The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-08-12


poIitan Afternoon DniIi.s.
81 never read OF close finish In a
big running race nowadays that I'm
not remiRded Of famous punctured
scoop In which / figured when l was
working In New York newspaper Of
6ce," said an old time telegrapher wLo
is now employed In Washington.
1T 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
year-old Of the season.
"The exception was Richard Crok ef' :
fiier Dobbins. These two yOungster.
finally met In the Futurlty, and, al
though the Keene colt won, with Dob
bins third, the latter's owner was not
satisfied with the result, and n match
was speedily arranged at the Futurity
distance for $4,000 a side.
"Now, the paper | 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 n big event ike this on the
street first.
'"The other fellows had beaten MS on
the Futurity story n few days before.
and the managing editor made no ne
cret OF the fact that he was going TO
get even.
Accordingly he laid all Of his plans
al. al Ill
know at the time what they were, we
felt sure by the way he struttcd around
on the morning OF the race that he had
the winning combination up his sleeve.
"Along about noontimc OF that day
the editor, the most nervous man /
ever met, called me into his Office and
told me that, ms 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 n wire In
good working order and prepare to get
the result OF the fifth race.
"The scheme WAS to have two presses
set and all ready To- start. one or
them was to have the big front page
headline read 'Dobblns Wins the HAG
Match and the other Just the sasA
except that Domino's name nppcasNt
I'm the place OF Dobblns'. The Dobht~S
cxtrn was on press No. and the Dem
ino extra on press No. 2. Whicheyer
horse won, the managing editor was ts
call out No. / or No. ., and the pross
would be started I'm quicker time than
Il takes to tell of the arrangement
IL couldn't help but inwardly smile
as watched the managing editor strid-
ing ncrvously about, waiting for the
start, Just like n man who had thou
sands OF dollars wngcred on the chance
Of one Of the racers.
Suddenly the key OF my instrument
began TO click, and he quickly stopped
and looked anxiously Mt me, but IL
proved to be only the operator at the
other end testing. Learning this, he We
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 Off In
minute. This information, instond OF
steadying the managing editor. only In
creased his jumpinoss, for he ordered
the men who were standing around to
cease their talking and also called
downstairs half dozen times TO know
lf everything was ready below In tho
press room.
"In the midst of this the key again
began TO work, and l called out that
they were off.
"The clicks of the instrument that
followed now told me that they were
moving along, nose and nose, at the
quarter. At the half mile Domino was
in the lead by nose, and ms l an
nounced this was watching the man
aging editor. and | could SEQ his lps
framing the words NO. - which was
the Domino press.
"Dobbins Just managed TO shove his
nose I'm front at the three-quartcrs ami
the boss moved nearer the speaking
tube ms I made this announcement.
Coming into the stretch the two game
colts were head and head, and the man
aging editor, with the mouthpicce -
the speaking tube pressed tightly
against his lips was waiting for tho
result.
well, the result came along In good
season. But never so long as l live
shall | forget the expression on that
editors face when the key told me that
the match race was dead heat. i hes
ltated Just a second before calling II
out, for l could almost picture In my
mind what effect II would have on him.
Finally / called out In as firm voice
AZ could. Dead hcatv
well. that editors knees just gave
way from under him. IL he had net
grabbed u chair am positive he would
have fallen to the aoor.
Dead heat2' he gasped, with n Nv
III face. Are you surcT
IL told him that II had been repeated
to me and that there could be no Ns-
take. He was too dumfoundcd TO ueQs
for two or three seconds, but whcs -
saw all OF the men who were abo,k -
Jump TO their places ready 10 throv.s-
gether new scare head. while Others
hustled around 10 find the stcrcotypers,
who almost to man had gone out of
the building. he came TO In a jify and
was the same old hustler.
Everybody took hold and worked
harder probably than he ever worked
before or since. and although we didn't
beat the opposition paper, as we were