The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-15
DIVER WILL NOT START
At THE WORTH TRACK
prince of Starters Allowed TO
Sign to Officiate at Kan
sas City.
MOVE INDICATES WAR
Wagner and O'Brien Will Make a
Fight and Won't Accept
Racing Dates.
MOVE INDICATES WAR

CHICAGO. Feb. 14-Richard Dwyer. gen
orally known as the prince OF starters"
Friday sent this telegram to ]. E. Wagner.
manager of the Worth race track of this
city:
Have an offer to sign with the Kansas
City Club. Must close at once. What shah
/ do?"
Immediately the reply was shot back to
Dwyer that he could do as he saw fit. The
matter was not taken before the board of
directors OF the Worth club. Wagner
showed the telegram 20 former Senator
o'Brien, and the pair had little delay in
making up their minds. do as you deem
advisable. - was the brief missive that was
sent to Dwyer at Los Angeles. where he is
starting the horses.
Inconsequential as these kilograms may
seem. they are Of vast import to the local
racing situation, indicating that the Worth
Jockey Club. in refusing the dates handed
out to it by the Western Jockey Club, is
not "four-fushing' in any degree. but
means to tight the racing magnates to a
finish during the coming turf season. Sum
ming the whole matter up, Worth will not
race this spring unless the board Of stew
ards Of the Western Jockey Club. at an
a. 4CCNAl6 5ECo III ~ RGN " III =
spring time for racing forward a little bit
from the original opening date of April IS.
The Worth people say they want nothing
but May dates. They do not wish TO tackle
the changeable weather that always pre-
walls here the latter part of April, and cite
for a good argument that when the syndi-
cate. as they call it. that at present con-
trolls. or seems TO control. the local game
"A Gf IN did not onpu any Of its raCa
tracks till the middle of May.
Dryers decision to sign with the Kansas
City Jockey Club comes as a great surprise
to local followers of the game. The Kansas
City dates, as rearranged at a recent meet
ing OF the Western Jockey Club. call for a
meeting from April 30 to May 10, both in
elusive. II can be seen, therefore, that
Dryers telegram was regarding the con-
fiict between Kansas City and the Worth
track.
O'Br'en. who holds the most important
position in the Worth Jockey Club, that of
treasurer. it being admitted that the presi-
dency and vice presidency are mere figure
heads. Is free TO speak his mind In the mat
ter, and does IL with a degree of feeling that
admits of little doubt as 10 how they all
feel about the Western Jockey Clubs die
tatorship;
gates Of the track at Chicago Ridge will be
closed April IS" Mr. O'BrIen said yester-
day Afternoon. 1--WE have not gone out of
our way to invite a fight with the Jockey
Club, but we are going TO fight at this time
and fight hard. Mr.. Powers, former presi-
dent OF the Worth Club, had not the slight
est authority 10 accept the dates that were
handed out to us. But he did accept them.
Then the directors of the club filed a strong
protest within three days with the Jockey
Club. outlining our position. and asking for
a rehearing. 1t was never accorded us.
Let the Jockey Club remove the outlaw
ban and the Worth Club will go along about
its business, and will not ask any further
favors from the magnates that control or
are supposed 10 control the situation. | am
not going TO say that We have any allies OF
supporters in our position. We are stand
ing solely on our own bottom.
Worth has been the Chicago pacemaker
in the matter OF purses for some time. Note
the fact that the first year We opened we
gave the limit of $500 purses. then we fol-
1owed that on with purse Offerings OF
Club would have shown the right DISPOSE
tion toward US We would have raised the
limit 10 500. Now they want US TO take the
only dates that are not acceptable to the
others. We will not do ii. Our stake
offerings have been as good as anybody's."
The action OF Dwyer and the probable
stand Of the Worth Club as outlined by Mr..
O'Brien and substantiated by Mr.. Wagner,
manager of the track, throws on the mar
ket one OF the best racing secretaries and
racing handy men" known TO the business,
Edward Jasper. He is acting at present al
Los Angeles, Cal, and Is without doubt as
good as any man about the tracks of the
country to-day. JaSper'S case is a mere
sample The Worth track had other highly
competent racing officials and all of them
are now on the market-unless, of course,
hey choose to stick with Worth should
tie directors of the Chicago Ridge Club out
line a policy OF making a direct war on the
other Chicago tracks.
II may come to this, and then again
sounder Judgment may prevail.