The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-18
SPLIT IN ROAD DRIVERS CLUB
1T WAS "TOO MUCH COCkERILL,"
RETIRING MEMBERS SAY.


ton admitted regretfully yesterday that the
designations of Nathan Straus and FRED
erick Dietz were signs Of the disahectioN
which has rent the club under the presi-
cency of John F. Cockerill. who got the
title Of Colonel by brevet from the barber
who trained his military mustaches.
Many Of the members have lost interest,"
in the affairs Of the association since Col.
Cockerill as president put 1t in pawn to
Col. Cockerill as builder. The president
says that the association owes him about
SO, 900 for work in rebuilding the clubhouse
and furnishing it. committee was formed
to take up subscriptions to pay on this
claim and build some horse sheds
Only half the sum sought was subscribed,
some OF the members declaring that they
did not think the best interests would be
served by paying Col. Cockerill more than
% 600 for work which some builders roughly
appraised as worth $1,000. Mr.. Dletz' VINO
was chairman Of the subscription COM
mittee and second vice-president. OF he
club, resigned. Mr.. Strauss resignation
IL said to have been brought about by the
unpleasant treatment he received at the
hands of the president of the association
Col Cockerill il a member Of the building
avenue He lives at 800 West Ninetiethl
street. When DR.. Fl. H Kane resigned
the presidency in 1901 Col Cockerill was
elected. Some Of the members said at that
time that he was a mighty thrifty business
man Since then Col. Cockerill's reputa-
ton for thrift has waxed. ,r,
In the spring Of 1902, under Col. Cockerills
presidency, the Executive Committee of
the association made lease with the city,
through the Park Commissioner. by which
the association got the old house at the
Speedway and 185th street for five years
on condition that the association would
spend 5000 in making it an ornament to
the parks. -, A.
movement. 1t did not have much funds for
the annual dues are but IS. 1t has 4OO
active members and lot Of NONRESIDENT,
life and honorary members, who paid -
when they joined and are not subject to
the payment Of dues. 1t never occurred
cover the expense. This sum- it was agreed
should be raised among the members. To
start of the work, $500 was appropriated
out OF the treasury.
The work was begun almost at once.
it was expected that plans would be drawn
and submitted to Commissioner Wilcox
and that the job would be let by bidding
Therefore, when members saw carpenters
and maSOnS at work, tney asked Ill sur
prise "Who Ia doing the work.
The answer was II. Cockerill h Son"
Some of the members say that no price
was fixed, and that as far as they could
learn he made the contract az president =,
with himself as contractor. Not only that,
they say, but he bought some furniture,
that he liked. He picked out the dishes, and
he bought the linens. The silver was OF his
selection, and the bills went to him instead
OF to any financial officer or committee OF
the club.
II was encouraged to do it, was Col.
Cockerill's explanation last night when he
was asked what authority the club had
issued for these expenditures.
The club was formally opened last fall
To the members then Col. Cockerill made
II known that the association was indebted
: 10 him for about SO 900. less the first $500
For ali this they had clubhouse consisting
Of some wings patched onto the old house
that the city owned, and a grand stand,
said to have cost 3oO0 Visitors declared
the grand stand most unsightly and not a
FL structure to have been put on the citys
property The clubhouse came in for the
earne criticism,
II was dist astefu to members to feel
that the house was in pawn to President
Cockerill because of his claim OF $lO0 CO., and
Frederick 'Dietz as chairman. Subscrip..
lions were conditioned on the raising Of
Si2 200, which would pay Of, the Cockerill
claim and build the desired sheds. The
committee got pledges OF between 5000
and $1,000. Discomfort was 30 widespread
nttract all the horsemen. Still many who
were dissatisfied subscribed. Nathan Straus
was one of these.
Col Cockerill has now come forward with
an offer to accept the 5000 that has been
raised. 1t Is understood that the sub
m fhaIn
waive the provisional part of their sub
scription and let Col. Cockerill have the
full sum of the fund so that the association
will not be under the embarrassment OF
debt to him. That will be decided little
later.
During the early life OF the association
many names appeared on it's membership
list, names Of men we'll known in New
York. II was the custom to carry many
Of these names on the club stationery Of
directors. The list in 1902 included C. X. G
Billings. David Bonner, A. c. Bostwick
hewitt G. Flanagan. Thomas F. Gilroy
w. G. Leland. Samuel Mcmillan and Isaac
A. Hopper. In the list were men who hac
never attended business meeting of tn.
association and took no interest In it's at
fairs. Col. Cockerill revised the lists witt
presidential independence. Some of tn
rames were dropped at the request o
their owners, some disappeared as the!
GAME ll1GeT tue teIl VI Vol SoNhelii
danpproval.
One incident illustrates how Presiden
Cockerill exercised his powers The clu
had used on its letter head picture mad
from a photograph Of a famous speedwa.
brush II showed c. X. G. Billings drivin
Lucille, 207. Col. Fred Lawrence holding
the ribbons over Carlyle Carne, 2:1lN, AM
Nathan Straus behind Cobwebs. PIP.
Col. Cockerill had a new picture i'm
printed on the stationery. 1t showed Co
Cockerill driving his Swift, in brush wit
tFotters driven by David Lamar. E.
Smathers, A. E. Perren, and Mr.. Boiling.
A member of the Board of Directors O
the association said last night that 1t wa
remarkable that the city hadn't steppe
IN and prevented the patchwork whic
had been made Of the clubhouse and grand
stand.
Col. Cockerill said he might tear dow
the grandstand and sell the wood to &c
back part Of what he had spent over tn
5000 which he has agreed to accept. Som
OF the members think that the grandstan
belongs to the association, but 1t migf
better be torn down.
PRECEDENT Cockeril gave this explains
ton OF Mr.. DietEs resignation last nigh
sDietz took the chAtrmanship Of the sui
ecription committee with the idea that h
could 20 out and raise $4,000 among tn
horsemen. He couldn't. 80 he was disguise
and resigned.
80 ! intend to resign1. Not much.
think III call special meeting to acceI
Mr. Strauss resignation
One Of the leading horsemen OF Ne
York aald Last niUht that he Thought II We