The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-18
PLATT AT THE RACES.
New York Senator Goes for the First
Time-and Wins.
Brooklyn Eagle.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Thomas c. Plat. sweet singer Of old time
campaign glee clubs. Sunday school super
intendent at the Fifth Avenue Hotel,
United States Senator I'm Washington,
easy boss and Alexander Selkirk of Re
publican State politics. spent the whole
afternoon yesterday in the club house at
the Brighton Beach race track.
Mr.. Plat has fought shy of race tracks
in the past According to a friend, he has
never before come into the baleful glare
of the ring in a sunny day. He's sowing
his wild oats rather late in life,' this &C
quaintance remarked. refiectively; but
maybe he won't bet after all He's pretty
cautious when it comes to making a big
plunge all at once"
This conjecture was doomed TO discom-
future. Mr.. Platt did succeed in resisting
the unwonted temptation up to the last
race. He was in a jolly mood, however,
and didn't get irritated when somebody
limited that just at the present time for
mer magnate Of the Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company ought to put up a few dol
lars on James r. Keene's Injunction, es-
pecially in John Y. McKanes old bailiwick
where injunctions go pretty well now. He
shook his head, however, and manifested
no chagrin when, sure enough, Injunction
won the fourth race easily.
But the fall from grace came on the sixth
and last race, and ii came through cumu-
lative temptation. Mr. Platt did bet. and
the rumor is abroad that he put up SO
straight on his faVorite. If any quiet
devotee of the Platt cult up the State is in
clined to criticise the senator too harshly,
he may wisely reflect that all mere human
ity is liable to yield when the pressure OF
circumstances is too great-that we are all
prone to sin as the sparks are TO fly up
ward.
and everybody had lunched well. There had
not been much betting in the crowd but
of course every race had occasioned a run
ming fire of pleasantrles. The Firth avenue
Sunday school SUPERINTENDENT, whose per-
sonal efforts put the gold plank through at
st. Louis in 1896 had turned his back on
Gold Money in the second race. He had
resisted every other suggestion with quiet.
gcOd-natured dignity.
But the senator curiously looked over the
list of entries in the sixth race Emshee
was an even-money favorite. Emshee
didn't strike his fancy. He couldn't get a
hunch on that horse. Suddenly his eve
struck Reformer, and he was all anima-
ton.
Now, there is horse for you" said a
waggish friend. You carried New York
city with Reformer Strong. and you car
ried the Greater New York when you ac-
cepted RefOrmer Low and you carried the
state of New York with RefOrmer Roose-
welt. You'll never have an opportunity like
this again Why it's a lead pipe cinchl'
What's the odds on Reforner9'' the SEN
ator is said to have asked, longingly
Thirty to one, was the laughing an
win"
What do you know about Reformer?'
We'll, he's chestnut colt; you know
there are times when you have thought or
all reformers as chestnuts; and he comes OF
an English sire, like the Australian ballot
system and the civil-service system, the
sire being not appropriately named Med
der. His dam was Silver Belle, and that s
+ another dead ringer for you. Try him, SEN
ator, it's the chance of lifetime"
Mr.. Plat was manifestly shaken in his
ir1arf ion rnf fn hat ~ n il
said 10 have asked cautiously:
Who owns this horse?"
John McGinnis."
"And who is John McGinnis?"
Hes best known around here Pat
McCarren's betting commissioner" chuckled
the friend, land maybe the colt was named
in memory of the time when McCarren ran
the state campaign for Augustus Van Wyck
and your refornler, Roosevelt, came in by a
| neck"
THAT settles it. I'll put $40 straight on
/ Reformer"
There was a clapping of hands in the TT
! tie party when Mr.. Plat surrendered at
the race began. Two or three friends fol-
! lowed the senator's lead. Nobody put up
big money. however, for veterans fight shy
| OF thirty-to-one chances.
Then the race was watched with excite
| ment. A youthful flush came into Mr..
! Platt's face as he strained his eyes TO see
the running. Every time Doggett dug his
spurs into Reformer somebody shouted
Good! Give ii TO him hard!" And Dog
! gets spurs pricked Reformer a lot more
! deeply than Platt's ever pricked Reformer
| Strong.
.'Reformer wins,"
| The cry went around the little circle.
! Senator Platt sank back with a sigh of re-
| Lief. He sent out at once TO cash in. Mean
! while everybody congratulated him vocifer-
! ously.
! As he fingered the roll of $500 iI bills the
! Ttoga statesman was visibly agitated I'll
give IT all to charity" the bystanders think
! they heard him say. And then-welI, there
was another laugh