The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-08
DILLON'S HIGH-WHEEL
RECORD is WORTHLESS
Supreme Court of TrOtting
Turf Rejects Figures.
AFFECTS DELMAR AND ALERT
Dan Patch the Only Champion Whose
Figures Are Allowed to

Maud S. with her record of 2:0S2s to
a high-wheel sulky, remains the queen
OF trotters to the old-style sulky. Prince
Alert's record of 1:57 pacing and Major
Delmar's record of 1:5924 trotting are
rejected. Lou Dillon retains her record
OF 1:5S1a trotting. and Dan Patch's rec
ord of 1854 pacing stands, but in the
annals OF trotting and pacing the queen
and king will have a star at the side
of their-names, Indicating that an ex-
planatioh is necessary in regard to their
records. v
This Isl the verdict Of the supreme
court OF the,tfotting turf which met in
New York yesterday. Bitter as has been
the feeling over the question of the use
of wind shields. dirt shields and ball
bearing axles. this decision Is almost
certain TO lead 70 a feud in the trotting
horse world M
The phenomenal time made by Lou
Dillon. Dan Patch. Major Delmar. and
Prince Alert last year Is either rejected
or discarded and the enthusiasm mani
tested over the advent of the two-minute
trotter and pdcer is ridiculed.
Members of Court.
The supTems court Of records Is COM
posed Of William Russell, Allen, of Pitts
field. Mass. president Of the Trotting
Register Association; p p. Johnston.
president of the National Trotting As
ISOLATION. and w. =. Ijams, president
OF the American Trotting Association.
Their decision is final. The investiga-
ton OF the effect of wind or dirt shields.
pacemakers in front. and ball bearing
axles on an old-fashioned high-wheel
sulky was caused by a protest first
made by II. b, Armitage, and secondly
Armitage asked the trotting powers to
reject wind-shielding records. while
Robert, BOnnerss sons asked that Lou
DillOn's record Of 2;05. made at Cleve-
land. be rejected because she was be
hind wind shield and that the high
wheel silky she pulled had ball-bearing
aXles. Mr.. Bonner's sons claimed Maud
SIS suilxy did not have ball-bearing
axles. that no wind shield preceded her
and that only one pacemaker was at her
side
Robert Bonner addressed the board in
Opposition TO Lou DiIlon's claim of the
high-wheel sulky record of POS Charles
Tanner. trainer for c. X G. Billings
owner Of Lou Dillon. replied to Bonner
He said John Splan and others who saw
Maud S. trot her mile said two pace
makers were employed. that Maud S
had three sulkies. and no one knew
which she pulled; that the man who
built the sulNies said they had roller
bearings, frictiOnless axles. and that Lou
Dlllons sulky weighed ten pounds more
than Maud SIS sullSy.
Harry X. Deversux the wealthy
Ohio horseman. said Maud S. had two
pacemakers. and that no wind shield
preceded Lou Dillon. Tom Eek, the BIZ
cyciist, testified that unless the trotter
was as close as five feet to the pace
maker no benefit was derived.
+. NJ. BabcOck testified that dirt and
wind shields had aided materially sew
erai trotters and PAGERS he had seen go
for records. Gurneygue argued that
wind and dirt shields aided a trotter or
PAGER several seconds. Others argued
the question pro and con.
Decision Handed Down.
The Authorities then went into exec
utive session and handed down the fol-
lowing decision:
We find that the performance of Lou
Dillon at Cleveland, Ohio, September y,
1903. in 2f05, 70 a high wheeled ball bear
ing sulky1 with a paceTnaker with dirt
Shield in front was not a record. be
cause the mare had previously perform
ed in faster time, which performance
was her record. and precluded a slower
performance being a record.
I'VE also find that the performance
OF Maud S. at Cleveland, Chic. in 1855.
was TO a wheeled. plain axle. ac-
cording TO rules; that the time, 2:0S7s
was not only the best time, but the
best time ever made up tothat date, and
was a record. -
In regard to the use Of wind shields,
the committees finding is as follows:
'Ne-record can be made with a wind
shield other than the ordinary dirt
shield and pacemaker in front
"A performance with the pacemaker
in front with dirt shield. shall be re-
corded with a distinguishing mark. re-
ferring 70 a note stating the facts"
The sum and substance Of the de-
cision as that ali worlds records made
last year are discredited insomuch as
they VIII not appear in the records
without an explanatory note Prince
Alert 8 record ~ 1901 IS absolutely re
Jected. as is Major Delmar's 1888,
Lou Dillon and Dan Patch never fol-
lowed regular wind shield a dirt
shield being used in their cases