Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-04
SMATHERS CLEARED
BY TROTTING BOARD

NEW YORK. May 4.-Memphis Trotting
Association, by Murray Howe, secretary,
against E. e. Smathers of New York; ap-
plication for an order. Case dismissed with
out prejudice.
The above indicates that the great trot-
ting turf scandal in connection with the
race for the gold cup at Memphis has ended
in smoke. But there Is spark left. Sec
rotary Howe Is burning with indignation
and refuses to be quenched.
The board of review of the National Trot-
ting Association did meet yesterday and
dismissed the case against Smathers, but
Howe and the Memphis people were not
present. They arrived an hour after 1t was
all over, and declared the meeting had been
held before the appointed time and that
the proceeding was an outrage. Incidental
iy, they said they were not through with
the case and referred to the action pend
ing in the supreme court
Nothing bat the Lou DillOn-Major Del
mar scandal occupied the docket at the
meeting.
Smathers. with his lawyers was on hand.
John ]. Adams read two affidavits, one
from Smathers himself. denying that he
had done anything wrong in connection
with the race won by him with Major Del
mar.
Convincing Statement.
The other statement was by Orlando D.
Hammond. an attorney living in this city.
who was present at the Memphis track and
saw the contest for the gold cup. He
stated that after C. K. G.. Billings had
alighted from the wagon behind Lou Dillon
he heard him say his mare had been off"
for several days before the race, which
explained her defeat.
Before closing its May term the board
ordered a special investigation into the af-
fair, which will be held in June. The order
was as follows:
ut having come to the knowledge of this
board that it is charged by certain parties
that on the eighteenth day of October 1904,
during the race between Lou Dillon and
Major Delmar, the mare Lou Dillon was
tempered with by being drugged and dis
abled and fraudulently interfered with, and
thereby the said Lou Dillon lost the said
race to Major Delmar, and that the same
is alleged to have occurred on the grounds
OF the Memphis Trotting Association on the
said October IS. 1904, and the said Memphis
Trotting Association being on the said day
a member of the National Trotting Asso-
citation:
Now therefore, in order that said report
and charges may have the fullest inyestiga-
ton and the true facts be ascertained in
connection Herewith and justice be meted
out to all parties concerned therein, the
secretary of the National Trotting Associa-
ton Is ordered and directed to secure and
present all evidence and witnesses in con-
nection Herewith to this board at an adj
lourned meeting. to be held at the Phoenix
Hotel. Lexington. KY. on June /. 1905. at
10 AIM
Lawyer Barred.
The same members who were present here
this week will attend the special session of
the board. Major P. p. Johnston Of Lex
ington, as president of the N. T. A. is the
chairman, and the others. as chairmen of
their several districts, are: Eastern district
Charles Dana Palmer. Lowell, Mass: AT
lantic district, H. N. Balm, Poughkeepsie
NJ Y; central district. William Russell AL
len, st. Louis, Mo-: western district, John
C. Wetty, Canton, Ohio.
1--WE will meet at Lexington as a sort of
inquisition or grand jury" said President
johnson, for the purpose of finding out
what there is In the charges brought against
Mr. Smathers There will be no invitation
for tire counsel who appeared here to be
present and IL they come we may decline to
hear them.
But, so far as we can, we will compel
everybody who can testify as to the merits
of this case to be on hand.
'Mr. Howe. as the original complainant,
will be cited to appear. along with Mr.. BIZ
lings, Mr.. Smathers and any other horse
men who can throw any light on this af-
fair