The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18
FORTUNE SHOWS A SMILING FACE.
Instances Where Luck Has Come to Race
Track Betters.

Two years ago. when the racing syn
dicate operating the Harlem and other
race tracks was denied n further con-
%tinuation of Its meetings. a move was
made to Ingalls, park. Joliet. where a
meeting of 30 days or more was guar
anteed. As is Known, this meeting
was successfully held and. while not
a bowling financial success. the syndi-
cate broke even"
on the third or fourth day the Will
county grand jury. then in session, con-
cluded IL would be the proper thing to
investigate the racehorse men n
bookmakers. OF whom IL had heard so
much from Chicago. IL came to the
ears of the syndicate in a roundabout
way that the grand jury was coming
and every effort was made TO receive IL
as beftted the official position of it's
members. A large table was spread
with good things. When the heavy
w~hiskered gentlemen OF the jury ar
rived on the track they were imme-
diately taken in hand by the managers
of the racing association and escorted
10 the well-laden table. where they did
full Justice TO the menu At the con-
clusion of the repast the Jurors were
shown the different parts OF the course
end finally wound up In the betting
nring. Never before had the gentlemen
from Will county seen n full-fiedged
betting ring on a thoroughbred race
course. Among those who stood o
listening 20 the alluring odds was one
of the VIII county jurors. He was a
man somewhere between 60 and 20
years of age. with n long. flowing gray
beard and a shrewd twinkle in his
small blue eyes. He seemed fascinated
by the long odds offered against GER
lain horses In the race. Hitching up
Ais trousers. he crowded closer To one
4of the books, n finally addressed the
blockman as follows:
do you mean TO tell me that you
will pay $500 for 81 IL that horse wins"
and he pointed TO the name OF Flore-
anna, at that time belonging TO Ben
Falk. a well-known horseman and
bookmaker.
Most assuredly. sir" was the reply.
er'All o have 10 do II to put up 81 and
VI your choice gets under the wire first
You will receive for your investment
800"
Gee whiz. but that's fair enough"
said the Juror. I'll just take 81 Of that
offer and here's your money" at the
same time handing up a 50 bill.
Just before the race was OF the be-
whiskered old farmer broke through
the crow in the betting ring and an
bounced 10 the bookmaker that he had
concluded to hedge his bet-that is. he
.-vould bet only 81 n wanted the other
zone back. With a smile the "bookie'
made out a new ticket and handed back
81 A later the bell sounded
and the horses were on. The old fellow
occupied a post in the grand stand and
saw Floreanna cutting out a pace as
fast as a bullet. Down the home
stretch few the ~thoroughbreds and be-
fore the spectator could catch his breath
.his horse had passed under the wire a
Swinner by a good half length. He sank
back in his seat with n groan as he
thought Of that dollar he had reclaimed
from the bookie.
"Th~underation!" he said to one Of his
fellow Jurors. "just think. I was fool
enough 20 take n dollar back often that
horse and now I'm out an even 5000"
What, You bet 5000
mo. nary. I won 5000. but I feared
some sheenanygin m 7 cut my bet m
two. Well. there's no use talkin'. them
Chicago reformers are d-n fools. for
there never was a fairer sport I'm the
world than we've got right here al this
park" and the old fellow went 20 the
ring and. presenting his ticket. pocket
ed $500. ingalls, park was never mo-
Tested during it's 80 days meeting.
As an Illustration Of the strange man
won the following story is related by
Glenn Creveling. Several years ago
there was. and II yet no doubt. a very
fast thoroughbred named John Davis.
He was named after his trainer and
belonged 10 Sam Eckhardt. well known
TO the owners Of both tsotters and run