The sun., 1901-08-11
sARATOGA'S GAMBLING FIGHT.
MITCHELL TELLS WHY he WANTS
CANFIELDS PLACE CLOSED.
Ne Says He wasn't Allowed TO Open .
Poolresm Becausc Canleid Wanted -
Crab All the Money In Sight Estate
senator Bracke ett's Part In the Affair.

Poolrssm Because Canfleid WGated -
Grab All the Money In sight state
senator Brackett's Part In the Affair.
SARATOGA, Aug. 10.--One OF the greatest
fights over put up in this country over
gambling house Ia going on In this town.
Tho gambling house concerned is the Sara
toga Club, founded by John Morrissey,
and at present conducted by Richard A.
Garfield OF New York. Caleb W. Mitchell,
q former Mayor OF Saratoga and himself q
gambler, is trying to put Garfield out OF
business. Mitchell Ia being aided in his
fght by Dan Stuart, known a. q gambler
and hacker Of prizefghters.
The history OF this rather remarkable
feud dates back to the time early last winter
whom william C. Whitney. Richard T.
Wilson, Jr.. II. X. Knapp. Philip J. Dwyer.
Andrew Miller. James Il. kecne and other
New Workers. interested In horse racing
opened negotiations to buy controlling
interest in the Saratoga Racing Association.
The track has been controlled by Gottfried
walbaum. formerly Of Guttenburg. Last
fall Garfield suggested TO William W. wor-
den that men closely associated with the
Jockey Club might be induced to buy it.
worden Is q former Sheriff Of Saratoga
county. the Republicsp State Committee
man for this district md the leader Of the
Republican organization for this part Of the
State He said he would see what could
be done. The result was that Mr.. Whitney
and his friends did decide to buy the track,
II they and Walbaum could come to terms,
and with one other proviso
This other proviso proved to be par
ufv . k.... H.
Mitcneil-C Canileld fight. For several years
Walbaum had conducted q poolroom just
o,,tside the main entrance to the track
and Mitchell and Dan Stuart had con-
Quoted another quarter OF mile TO the
northwest OF the track entrance in East
avenue When Mr.. Whitney and his friends
began to talk business they told the Sara
togans that the two poolrooms just out
Of the track entrance would have to be
closed, and, furthermore, there ought to be
no poolrooms anywhere in town. The
New Workers. pointed out that large source
of revenue for every racetrack is IN the
privileges rented to bookmakers, End they
did not want outside competition sith the
men making books on tho track:
The Saratogans assured MIR. Whitney and
his friends that the poolrooms would not
open. Upon that assurance, other details
having been arranged. the track changed
hands, and the racing meeting now being
known since William r. Travers and Leon
ard Jerome and John Hunter and Major
Thomas w. boswell and some others were
behind the Saratoga Racing Association q
quarter OF a century ago.
During the winter the Walbaum poolroom
burned down. Representatives OF the for
mer king Of Guttenburg came here early
this spring to find out II 1t would be all
right to rebuild the structure. They were
told that 1t would not be worth while. since
there was a very strong impression about
the town that no poolroom should b. opened.
10 New York and made no attempt At q
pooiroom enterprise. Mr.. Mitchell, on the
other hand declared that he would open
his room or know the reason why, and that
was the beginning Of the fight. In giving
hs side Of the case to Sun correspondent
hs said:
Il propose to tell you the truth about
this whole trouble. The statement has
gone out that the Racing Association wanted
my poolroom closed. I thought, at first,
that maybe the story was true. l have
since found out that there was not a word
corporate limits Of the village: l have
found out that the only person who offered
any opposition to the opening Of my place
was Richard A. Canfield The Racing
Association did not want poolrooms to be
OpoIbucQ nefo III WIuCh POob Wcfo boiA
on the Saratoga races. We never have
sold pools on the Saratoga races and never
intended to. Our business began each
day after the races here were over. We
took bets only on foreign races, that Is.
races run in other parts OF the country:
'lf there were no pooirooms In the vicinity
Of the track, the people who have been In
the habit Of patronizing my place, would
naturally drift downtown and to the club
house. Garfield would get their patronage
at his bar and In his restaurant and in his
gambling room. So long az the poolrooms
ran, his afternoon business amounted TO
little. He Is the greatest grasper after
the almighty dollar that ever came within
my ken. He made up his mind to get the
business the poolrooms got In the after
noon and so he went TO William W. Wortlen
and senator Edgar T. Brackett and got
them TO say that my place should not DO
opened.
The fiat went forth early this spring.
and when heard Of 1t / went TO see Mr..
Knapp, the President Of the village. You
might ask why I did not 60 to see Senator
Brackett OF Mr.. Worden. Worden II a
private citizen. and, so far as ! was per-
to snST o had sss pOsns sSE to DO Byaass Ts the
had never known that a State Senator,
" virtue OF that office, controlled any
municipality in the district which he repre-
sented.
so | went TO see President Knapp. 1
told him that had heard that my business
was to be interfered with, and wanted TO
know II it was true. To my inquiry Mr.
Knapp said:
Mr. Mitchell, for information about any
such proposition a. that you will have to see
Senator Bruckett. All such matters have
been turned over 10 him. He Is responsible
for the changes In our municipal govern
ment which have been made during the
past few months, and If those changes prove
10 be beneficial TO Senator Brackett must be
given all the credit On the other hand, II
they fail, he must take the responsibility OF
the failure
when heard that remarkable state
ment from Democratic President OF the
village, 20 the effect that all village Affairs
had been turned over to a Republican
State Senator said: Then, Mr. Knapp,
you are not the President OF the village.
You Just make blum az being the real
thing, while Senator Brackett IL the man
behind tho gun. Ii that il tho case, will
bid you good day. sir
Not long after that lawyer OF this
town came to mo and asked mo why did
not try 10 arrange things with Senator
Brackett. He told mo the Senator would
like 10 500 mo and asked II | would go TO
his Office | told him that | would and did
So When | got there Bracket told me
tAat | could not open poolroom, but that
LIQUID open any other kind of a gambling
pace wanted 20 50 long rs II was not on
Broadway. | inquired by what authority
Slr, Brackett told ono ~ his follow citizens
What he might and might not do, and the
ONLY satisfaction that | GOT was TO be told