The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-11
IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE
BY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Plan of Younger Element to OBJ
tain Control of Light Harness
Racing Is Frustrated.
NEW OFFICERS ELECTED
Marks Made by Horses at Matinee
Meets VIII Not Be Permitted
to Stand as Records.

NEW YORK. Feb. 1O.-Important changes
were made in the directorate of the Nation
al TrOtting Association at the twenty-sec-
ond annual congress of the association, held
to-day at the Murray Hill Hotel. Interest
centered in the efforts of wealthy owners of
light harness horses and trotting tracks
constituting the so-called younger element
in the sport to obtain control of the organ
ization. Representatives of this class have
been in session for several days preparing
for the contest before congress. 1t became
known to-day that they had decided to in
corporate the Grand Circuit under the laws
of the State of Michigan with the following
board of incorporators: II. NJ. Hanna. of
Cleveland; Col. John 1. Thayer, of Boston;
ID. j. Campau, of Detroit; f. Z. Perkins,
of Providence. and H. d. Shepard of Cleve-
land. With these gentlemen were associat-
ed II. II. Devereux, Cleveland Murray
Howe and c. X. G.. Billings, Memphis;
James Butler, of the Empire City track;
William A. Engmann and G. A. McCully, of
the Brighton Beach track, and Clarence p.
Willard, of Gloversvile. 1t was decided at
the same time that the new Grand Circuit
should appoint stewards of race meetings
who should be competent TO make findings
independent of the board of review. This
raised the question of jurisdiction between
the National Association and the new Crane
circuit, which was settled by compromise
reached at conference held between Pres
ldent Johnston and Messrs Campau, Butler
and Taylor, which was ratified at the con-
gress to-day.
After the congress had organized Presi-
dent Johnston announced as the nominating
committee, j. w. Archer, James Cairn
Simpson and c. NJ Chaplin, who, as the evil
dent result of the compromise, reported the
following ticket, which unanimously
elected:
President. p p Johnston, of Lexington,
KY; first vice president in the place of
Connecticut; second vice president, n. t.
Smith. of San Francisco; treasurer, Lewis
j. Powers, of Springfield. Mass; secretary,
w. n. Gocher, of Hartford.
1t was in the composition of the district
boards from which the president of the as
ISOLATION selects the members of the board
of review that the chief surprises and the
proofs of the fact that a compromise has
been effected came.
For the Eastern district, Charles Dana
Palmer. of Lowell, Mass. was reelected.
F. e: Perkins, of Providence, was chosen;
and in the place of j. Malcolm Forbes, of
Boston, j. NJ. Johnson, of Calais. Me-, was
chosen.
To the Atlantic district ]. c. Sibley, Of
Franklin, Pa; Frank Bower, of Philadel-
phia and John H. Shultz, of New York,
were replaced, respectively, by Horace
White, of Syracuse James Butler of New
York and w. Perry Taylor. of Buffalo.
For the Central district, William Russell
Allen, of st. Louis, was reelected; Frank
Bower. of Philadelphia, replaced John c.
Welty, of Canton, o., while c. X. CT. Bill
lings took the place of r. H. Plant, of
Macon, Ga. For the Western district John
G. Mcharren, of San Francisco succeeded
X. p Head, of the same city. A d.
Spreckels and John c. kirkpatrick, of the
same city, were also continued. OF these
Messrs. Johnston, Butler, Taylor and either
White or Perkins are likely to go on the
board of review. The report of the COM
mittee on rules was received and accepted.
The proposition of shortening the dis
lance from 100 to eighty yards on mile
tracks and from eighty to fifty on half-mile
tracks was lost.
On the qestion of matinee performances
ii was decided that horse shall not take
his mark from any performance of this
sort. Such contests are to be regarded as
Contests of speed" After considerable
discussion of the amendment of the roles
providing for the announcement of the
sale of horse previous to a race in which
he was entered, it was decided, that the
owner must give notice to the secretary OF
the track and through him to the judges
of the changing hands of any horse, or the
leasing of him after Z o'clock on the even
| ing preceding any race in which the ami
NAL has been entered. ID. j. Campau, Of
| the Detroit Driving Club, was renstated
| in membership in the National Association
| The congress then adjourned.