The evening times., 1897-05-24
ADRIA A TROTTING RINGER
Three Americans Take Big Beriie
K. to France.
Started the Mare at Minor Races
at the suburban Tracks Around
Paris-Have Evaded Arrest.

New York, May "a The board OF review
ofthe NatiOnalTr A Ssoc iation troughs
to light another International ringing epi-
sode at its meeting in Chicago last week,
which bids fair to rival the Bob Kneebs
case by the tim e the returns are aIIin.
1t will he remembered that the big bay
mare Berthe R.. 2:12 ii, by WHkouu,ot-
disappeared all Of sudden last fan after
tottIngsOpe grestraces on Western tracks,
and that for eight months harsemen have
been wondering what became OF her.
Her last race was trotted at La Crosse.
Wis, on September 2 She was then in
sne hands OF Bill Mckinney, a weH-known
trainer Of Kansas City, No, just before
the race stranger acCGSted Mckinney
and asked him TO put a price on the mare.
Mckinney answered that ne would sell her
for 81 600 after she had trOtted the raca
at La Crosse
The stranger said no more, but went
away. Tie turned up at the track bright
and early the next morning, however,
counted out $1,000 In currency. and sabI
ne would take the mare. Mckinney. ac-
coTdngly got out her boots, ciething, and
other fixings, intending to give them to
the buyer, and offered to lead BERTHE to
the CARS for shipment
He was somewhat surprised when the
buyer declined 70 accept either ffxings or
service, and took the mare in a bare halter.
leading her himself. Mckinney never knew
what way the stranger went or who he. WIS
further than that he gave his name and ad-
dress as c. a. Wright, No. SO Clark street,
Chicago.
Itnow appears, according to the findings
Of the board Of review, that Berthe r. was
shipped TO New York, palned off on *
port Inspector Frobischer as a green one
named Adria, by A drian Wilkes. aud So sent
over to France with official passports from
the representative of the National Trotting
Association TO establish her fictitious name
and pedig gree.
They were clever people who toOS her
abroad, for, instead of going at once to
Tue Important meetings, where there was a
chance TO win big money. they first start
ed Adria In minor races at the suburban
tracks around Paris, getting sure money
without having 70 go fast, and thus exCite
suspicion.
The American trainer, Billy Weeks, who
drives for Antonio Terry, started against
her at one of these meetings. and. seeing
that she was nine or ten years old and a
mare that could Jog and beat common trot-
ters, he wrote 70 Secretary GOCher. Of the
National Association, at Hartford. descrb-
ing her minuteiy and intimatin that she
was a ringer.
By means OF this description and pho
toSraph Which had been filed in New York
with Inspector Frohischer, Gocher found
witnesses to establish the identity OF
"Adria' and Berthe R.
The turf authoTitiesi in France were about
TO arrest the whole outfit on the strength
OF GOcher's discoveries, when the suspects
somehow got a tip from this side of the
water. md suddenly crossed the Channeito
England, taking the mare with them.
IL is alleged that .. o. HeffneF, OF Omaha.
Nee-. and " Dobler and E Metcalf, of
Warren. Ia. were the guilty parties, and
that all have been expelled by the French
trotting authorities DObler and &C n.
Wnght'' were expelled last week by the
board OF review at Chicago
Heffner will Hberemenbered as the former
partner OF Bob Kneebs. and is the man WHO
disclosed the identity OF Bethel. 2-16 IA,
to the German authorities, thus causing fhs
arrest OF the Sioux City reinsman