The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-27
ON AN OUTLAW TRACK
SOME QUEER STORIES OF NIGHT
RACING IN ST. LOUIS BEFORE
MOTLEY CROWDS
ONE FIFTEEN-DOLLAR PRIZE

Small Fortune With Bandmaster,
"Bush'' Scrub, for Which He
Paid His Feed Man Fifteen Dol
1ars-Truth About a Once Famous
Merry-GO-ROund Enclosure.
| CHICAGO, Nov. 26.-"I had a stable
! of horses at the ST. Louis fair grounds
in 49, remarked B. J. Johnson, the Fort
Worth, Tex, turfman, to q party in the
cafe Of the Hotel Morrison the other
night, land we used to visit the out
lawed electric-light tracks that were run
ming IN full blast at the time.
Racing at these tracks was not con-
Quoted under the rules of the turf con-
gress, and the promoters changed the
rules at WILL sometimes making new
ones every night If it suited their con-
Venience. Badges were distributed all
over the city, and probably not 2Oc per-
main thing was to get the crowd there,
for the profit came from the betting.
"One could bet at either track a quar-
ter in the mutuals, and stand a chance
of winning anything from Sc cents to 50
or 81 while the reckless plunger who
went down the line land the line con-
sisted of three books, SO the journey was
shorD with ever 500 could send the price
down from 10 to to to 5, and $50 more
would make the layers of odds refuse
more bets on the horse.
1t was a real outlaw track, and a lot
Of highwaymen were interested in it.
1.-The poolrooms had ceased 10 flourish
for short period while the poolroom
people fought the breeders bill in the
senate and the police nearer home.
Some of the Jockeys who turned out
On these little night tracks have since
been reinstated by the turf congress,
and are now really good riders
Some of the jockeys who were riding
| on the merry-go-rounds' are stars to-
| cay, and why they are alive is a source
OF wonderment 20 those who watched
them ride in races around those three
furIong tracks, for the turns would
| throw, Oh an average. at least one Jockey
every night, while the rest, by great ex-
ertion managed to hang on until the
! finish.
The horse that got off In the lead was
pretty nearly sure 10 finish that way.
Eight horses only We're allowed to
start IN each race, no entry fee was nee
essary, and the association furnished the
! colorS.
1.-The regulars saved their dimes, gen
orally using the evening papers list of
the entries for programmes, and as the
colors We're the same in each race from
! blue, which was always worn by No. l.
! through the list to black which was
| eight, the scheme worked very we'll
The purses were 800 and $3.50, the WIN
ner naturally taking the biggest end of
1t, while the owner of the third horse
got IS or $40. The Jockeys winning fee
was $l5 and when they lost it. depended
! on themselves whether they could collect
anything or not.
The secretary and the judges always
settled disputes and protests, which oc-
! Cured In connection with three out of the
! five races each night, by deciding in IA
Vor of the man who had the most money.
FAR INTO THE NIGHT. "
+ 1.-THE races began at $3.50 p. m. and end
| ed anywhere from 1850 p. m. to l a. m
! as there was no specific time between
races, and If the bookmakers were doing
good business the judges waited a
while longer before ordering the bugler
/ to calf the horses to the post
sam Adler was head Of the South side
/ y
| Bruen was the starter.
Fred Foster operated, through Matt
Foster, the Sportsman's park track,
! which they leased from Chris Won der
Abe, president of the St Louis Ball club.
The latter played both ends against
! the middle, as the park was the league
ball grounds, and base ball was played
| there in the day time, while at night a
specially constructed fence was huriedIy
put In place and the race track was
| ready.
incidentally there was a lake and a
| 'shoot-the-chutes' affair, a merry-go-
! round near it, and large beer garden.
| "Curley Brown was starter for time.
| and A. S. Muckenfuss, the ball clubs sec
| rotary, held the same position for the rae
| ing association.
II remember one particular occurrence,
| which was the gossip of the outlaw turf
| men for some time.
IAN owner, Mike Kelly by name, had a
string at Spcrtsmans park, with which
he was quite successful.
| Contrary to the usual custom. Kelly
called upon his feed dealer one day to
pay his bill, and the latter showed him a
| scrubby looking black horse
| I have no use for him. complained
the feed man, and 1 want to sell him. l
| took hiru for a little feed bill
/ Won't you buy him for a buggy
Ishorse?"
kelly looked the animal over, and in
quired his name.
It's Bandmaster' was the reply. I'll
sell him for SIS, as he eats too much
| kelly bought the horse and took him