The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-12-06
In the Way of Sport
MARE WAS NOT DRUGGED;
SMATHERS IS CLEARED
Board of Review of National Trotting
Association Dismisses Sensational

The charge that Lou Dillon was
doped when she raced against Major
Delmar for the Memphis gold cup has
gone up in smoke. The board of Re
view OF the National Trotting Asso-
citation dismissed at Wednesdays ses-
sion.
The case which was taken UP by the
board at a continuation OF its winter
meeting today grew out Of the drug
ging Of Lou Dillon at the Memphis.
Tenn, meet on Oct. 10, 1904 smathers,
who owned Major Delmar and drove
him In the race was charged with hay-
ing been cognizant Of III treatment Of
c. K. G. Billings mare which resulted
IN the latter's utter failure to show
form in the race and the winning Of the
$4,000 gold cup By Major Delmar
When the charges We're made suit was
brought by the Memphis association,
but It was stopped BY injunction. To-
days hearing was for the purpose Of
determining the facts.
The case occupied the whole day, but
soon was decided after the board re-
tired for elaboration tonight.
Many attidavits were introduced and
several witnesses examined. Some of
the testimony was sensational One
affidavit read was made by Ed Saunders
who originally preferred the charges
against Smathers. Saunders in his
earlier affidavit had sworn that Smath-
ers paid him $4,000 to administer eight
ounces Of a drug TO Lou Dillon so as
to stop her in the race. In the af1-
davit read from Saunders today he
said he was paid to make the charges
against Smathers, and that they were
absolutely without foundation.
George w Spear was the most dam
aging witness against Smathers He
swore orally that Smathers had re-
quested him to open negotiations with
Saunders as to whether Lou Dillon
could not be fixed" Spear said Saun-
ders offered TO do the job for $4,000,
but Smathers thought that too
much, and told him to drop the job.
The defense Immediately produced wit
nesses who declared that Spears char
acter was bad.
Through an affidavit Louis Streuber,
described in the deposition as a "di-
rector Of many corporations said that
after the charges We're made against
Smathers he went to st. Louis and in
terviewed Edward Saunders, brother of
Lou Dinon's trainer. Edward Saunders.
the affidavtt says, formerly was Mr..
Streuber's betting commissioner and
the witness knew he would tell him the
truth.
Saunders, said Mr.. Streuber told him
that he had made the charges against
Smathers for a money consideration.
He had been approached, he, said. by
George Spears, Smathers' former train
En- and then was placed in communi-
cation with Murray Howe, secretary of
the Memphis Trotting association. He
met the latter in Chicago and received
$4,000 for making an afidavit that Lou
Dillon had been "doped' before the cup
race.
Later Streuber said Saunders wrote
him that he regretted he had said any
thing to hurt Smathers and that he had
made a second affidavit to clear Major
/ DeImar's owner.
At the conclusion of the hearing
John S. Wise. counsel for Smathers
made a bitter arraignment of the men
/ who procured the charges against his
\ client, mentioning particularly G X. G.
\ Billings, owner Of Lou Dillon, and Muir
ray Howe, secretary of the Memphis
Trotting association
I feel that we have suffered Ions
and patiently and bitterly said Mr.
Wise. The charges are absolutely IN
sustained And as to Billings anC
Howe that is matter for further de
velopment which we will take under
consideration
The case went to the board in execu.
tive session which lasted scarcely
quarter of an hour.