The sun., 1903-05-08
RECORD.BREAKING CROWD.
Society Visits Morris Park In TslIy.ho ana
Auto and OyerfOws tho Paddock.


Society Visits Morris Park in TsIIy.ho and
Auto and Overnows tho Paddock
The magnitude Of the crowd simply
overwhelmed the transit facilities. As
early as IL o'clock the throng began to
arrive at the track in such numbers that
the management predicted record-break-
ing attendance. Old timers said that they
had never seen such an outpourng at the
Westchester course. and the attendance
was conservatively estimated at $4,000.
Society turned out in large numbers. There
we're over one hundred automobiles lined
up on the green lawn In front OF the club
house before the first race was run, while
countless tally-ho coaches and fashionable
turnouts were ranged side by side on the
greensward beyond the paddock. The
clubhouse, in which there were good things
to eat in plenty, swarmed with men of
wealth and women Of fashion. The build
ing was soon overtaxed, and the chairs on
the grassy lawn were at a premium.
The costumes would have made brill
liant picture for an artists brush, for they
were of all styles and textures, and all the
colors of the rainbow we're blended to-
gether in brilliant array. Everybody talked
horse, and Mr.. Whitney's colors were con-
spicuously worn by many
The paddock, with its lofty trees and soft
velvety turf was popular trysting place.
and while the candidates for the Metro
politan were undergoing preparations for
the race it was a magnet which drew men
in all walks of life to places where they
could inspect the thoroughbred to their
hearts content. The number Of women
was surprisingly large. There were fully
one hundred of them. and they looked
over the horses with intense interest, ask
always answered with prcmptness.
Mr.. Whitney and his son, Harry Payne
Whitney, were surrounded by crowd Of
friends as they looked over Gunfre.. Then
in the crowd were noticed Frederick Geb-
gust Belmont, j. E. Widener, T.. r. Thomas.
Ambrose Clark, Cornelius Fellows, Sydney
Holloway. J. ". Colt, R. G. Hooper, H; S.
Page. E. E., smathers. Jesse Lewisohn,
John E. Madden. W. \. Fleischmann' 4
Hitchcock, Jr >. l.. v, Bell, R. T. Wilson, Jr,.
and many others devoted TO the fortunes
of the turf. Robert Gerry came to the
r1ces on a coach, accompanied by A. g.
Vanderbilt; the Westchester Country Club
also drove TO the course in tally:ho; the
coach Good Times and the coach Reliance
were also on hand, together with a dozen
others driven by notables. H. H. Vreeland
and a party OF friends had private box,
while along the line were bankers, brokers,
lawyers, doctors, builders, architects, gam
blers and crooks.
The racing took them all in. while down
on the lawn there were politicians without
number, big saloonkeepers, prizefghters.
confidence men and general all-around
touts.
During the running Of the Metropolitan
the big grand stand was so crowded that
the aiscs were impossible, while the lawn
from the paddock gate far beyond the so
cent field, was black with humanity. The
hett ng ring. which is the largest on the
circuit, was so jammed that many. after
experiencing rough-and- tumble fight
before the first rnce, concluded to refrain
from betting during the rest Of the after
noon.
There were ninetv-two members Of the
Turf Association doing bust
ness in the big ring forty unattached layers
were In the second row and fifteen standing
up, whilc In the field there were 1872, making
in all 30 books in operation at the track.