New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-24
HARNESS RAClNG.
SPECIAL CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL
TROTTING ASSOCIATION.

SPECIAL. CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL
TROTTING ASSOCIATION.
The special congress Of the National i'o'.ms
Association convened yesterday IN one VI wv r"I
lors in the Murray Hin Hotel +. T. Jo""''o''
National president WAS in the chair INC ,1.'
o.s was called one year in advance of the reguh'
s Tor the nurposc OF considering the pro-
,,rle,. ~ modifying certain rules affecting '"c
question of hoppes and the licensing OF oINc'S'
Among those present were David Bohhc', Va '"'
CITY. who is a member OF the National po",'
Review: Colonel c. II. Page. OF PhhaHe'P"i" ~
,uo, NJ Joliet H.: George W. Archer OF Ho'"-
ester y Y: VI. Boworman. Of LeNlhs'o"' ~,
Edward Upton and w. b. Fasig, or New ,t
vol as p number OF woll-known patrons oi 'o
trotting turf The first business transact" va"
the reception OF the report OF the C"'.'''l, ,,a
Credentials. which was submitted ny 'oion'' .,
NJ Pbiadephla and NJ. ". Morse. OF ha'"o'"'
conn. Sixtv-nlne delegates according 10 'il'S W"
seated Then followed the report OF the 'oi'.'. I,
too on Rules which was reported by the seoIe'"'y
a. the committee r. 7. Allen. OF Joliet III II 10"
reference 10 Section OF Rule = "n'cn 49,.
that horses wearing topples shall not ne '''N..'
~ start in races on grounds Of members "'
January l. 1888" II desired to AFTER ''S
49,, n,. constituting the words unless otherwise
s.o,o3, for the words after January l. lN" inns
brought Edward Upton. Of New-lorK' 10 ms '.o
with a protest. in which he charac'er']eu '"e
,ort as wrong and charged that an inlus'ee n"'
- dore nv the report submitted. Tie said INN
.,,os wore not only unrghty and dangerous. hut
~ Calculated 70 dcprcciate the value OF Eoou
horses After further criticising hopples' MT up
ton offered a minority report when was 'o'' -
vote OF &C TO r. -, 49, aavo-
This was regarded as a triumph TOT 'ne n"'o
Gates of the hoppled trotters ana ahE'''"
Fasig who questioned the right OF the N""'".''
Association to interfere ana adjudicate on ''e "a
Tor Mr. Fasig moved that the whole clause WIN
roforence to hoppes be eliminated from the ru'es'
Several sneakers took issue with MI. fas's' anu az
animated discussion on the subject ioIlo"c"'
tone of the opposition TO Mr. fasiB Ies''".'"
was I'm favor Of living up TO the ruies Oh 'o 10
tional body as laid down IN the book OF rules l.
81, .hot ,hero were three tracks IN the coun
80. that had violated the rule last year ana tia'
thie had done considerable TO retard the progress
of the snort Mr.. Upton. the business partner ~
Mr. Fasig was among those VINO opposed '''
motion introduced by the latter. MT. laSis mo
tion was lost by q vote Of % TO %. N"'o "'''
then taken on the report OF the Hu'eS I'M ,,o
&C submitted by Mr. Allen The vote favored tie
ado,,ion Of the majority report, two voices oehs
raised in the negative. .no
w NJ Toman moved for n reconsideFa''o' - ~
matter Mr. Toman said he voted IN FAVOR u ~,
majority report OF the Rules Oohilue' ~
claimed tho right to move for Its recohsiu''"''''
Mr. Toman said It his purpose to nave ar '
cI,tiors use the hoppes II they so desired. lH's
wac agreed TO- and again the report OF 'he "''
iorltv Of the Rules Committee was approNe"'
r,lin,inations and substitutes were made ana III
serted in the phraseology Of Section OF h"' -
relatiyo TO drivers and their licenses. II "'' -
oi1ca that instead Of license" the driver wear
..colors Il was decided to abolish all rul'S
wherever occurring ir the approved book OF runs
relating 10 the carrying Of licenses oy drivers
In Section Of Rule p the words together WI"
the horse shall be suspended for not less IMAM one
EtIlC
lines T. and "A for the words shall be expelled
,r,,t sootion as Il existed before, which has been
rooorded "a ono Of the most important In the DOCK
~ aporoyed rules by turfmen, was as ioHo"s'
..If tho Judges believe that a horse Is beng OF
has been ridden driven In other ieSPe''S III
pronerlv at any time during the continuance Vi
the race with a design TO prevent his winning
heat or place which he was evidently abe 10 VIII
mr. IN norpetrate or aid a fraud. they shall nave
tho ro,ver 70 substitute competent ana reldple
rider or driver for the remainder OF the race VINO
shall be paid at the discretion OF the Juub's Io'
more than 20 per cent Of the amount a"arneu u'e
norso E., tho race end the member may retain the
amount paid from the purse. II any "hlch s"'u
substituted rider or driver may win. and II the re-
sult NJ the race shall demonstrate that a fraud
was being perpetrated. all the guilty pdrues 50
implicated shall be expelled"
II was with reference to the last three words in
the clause Just quoted that the change as referred
to made.
In Rule 2s Sections /, 2. 3, and .. with REFER
enc, 10 the licensing Of riders and drivers were
declared abolished The recommendations Of the
Committee on Rules to the effect that the proNi-
sions Of Sections 1 and of Rule 49, with reference
% timers and bar" time be not enforced was
unanimously agreed upon. Section Of the last
mentioned rule. which read Time made on non
association tracks shall be records or bars as the
case may be- the same as 81 made over association
tracks" was abolished and the following subsu-
'"".AnT nubuc race 10 less than one mile OK
cecding half 4 mile shall be regarded as irregular
and time made IN any such race shaH create I"
on motion Of George W. Archer, Rochester. "
Y tho rccomm andations and substitutes as
whole WCIe approved. -. - 81,
A. tho close Of the proceedings w. Il. FasiS
moved for the appointment Of "a committee whose
duty it was - prepare an amcndmcnt 10 the RUE
empowering Judges To- declare void finishing heat
ON Which fraud would Doc detected President Johns
Ton appointed this committee W. Is. faSlS. Judge
II. VI. Whitehead. 81 kcadcvile track fehnsyl-
vania and : T. Toman The committee recon-
rncndcd that the following be accepted "A Section
4 20 Rule % OF the approved rules:
THE Judges shall have the power OF declaring n
deciding heat IN a void If. In their judgment
fraud has been perpc rated In such case only me
horse coming first shall start I'm the recontcsted
final heat. the others retiring with the positions
OF that stage OF the race. In no case snail the
horse coming first in the heat declared void bc
penazcd. but shall receive hrSt money II the suS
pected horse wins the rccontested heat. his share
~ the purse. any part thereof. may In the dis
erection OF the judges be paid 10 the substituted
driver. II his position was not improved then the
be Il the discretion Of the Judges and the sus-
pected horse shall be paid the fun amount OF his
/ After protra-tcd discussion the section was
t