The San Francisco call., 1904-12-09
CRESCEUS' MILE
IS NOT ALLOWED
Track Officials Are All
Ruled Off for the Part
They Played in the Case
KETCHAM EXONERATED
Evidence Not Sufficiently
Strong to Establish His
Connection With Fraud

CHICAGO, Dec. S.-George r. Ketch-
am of Toledo was found not guilty Of
establishing a fraudulent record for his
trotting stallion Cresceus at the Wich-
ita. Kans.. track on October 19, 1903,
after a hearing Of the case tonight be-
fore the board of appeals Of the Ameri-
can Trotting Association. The board
declared that the evidence fell short Of
sufficiency in establishing criminal par
ficipation in the claimed fraudulent
agreement for an illegiumate record so
far as Mr. Ketcham was concerned
The story detailed by Starter Jor-
dan Of the Wichita track. who declared
fo the board that Mr. Ketcham had ar
ranged with him TO fix the time Of Cres-
ceus so that the worlds mile record
would be broken" the decision declares,
is not without considerable cOrrobOra-
fiOn IN matters Of minor detail. We
must. however. view the case before us
wholly from the evidence we have that
the chief factor has certainly convict
ed himself of falsehOOd, and especially
in view Of the sweeping and uneQuiVo-
cal denial Of direct or indirect partlcl-
nation made by Mr.. Ketcham, We must
determine that the evidence fails to es-
tablish his connection With the fraud
and intrigue lying at the foundation Of
this attempted record
While freeing Mr.. Ketcham from the
charge. the board found the officials of
the Southern Kansas Fair Association,
on whose track the race was run,
guilty Of cOnniVance TO establish a
fraudulent record, and expelled from
the American TrOtting Association
President c. II. Irwin and all the other
officials connected with the Wichita
track at that time.
OFFICIALS ARE PUNISHED.
The persons expelled by the board
besides Mr.. Irwin were s. B. Amidon,
Judge A c. Jordan. Fred Stearnes and
II T. Eames. all of whom were found
by the board 10 have participated in
the announcement and establishment OF
the fraudulent record Of the horse
Cresceus. The expulsion Of these Of
ficials also means that the worlds rec
ord for trotting stations of 1:5924,
claimed TO have been made by Cres-
ceus. is not allowed by the board. In
the decision on the case the board says
in part:
Leaving out Of consideration entire
ly the last affidavit made by Mr.. Jor-
dan. detailing what he now claims to
be the truth Of the entire transaction,
so far at least as the statements made
therein affect any person other than
himself, and relying alone on the con-
Trajectory statements under oath made
by Messrs. Amidon, Stearnes, Jordan,
Eames and Irwin, not only as to the
time made and the details Of the per-
fOrmance, but also and particularly as
10 the manifest effort shown to estab-
lish what must have been known by
Messrs Irwin and Amidon as an abso-
lutely irregular and unlawful meeting
for the record purpose, we are forced to
the unavoidable conclusion that each
Of the persons named has within but a
little more than a year made absolutely
irrecOncila.ble and contradictory state
ments Of the facts necessary to the
regularity Of the meeting, and even the
approximate correctness Of the time
made. From the several affidavits the
conclusion is irresistible that not only
was the meeting irregular. but the at
tempt 70 give the horse such a record
was a gross fraud upon the public and
a willful violation Of the rules Of the
American Trotting Association.
RECORD Is THROWN OUT.
"All controversy over the regularity
Of the performance and the correctness
Of the time claimed is forever set at
rest by Mr.. Ketchams authorized
statement, through his attorney, made
to-day before the board, in which he
uneQuivOcally states that he is satisfied
from the evidence DelOre the board
that the horse Cresceus did not make
the mile in 1:593l at Wichita, Kans.
October 19. 1903, and that he is not en-
titled to the credit for the performance
Of any record arising therefrom; thai
the announcement Of such time ther
and there made was fraudulently done
and was false: that Cresceus is not en-
titled TO the record, and Mr.. Ketchan
does not want it under existing circum.
stances"