The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-21
BLIND, BUT BETS AND WINS
A FIGURE sEEN TINS SEASON ~ A
CITY POOL ROOM
lie selects the Hors,s 20 Bet on Himself ana
Sssms Uen~rrIy 60 B- Successful Another
blind follower Of the ha,s. In I, Louis
aud the Lack Of Ills Negro servant.

blind Follower OF the Ha,ss In Z. Louis
aud the Lack Of Ills Negro servant.
Al a poolroom 10 Forty-seoond street a blind
man has bean playing the races almost since
tho beginning Of tho season which Ia now draw
ing 10 a somewhat unevcntful and utlntere't-
ing close. lie IL about 70 and has a thick.
graytsh. bond mustaohe. thin. linel features.
and a certain look ot intel ~ootna!ity that singles
hin out from the ordinary lot Of nondescripts
who fire. Iuent this pooIrootn. Spectacle, rhie!d
his blue gray eyes. which are not closed.
although he Is totally blind. lie dresses
neatly IN black.
The blind man II generally the first OF the
poolroom's freluenters to make his appear
anoe before the beginning OF the days ousi-
noSs. lilo ts always accompanied by a neat.
bright-Iooking mulattO tad, IL or 20 years old.
The muiatto boy Is tho bind mans eyes, not
on'y for the purpose Of leading him about.
but also for aiding him In the indulgence Of
his only pastime. playing the horses, The
m ilatto boy always has an armful OF neatly
kent dope books tIckel away under his arm.
and when the two take seats In the front row
Of chairs before tho racing cards tho lad ar
range, :he dope book, for ready reference and
they wait for the frat Inns Of betting to oome
In on the hrst race Of tho day.
When the prioos are hung up the muatto
bends over and calls them OF In a 'ow tnue to
tho blind man, who Ino.nes bis head and listens
eagerly. Then. as 4 rile, tho bind man asks
tn. boy 70 dope az a few Of the most promis-
ing horses In the race Tho boy goes over
the past ~erformance charts very skllfuly
and RAPIDLY, MORNING his employer where
etoh particI'ar horse has nnisheI In previous
races, AMI unier what conditions a, TO weight,
state or track. boy NJ. distlnce and all q; the
,Fkar .,,a, II I,r,, .ln,r =. 49, ar,i - fha
confirmed dorer " the chances Of the thorough
brel, ~ this time the ssNoni Inc Of betting
on the race IN isr o,ntidoration has come over
the wirs from the track, Tho blind nan names
tic horse ne wants 70 he. on and the amount
he wishes a. bet
The mulatto lad IL the custodian Of the blind
mar =, bank roll lie produces a size bic bundle
Of Bills from hi3 trousers plsket, strips there
from tho amount that nj, cir ployer has named.
places the bundle Of dope books On his chair In
token that the chair has e tenant, goes 20 the
money handlers window and makes the bet.
When the telegrsrher behind the counter calls
/ on the race the blind MAJ leans back In his seat,
/ closes HIS eves and listens 20 the descrirtion
i~rteltly, but no betrpys no outward indications
~ excitement. The mulatto boy. true to the
traditions q his blood. swavs In his chair. gives
vent to queer. hoarsely whispered incantatlons.
snars hs angers ana roots in snndry and divers
/ other WAYS familiar 10 the colored sport for the
success Of lis masters selection.
Men who frequent the Fortysecond street
poolroom say that tho blind mans selections
win a good deal oftener then they lose. Tho
u~niallins apre france Of ire blind man every
: afternoon al tho roolroom with a good-slsed
Z roll In the custody n his mulatto valet would
seem 10 bear this stater ent out. Few noolroom
frequenters are able TO dig NJ for daily assaults
upon the rIlled-ll ticket wrlteS from the be-
ginning to the close Of a racing season.
The sight Of this blind man PLAYING the horses
NJ the Forty-seoond street poolrooIn reminded
a well-known b~ookmaker. who dropped In there
on one OF the on days at Morris Park az a bliad
man who dallied With the thoroughbreds at
one - the Western tricks.
-Hls name was frank Hathaway said tho
bookmaker. and he was a familiar figure at tho
Fair Grounds track In old st. Loo back In %
and 'e5. His father was a Wholesale liquor
dealer In st. Louis. and the son had lost his eve
sight while working In his father store through
some sort Of q 2 plOsirn of a barrel Of the old red
gargle. ! don't recall the details. The young
fellow, Of course. couldn't DO any work after
that. but the old gentleman took good caIe Of
him and provided him literally with money.
Young Hathaway was under 81 a swell
LOCKER In spite of his affection. bright, a good
fellow and an all-arounder lie enjoyed TAX
ing In the races more than ANYTHING else that
came his way. even though he couldn't see tho
horses nun. and all Of us who we're on the block
out on the Fair Grounds fre and sir years ago
knew him He had stacked UP against the
racing game around st loo before losing hs
sight without ever having enough luck to al
an almanac, but when. early In ~. he made
his appearance minus hi- vision. he did a good
deal better than the average regular. FOR MI
hands connected with the game out there felt
sort OF kindly toward him on account OF HIS
ar'iction, 40 that when there was any little
thing doing the blind young chap was let in
for his bit.
Tie wasn't a plunger or anything Ike that,
Ten or twenty n a race WAS about his game,
and he had the usual prediction for TIE favor
ltes A they Used 70 shoot a whole lot moro
favorite- under the string ont around old ST,
Loo In those days than they ever do ut any OF
the tracks around here nowadays. he found
himself az tho wtnd-up ~ the ~ season a good
depl On pllsh. AID sleer for the beginning OF
the 'oS racing at the Fair Grounds.
He had for a valet a coal-hlack dsrlev from
Louisiana Tho darkev WIS pretty wiso 20 the
pony game from having slung curry combs
and brushes around tho New Orleans track
ana ne fl'l Va VI IlI'llANh' = NANlllA nc Ibl
the rag-tlmer's we'll known reverence for the
long shots. and used occasionally 10 put one
over. with the result thnt he'd blossom out tho
next day In toys that 'ud make his friends down
on the leves long FOR death ont Of pure envy.
He was an early-morning ral-btrd. and u%ed to
skate over To the track 10 see the horses
sclmper around In their trials before dawn and
get back TO his duties hours before his master
ever thought Of getting out OF bed. He'd take
Young Hathawa"'s money and put It down for
him In the ring with gloom written all over his
tarry features on many occasions, because his
masters pick didn't happen - dove-tal with
his own idea Of what was ~going'to happen before
the numbers went up, but he always Obey ed
instructions. and was A. honest rs a dog.
Well. when the game opened up In the spring
OF 'Ij, Hathawu~ couldn't seem to land right.
Nobody could, for the matter ~ that, inside or
outs lo the ring, and its a mystery where the
money went. A select fcw Of the bows on the
outside managed TO chase me Of the block
early in tho game, and | folded up my chariot
and went at 'em from the outside. doing better
that wav. Hdthaway had a fierce streak, 50 thnt
that bv tho beginning ~ June all NJ his winnings