The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-22
IT SMACKED OF FAKE|SM
HANSON WON WITH EASE
How the Affair Was ARRANGED and
How the Hardworking Miners
Dropped Their Money
In tho Tangle.

ais Sohc Sls-1Hc Ouc Illic
foot race which was said to be for $500
q side. between Hanson and Duckett
was run In Island park at 1880 yester-
day evening. Hanson won the race
with ease. Duckett eithe did become.
or pretended to become, exhausted. and
threw up the race at the end of the
three-quarters. The race smacked
strongly Of fakeism. There were one or
" races here last summer that were
engineered by the same parties who had
this n in charge. the preliminaries.
the race n the result being strongly
Hike that Of yesterday.
= Hanson claims to be the long-distance
champion Of the state, and he a sus-
tanned the reputation by winning every
race In which he has been matched.
Duckett showed up here about two
months ago, coming from no one knows
where. In q few days after his ar
rival a challenge appeared in the local
papers. which stated than an unknown
in the camp would run any man from
100 yards to one mile. In a short time
afterward Duckett was matched to run
Hanson n mile for $500 a side. Prom
inent persons whose position would nat
urally cause more or less credence to be
placed In their statements. were behind
Duckett. All manner OF stories were
circulated as to Duckett's great ability
as a runner. Some Of the things he
vas said to be able to do were really
remarkable. The story got circulated
through the camp that very prominent
persons had known him since childhood,
that his record was gilt-edged and that
he had q dead easy game with Han
son. Duckett was not his real name;
I- a 49, Ia
in the race would flag because every
one would recognize him as a record
maker, and would know hat Hanson
could not beat him. This was all told
in a friendly, confidential way to a
few of the boys h were well ac-
quainted n were sure to give their
friends the tip.
Later on, to make the play stronger,
just a few were told, under seal of Sc
crecy, that the race was jobbed; that in
the job Hanson was to win the race, but
that Duckett intended to give him the
double cross" and would run II out
and win These stories were all given
as dead straight tips" and Duckett
stock began to come up.
Duckett went to Great Falls on circus
day, and, 1t is said, gave a man $40
to run with him. He won the race,
and the report reached Belt to the eff
feet that he had beaten the champion
runner travelling with the circus. Duck
EFT stock went up a notch. The Han
son race was scheduled for June IL.
When 1t was learned the Anaconda
company would not pay until the 18th,
the race was postponed until the 18th.
presumably in order that the boys
might rave more money.
On the track before the race Duckett
was making very graceful parades be-
fore the crowd. just what 1t appears
was desired to happen came o all
right. There was all kinds of Duckett
money showed in sight. and IL was all
gobbled up. The greater part Of 1t
was taken by two or three professional
gamblers, and II was put up by the
workingmen employed in and about the
mines Inc about the town. They are
men who work hard, men who are fond
of all athletic sports, n who supper
literally and honestly any programme
arranged for a day OF field sports. They
were not willing to believe that men
with whom they were working every
day would job them. When considered
reasonably and calmly, everything
seems to indicate that that is Just what
was done More h q 81, 900 is said to
have changed hands. II Is generally
believed the men who worked the deal
and claimed to have their money on
Duckett, really came out OF the game
with a heat little pile of winnings. PEG
pie will be very slow to believe ina
they would pick up an entire stranger
and back him for hundreds on ms
simple statement that he could run. II
Duckett himself sold the race, II is
passing strange that the only friends he
should have on the ground after tho
race was over were the very men who
claimed to have banked THEN all on him
citizens generally condemn the who'll
thing, because 1t will probably put q
damper on any future events OF tbs
kind, The three-quarters was run III
s:3O. Hanson set the pace and increased
the stride every lap until Duckett quit