Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-01
DIRECTORS BEGIN
INVESTIGATION
CONSIDER CHARGES AGAINST
MANAGER BROOKS
Board Holds Secret Session, Takes
Testimony Of Aeeusers and Ae-
cused and AdIourns-Prog-
ress 10 Unknown
BY Jay Davidson

with closed doors and all witnesse
"transpirations" behind the guardec
portals, the board of directors of thu
Los Angeles Jockey club held stal
chamber session yesterday morning a
the office of the secretary at Ascot ant
heard the charges of misconduct al
preferred by the horsemen asains
Manager Brooks and also listened Il
such testimony as was offered by tht
accusers and accused. So tits said. M
one knows except those within the pre-
cincts wherein the racing judiciary sat
Just why the public was excluded
from the room no one knows. Nor IL
any reason or explanation advanced FOL
the exclusion Of representatives of the
press.
The charges against Brooks are not
private affairs, as they reflect upon the
game and directly interest the race
going public that may have made
unwise investments at Ascot and star
chamber session, where evidence pro
and con relating to alleged crookedness
in which the aforementioned race-go-
ing public may have been affected, may
give an improper impression as to the
probable result of the investigation.
The public has the right to an opinion
upon the subject and unless it is in pos
session of the facts it cannot form a
proper opinion. Manager Brooks is, in
a sense, a public servant and his acts
are to that extent concern of the
patronizing public.
The directors may hear the testimony
and come to a decision. Regardless of
whether 1t be a decree of conviction
or of acquittal, the public cannot ap-
prove or criticise the decree without
having knowledge of the facts. 1t is
the province of the public to pass upon
the righteousness of the finale to the
charges and this should mean a corre-
spending right to consider the facts pre-
scented to the board.
Suppress Facts
The inclination to suppress the facts,
as evidenced by the exclusion of the
public and representatives of the press
and the seal of secrecy placed upon
all concerned spectators, does not meet
with universal favor and mutterings
of discomfort were commingled with
speaking smiles from the excluded ones
yesterday.
Many witnesses were subjected to the
ordeal of the inquisition of the direc-
tory of the jockey club, but the testi-
mony is as profound secret as is
possible OIL lIldSlIdIlOil.
Should a decision of conviction be
made the public would be in nowise COM
petent to criticise or approve the find
ings. Should Brooks be fully exon
Grated, the reasons therefor would be
equally as mysterious. Regardless of
individual views upon the subject, sup
preston of real facts can accomplish
no permanent gain for either side of the
controversy.
.r IL, ;I,
now in possession of the public, nasty
as they assuredly are. are without
justification in truth, Manager Brooks
is entitled to the benefit of the judg-
ment of the public after 1t has been
fully advised in the premises, and he
can obtain no complete and unqualified
exoneration otherwise.
Equally as forcible is the assertion
of one of his friends yesterday that
unless the facts are fully known the
public will not universally condemn
him upon the judgment of the star
chamber session should it decree that
he is guilty as charged.
Suppression of facts will justify one
side in shouting 'whitewash" in the
event of acquittal, while the other side
may as appropriately chorus "coer-
cion" or "jobbery'' in the event of con-
viction. To remove all doubt as to the
findings. the public should be taken into
the confidence of the board and in this
way alone can future doubts and quib-
bling be obviated.
FaVorite Missing
An amusing incident occurred before
the sixth race yesterday which is prob
ably without a parallel in racing his
tory. Miss Affable was made favorite
in the books and after heavy play on
her chances to win the judges were in
formed that she was not in the paddock
and could not be located by the pad
dock judge.
An investigation followed, and it was
ascertained that Miss Affable, which is
stabbed outside the track, had broken
out of her barn and darted for uptown
at a clip that evidenced the ease with
which she would have won had she
gone TO the post.
After chase of twenty-five blocks
she was captured, but it was too late
for her to go to the post and the judges
were forced to order her scratched and
allow twenty minutes for a new book.
In the second booking Smithy Kane
was made favorite. despite his recog-
nized championship ability as a gutter
of high degree. Owing to the ordinary
field opposed to him the specializing
public played his chances heavily, evil
IDENTIFY believing that he would take
such an awful lead that nothing in the
race could catch him.
When the field was sent away from
the post Smithy opened up a gap of
nearly an eighth of mile in a flash
and entered the stretch with lead of
ten or fifteen lengths. The lead was so
great that 1t seemed impossible for him
to lose. but he again displayed his re-
narkable quitting ability and stopped
to nothing, being exceedingly fortunate
to be in the money.
In the run home st. Wlnifrede and
Mrs. Bob passed him in the same man
ner as the tabled express going by
tramp the former winning by nose,
with Mrs. Bob a length ahead of
Smithy which finished third. No derby
winner ever received the applause given
Smithy Kane for his remarkable feat
as he galloped back to the judges
stand.
Adams Wins Easily
The feature event was the steeple-
chase, first on the card. Adams was
made favorite to win, but was away
poorly and did not improve his posi-
ton materially until after going over
the final lump, when he performed an