The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-12
Bet His Money on Dead Sure
 Thing and Lost
COUNTRY WAS CLAMORING
Everybody Wanted to Get In the Deal, But Luckily All Were Too Late But Poor "sIlvers."
 The Kid.
From the New York Press.

H# age district. The stock tiekers were work ing only in spurts The monotony of the dullest day of the season was relieved by the entrance of a scion of an old Kniekerbocker family. who carried a mysterious look and roll of bills. He called the manager into a secluded corner and whispered agitatedly to him.
 No, no, We can't place any bets on the races; we. have troubles enough in the i stock market the manager said.
 But, l tell you this is an absolute cinch and you can make a fortune on it. in sisted the scion The office boy pricked up his ears. The margin clerk almost fell off his chair in trying to catch the con versation. The telegraph operator held his hand over the clicking instrument to shut off the sound and stretched his ears to tho limit waiting for the absolute cinch.' 1 Then the manager happened to recall l the name of a friend down town who would place a bet at Brighton. Yes, he l guessed he would hazard a five the tip of the season. although he was not a betting man hin. What is it?' he i asked the scion.
 "S-h-h-h-h," was the reply as the Knlckerboeker cast his eyes about in search of a possible listening villain, and then approaching close to the manager whispered hoarsely, "Freckman, in the first at Brighton today. Hell be a 100 to l, doped with all the ginger to be had from the drug trust and with an cleo trio saddle and a jockey that can reach half way around the course with his neck"
 The office boy moved stealthily toward the door The margin clerk was suddenly called to the telephone booth and began looking for poolroom numbers. The tele- graph operator casually asked the man on | |. .faI. mated in Wall street, if he knew of any one who was going to Brighton that after noon. No, he didn't but he could get bet down all right. What is the good thing"
 Just then tho manager and the young man with the tip got into telephone com munication with the managers downtown friend who could place bet at Brighton.
 Play Freekman across the board fifty each way, and I'll send the money right down." he said. Here the margain clerk asked to be allowed to add So each way and draw down his portion of the spells. The manager was asking his friends to make it fifty-five each way when the tele- graph operator drew three five-dollar bills from his pocket and allowed that he would like to get into the little game.
 Make 1t sixty to win sixty a place and sixty to show" shouted the manager to his friend.
 It was 1:3o o'clock, and the race would be started at 2:3O p. m. They were dis cussing racing in general when the tele- phone rang, and the managers friend said the bookmaker wouldn't take the bet. He would take So as an accommodation, but he wouldn't risk any more It looked like a deal" and the boolde was afraid to stake his money.
 His refusal only spurred the Manhat- tan youth. the manager, the margin clerk and the telegraph operator, and made them doubly anxious to get their money down. Meantime the wire was pleading 10 know the nature of the Head pipe cinch. All the telegraphers in Wall street had heard that "somethng was doing,' and to a man they seemed anxious to get in on the good thing The operator who worked the Chicogo wire told the man In the Windy City about it. and that he would flash the name of the horse as quickly as he heard 1t. The Chicago man told friend. and the friend told Kansas City, Kansas City told Omaha and Denver, and Denver flashed it to the coast. Pretty soon the whole country was clamorng for that iron-bound, absolutely sure, lead pipe cinch
 It was 2:15 when the uptown operator decided to put his brethren wise and he flashed "Freekman, in the first at Brigh- ton" To have sent 1t sooner. he reasoned, would have caused a rush of betting that would force the price down from 100 to 1 to perhaps halL that amount, and yet his own money was not placed. h. stantly the wires from Wall street began buzzing and the news went west, east and north with as much speed as an or der for a million shares of stock in dull market
 "Silver." the office boy had returned with a face covered with guileless inno- cencc. The manager asked him if he knew where he could find a poolroom. "Silver" looked amazed "Wot's a pool room?r he inquired Then suddenly. as the manager was wondering what Sunday school Silver attended, the youngster beamed intelligently: "Ah sure. I know swot 'tis. It's where you plays de ponies, aint if? Dere's one on Forty-second street"
 That's It." said the manager Now, here's $180 You chase around there as fast as your legs will carry you and get 1t down. 60 to win, GO q place and 60 to show-here. I'll write if down for you, but you'll have to hurry"
 silver grabbed the money and dved Into the elevator. It was 2:25, and the chances were against his reaching the poolroom in time to get the money down. When the youngster arrived. panting and tired, at the place the the doorkeeper held him up. In vain did Silver" plead. The guard was adamant. Just then the clock chimed the half hour after and the bet ting was closed Silver trotted back to the office with the sad news and then disappeared again while the Scion. the manager, the margin clerk and the tele- graph operator condoled with each other and felt sure that Freckman would now be certain to win. The tip" had spread to the furthermost corners of the tele- graph world, but it had been too late for the eager betters to place their money.
 At 2:45 the telephone in the brokerage office rang, and the managers friend de- tailed the runnings of the first race as 1t had come to his office on the ticker: .Freckman started fourteenth; fourteenth at the quarter, same at the half; four teenth at the three quarters, and finished in the ruck-absolutely last fin a field of 14," he said.
 The Scion of the old Knickerbocker fam tly was relieved The manager looked as if he felt better and sighed long sigh of relief. The margin clerk smiled grateful smile and the telegrapher grin ned from ear to ear. That was the last fin he would ever play-or attempt to play.
 IA half hour later Silver sneaked into inc office and laid down behind screen. He was sick all over. and when the tele- erapher bathed his head in cold water and asked him what was the matter, the boy unbosomed himself.
 "sav. heard dat swell guy give dat tip to de boss an runs like deer 10 hock A,p over on de av' moo. l had me ol' mans ticker abroad and l gets five thinkers on it. seel Well. den l hustles me over to a fren' wot runs dollar DOCK an bets de whole five straight win. Wen it ..xffI ..11 14w