judges at franklin Park. Boston. called upon
the owners for the history of their horse. that
former Secretary Morse of tho National
Trotting Association ordered the winnings to
be paid over on the strength of the testimony
submitted, ana 1t was q mere accident that tho
ii Isht. " ono on; OF f shs fetalhE 'I mstEods ' OF tho se
operators nowadays is to pick up young horses
having fast records out in California and the
one Of the great cities of the East, and there
put them through the markets in such q
horses is almost completely lost. The Eastern
buyer. who subsequently, starts the horse under
a new name in the slow classes, may be either
ignorant or cognizant OF the animals anteced-
ents. but IT 10 nearly always next to impossible
for any body to prove guilty knowledge on his
part. and II his green one happens to DO recog-
nized. the owner usually sQueezes through by
ting Association the unlawful winnings. to-
gether with II recording fee " of $50 for regis
tering the change OF name. 1t is only once in a
while that a masquerader Is caught and eX-
PEELED.
courts show plainly that the lack of II system of
branding or registration similar to that in
vogue ON tho running turf for fixing the ilen-
innocent parties. AS in the Charley p" case,
an owner may buy IN good faith and. after cam
sorrow that the animal is AN outlaw in disguise.
Then he must refund all winnings aud pay a
fine or stand virtually expelled from every
The ""Charley |: affair. together with sew.
s Ssw 0 EnsIsh s1as and hsy ssi,i pe a.ha rese II \ ss eKpo w6is IN
have not yet gained publicity. moved the New
England Trotting Horse Breeders, Association
TO take up the matter OF ringing =" at it's recent
annual meeting at Boston. A resolution was
unanimously. adopted providing for the ap-
Thayer named J. Malcolm Forbes, Charlie,
n P%ns Pslm shs s sad & 6 SYSTEM Ma'S Of Tori to
! tration with passports was advocated by c.. e..
Fall and some other breeders, while u few mem
hers asked for u state law making 1t a criminal
offense to start a horse out or his class or under
in a number of Wes,ern states w Shhe~ u the b Am ne
lean Association influence is strong, but the first
turf pirate has yet to serve his term under these
statutes.
While the New England breeders are giving
their attention to the suppression of ringing"
the New York State Breeders Association. led
by DR.. j. w. Day. is getting ready TO make "A
formida BILE appeal for the modification of the
betting laws now in force in this state. SO far as
they affect %trotting tracks: 1t is well known
that the betting system under which running
turf interests flourish is not suited to harness
racing, and the Legislature win be asked to do
as much for %trotting as II has done for the other
form of sport. Several mass meetings have
been held and largely attended by horscmen In
the western part of the State during the last
fortnight, and the leaders in tho movement for
q trotting amendment to the betting laws eX-
press confidence Of success at Albany.