Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18
WHEN THE RINGER WON


.sThe story about the alleged ringer
that recently won race on one Of the
California tracks, the inside history OF
which was said to have been exposed by
a disgruntled stable hand employed by the
ringers owner, reminded me OF q similar
thing that happened back this way when
the old Alexander Island track was In oper-
ation,'' observed trainer who is working
a string at Benning.
1.-THE putting over of a ringer by an old
timer at the Alexander Island track enabled
a black stable hand to work his edge and
take chunk out OF the owner. The black
stable hand had been employed by the
owner at one of the Maryland outlaw
tracks. and he knew all about the ringer
The owner had been Obliged to fire the
darkey for drunkenness before quitting the
Maryland track When the black packed
up his gear he did a lot of muttering about
getting hunk later on. and all that-talk 20
which the owner paid no attention.
1.-The old-time owners ringer was six
year-old that had most of the bunch at
Alexander Island beat to death In the
sprints up to thres-quarters The owner
had boy along with his string who'd been
chased Off the legitimate tracks for ph0ny
work, and what that youngster didn't know
about riding as if his life depended on win
ming, with forty wraps on his mount all
the time, wasn't worth knowing.
1.-THE owner of the ringer slid the horse
into FIVE or six sprints before deciding to
cut the nag loose The animal was pretty
likely looking, and the books began by
laying to / against him. He was never
anywhere near the front, and every time
he started his price, of course. went up.
After he had also ran in five races, show
ing no speed whatever, the owners jockey
came to him and told him he'd better crack
Al I'll hat
he. the jock was having all kinds of trouble
to hold the brute in-that the horse was
getting so good that he was liable to take
the bit in his teeth and run over the
bunch the very next time out.
so the owner of the ringer, decided to
open the jam pot the next time he slipped
the horse into race. He opened it. He
got 80 to against the nag. and he slammed
money down in the pool rooms all over the
middle Atlantic states. He stood to win
close to $4,000 in the pool rooms-he was
wise enough to refrain from whacking the
books at the track. If a man wants to
push ringer over at an outlaw track, it
doesn't help his little game to take any OF
tho track bookies' dough in the operation.
They're too liable to find out things after
they're walloped, and make a howl that'n
stick.
1T was a ten-horse race at three quar-
tiers. with the overwhelming favorite at 1
to getting all of the bettors support The
owner picked out spot on the rail away
lEoIl the gang TO Wdtcn the race. Inc only
fear that he had was that his jockey
wouldn't be able to hold the ringer in,
and that the brute might excite the sus-
picion of the stewards by winning by a
quarter of mile or so.
The owner was cogitating these things
when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
Aftuhnoon, cap said the voice. How s
yo' all dis aftuhnoon?'
The owner looked around and there was
the black stable hand he had fired for
drunkenness over in Maryland. The darkey
was sober, and got up in the extreme of
the cake-walk style. He had business in his
eye, too.
H Hello so, there ctt, 5en said the owner.
Oh tolable. boss-jes' tolable, said the
black man.
Working the owner of the ringer
asked his discharged stable hand
1.-THE black grinned.
Abs uh-wukkin' yo' all dis aftuhnoon
boss, he replied. But ah amt no hawg.
Jes' uh faiuh piece O. de rake-down IL do TO-
mine Mus hev a faiuh piece, To- suah.
Jes' nachully need a cut on de good thing
What the devil are you talking about p
the owner chopped out, with bluff at
wrathfulness; but he knew, all the same.
that his former stable hand had him, and
had him right.
Well, yo' see, cap, IT'S jes' dis-uh-way,'
said the darkey. easily. Abs dun quit uh-
rubin EN- down, an Ah'm uh-gwine tub
TEX tub speculashun mahse'f. Abs gwine
I
All kin do wifi de boollies out tiat-uh-way,
an All jes' nachully needs de kale tub go
out an begin wuk on 'em. Dis heah's uh
babe yo' alPs uh-pullin off tuh-day, an,
All was uh-trailin' yo' all wen yo' had yos
bets sent uhway tub de pool rooms Bout
TO thousan' o. de bonesll do TO youah's
truly, sub.
1.-THE old-time owner sized the black up,
and there was an evil CLINT in the owners
eye. at that; but he could see just exactly
where he stood.
"'Ah's dun got de aidge on yo' all. boss.
an Ah'm suah gwfne tub wuk it lax uh
mean nigguh,' continued the darkey, re-
lentlessly. But yo' all fuhed me an dun
de DUTY, cap.
" 'Supposing, you Internal ape, that 1
don't dig up copper, but have you run
out of the grounds for being a fake and a
nuisance, what then?' growled the owner,
more to gain time to think than for any
other purpose.
"Well, suh,' replied the black man, grin
ming cheerfully, Aid jes' nachully be
'bleeged tub do de bes' All knew how TO-
de teckshun o. de noble spoht o. racin'
THE ringer won by head-the kid on
his back rode scientific race on him, drop
ped from the clouds, and drew the finish
dead fine-and the black man with the edge
got his $4,000 out of it, which was just
about enough for him to gn-pickle himself
to death in less than a year."