The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-21

Prior to that he had worked at the Phoenix
Hotel at Lexington, a resort frequented by
the big Kentucky horsemen. Grammar was
an elevator boy in the hotel The only joke
he has ever been known to indulge in relates
to this job. He says: you know, I have
given a lift to some Of the biggest turfmen
in the country One of the sports got
Grammar the job Of programme boy. and he
spent every cent Of his earnings in the bet
ting ring. He was plunger even in those
days. If he made bet of 81 on a race and
won, he put every cent on the next race.
He was broke nearly all the time and rarely
had enough money to buy sufficient food.
Clothes never bothered him.
Later a big bestor named E. G. Batsy
hired Grammar at 50 per day to call the
positions of the horses for him during the
races Grammar had a quick eye and knew
all the colOrs by heart and made a success
Of this work It also gave him an insight
Of the horses. At the close Of each day
Batsy paid him So, and it was usually gone
after the first race the following day. One
time however, he had $3.50 when the last
race of the day had been run. That was the
making Of him. He divided it into three
portions Of $50 each, so that it would last
him at least three days. In another month
he had 100000 He kept on with Batsy, how
ever, working for So a day. although he
sometimes made as much as $4,000 in an
afternoon.
When he had $50. 600 he entered into his
famous partnership with W. E. Apologize,
and they made a book which made even the
nervy and tried Apologize pale. When Gran
nan thought certain favorite would not
win it was his habit to mount the box. chalk
up a couple of points better than the other
bOokies and then dare the crowd to come on.
On two occasions the firm stood to lose
S1OO, 900, bet against red-hOt favOrites. Ap-
plegate's fortune was increased fourfold by
Grannan's nerve, but he said the boys pace
was too fast for him, and the firm was dis
solved.
A HISTORIC PLUNGE.
Two years ago, when Henry of Navarro
and Domino ran a match race at Gravesend,
Grammar, who was very intimate with Byron
McClelland, then owner of the former horse,
did some Of the most phenomenal plunging
ever seen in the East. Mounting his box,
he took off his coat and announced that he
was going to bet his last dollar on Henry
of Navarro. Then he chalked up a point
better odds on Domino than was offered
by anybody else in the ring, and invited
the public to come on Mike Dwyer sent
in $4,000. which Grammar took; Ike Thomp-
son handed over 900 more; then came
another SO, 600 from Mr.. Dryer, after which
two $4,000 bets were handed up by a com
missioner said to represent James R. Keene.
owner of Domino. Thousands Of dollars more
in smaller bets came in, but Grammar never
WINGED, never once cut the price. In ali he
took in S62, 900, and that represented all
that the people had to bet, for it was still
fifteen minutes before the race when the
young plunger took in his last bet. It was
the first time that Fasteners had been bet
to a standstiIl, and Grammar did something
then that he has never done since. He
hurled sarcastic remarks at the crowd, and
invited them to come on and break him. Il
is the only time that any one can remember
when Grammar lost his temper. The race
resulted in a dead heat. and, though Gran
nan had to pay half the face value Of every
ticket he issued, he won some SIS, 900 on the
race after all.