The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-12-16

night dinners in his bachelor apartments.
Nothing like 1t had been heard of since
the days of Fred Archer, that prince Of
Jockeys who, it is said, could have married
a duchess.
Probably no American sporting man
ever received half the newspaper notice
that has been given to Tod Sloane. For the
first day or two after his arrival in Lon
don this notice was confined to unfriendly
criticism of his style of riding. His man.
ner of sitting his mount was decidedly un-
English. Instead Of resting well back on,
the horse and adopting the time honored
English roll he sat so far forward that he
almost seemed to be on the horses neck,
and he rode as motionless as a statue. ThG
London turf writers ridiculed him without
mercy. The pose which his short stirrup
straps gave him they called "monkeylike. I"
But this did not last long When Sloane
had demonstrated his ability to win race
after race on unpromising mounts, the
superiority of his method was frankly ac-
knowledged. Then he was stared at be-
cause of his extravagant mode of living.
1t was discovered that he kept valet and
o secretary; that his clothes were made by
the most fashionable tailors, and that he
had remarkable fondness for smoking
big, black cigars.
Sloane began to be deluged with Of
fers from all the prominent horse own
ers in Great Britain. Even the Prince Of
Wales gave him a mount Next, society
broke all traditions, and efforts were made
to make him the lion in several swell
drawing rooms. There Is no telling what
social triumphs Sloane might have attain
ed had he been at all ambitious for that
lyt tY,I Of Qtnt hn Nnf De
common sense would not allow his head
to be turned by any such empty fiattery.
He was willing to meet men who could be
of use 20 him in his profession, but he did
not care to shine in drawing rooms.
Although he lived expensively in Lon
don, no kept we'll within his income, for
during the racing season he was making
about 5000 day, which, with all his ex-
travagance, was much more than his ex-
penses. Even that, he says, is not SO we'll
as he can do in America, where his income
is something like $75, 900 year.
Sloane is native of Kokomo, Ind. His
mother died when he was 2 years old, and
his father being an inmate of the Soldiers
homo at Dayton, o., Tod was adopted by
Mr.. and Mrs. ID. G. Blouser. Before he
was years old he had acquired local
reputation as fearless and daring horse
man. No horse was too vicious or unruly
for him to ride Even then he had learned
to like big cigars, and he developed fond
ness for plug tobacco at an early age. Ac-
cording to the old tradition this may have
had something to do with his stunted
stature.
Tods older brother, Cash Sloane, was
also jockey, and in 1890 Tod joined him
In st. Louis and secured mount. He was
successful from the start, and then went
to California, where he rode for Lucky"
Baldwin. Later he went east, but was
more remarkable for the size of his trunks
and cigars than for his success as jockey.
Finding himself outclassed, he went west
again for time and studied out his sys-
tenn. When he next appeared on the tracks
In the east, no began that most remark
able career which has recently reached
such a brilliant climax on the English
courses. He is 23 years old and weighs
less than 100 pounds, but has ridden as
low as 90 po,lnds. MARK NoRRA