The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-24
A BEAT THAT FAILED
HOW THE PLANS OF AN ENTERPRIS-
ING EDITOR WERE UPSET.

The Ciimnx to the Grent Dobbins-
Domino Matcii Race na IL Develop
ed In thc Office OF One of the Metro
politan Afternoon DaiIies.
Il never read of Il close finish in n
Dig running race nowadays that I'm
not reminded OF famous puEcturel
scoop in which l figured when l was
working in q New York newspaper Of
fice," said an old time telegrapher who
is now employed in Washington.
at was back in the days when the
great Domino was the star colt of the
keene stable and, with one exception.
was acknowledged as the greatest two
yearold Of the season.
THE exception was Richar1 Crok er's
tlier Dobhins. These two youngsters
finally met III the Futurity, and. al
though the Keene colt won, with Dob
bins third, the latters owner was not
satisfied with the result. and match
was speedily arranged ut the Tuturity
distance for $4,000 n side.
Now, the paper l worked on was an
evening sheet, and it was the ambition
of the managing EDITORS life to beat
the opposition evening paper and get
the news OF Il big event like this on the
street first
The other fellows had beaten us on
the Futurity story few days before,
and the managing editor made no Sc
Cret OF the fact that he was going to
get even.
Accordingly he laid all Of his plans
n day ahead. and, although we did not
know Mt the time what they were, we
felt sure by the way he strutted around
on the morning Of the race that heohad
the winning combination up his sleeve,
"Along about noontime OF that day
the editor, the most nervous man I
ever met, called me into his office and
told ME that, as the match race was
the fifth event on the card, he wanted
me to have one Of the other operators
take the result of the fourth race, and
he also wanted me to get wire in
good working order and prepare to get
the result Of the fifth race.
"The scheme was to have two presses
set and oil ready to start. One OF
them was to have the big front page
Match and the other just the same,
except that Domino's name appeared
in the place Of Dobbins'. The Dobbins
extra was on press No. and the DOM
ino extra ON press No. 2. Whichever
horse won, the managing editor was to
call out No. or No. 2, and the press
would be started in quicker time than
it takes to tell Of the arrangement.
II couldn't help but inwardly smile
as watched the managing editor strId-
ing nervously about, waiting for the
start, just like man who had thou
sands Of dollars wagered Oh the chance
Of one Of the racers.
Suddenly the key OF my instrument
began to click. and he quickly stopped
and looked anxiously at me, but 1t
proved to be only the operator at the
other end testing. Learning this, he re-
sumed his walk up and down the room.
Presently the key began to click
again. This time the horses were on
their way to the post. The next got
from the other end was that the horses
were at the post and would be of in u
minute. This Information, instead OF
steadying the managing editor, only in
creased his jumpiness, for he ordered
the men who were standing around to
cease their talking and also called
downstairs half dozen times to know
If everything was ready below in the
press room.
sin the midst Of this the key again
began to work. and called out that
they were of.
''The clicks Of the instrument that
followed now told me that they were
moving along, nose and nose, at the
quarter. - The hale mile Domino was
in the lead by nose. and as an
nounced this was watching the man-
aging editor, and I could seq his lips
framing the words mo. g. which was
the Domino press.
"Dobbins just managed 60 shove his
nose In front at the three-quarters and
the boss moved nearer the speaking
tube as ] made this announcement.
Coming into the stretch the two game
colts were head and head, and The man
aging editor, with the mouthpiece Of
the speaking tube pressed tightly
against his lips. was waiting for the
result. s'1 \;
wen, the result came along Id Soo0
season. But never 80 long as live
shall forget the expression on that
E EDITORS face when the key told me that
athe match race was dead heat. I hes
itated just second before calling 1t
out, for could almost picture In my
mind what effect 1t would have on him.
Finally I called out in as firm a voice
as could, Dead heatg M
swell, that editors knees just gave
way from under him. If he had not
grabbed a chair I am positive he would
have fallen to the fioor.
Dead heat" he gasped, with liv-
Id face. Are you sure?' sy
"I told him that 1t had been repeated
to me and that there could be no mis-
take. He was too dumfounded to move
for two or. three seconds, but when he
saw all Of the men who We're about to
49, a. -,