The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-25
MAY COST MEMPHIS
PEOPLE $500. 900.
Senator Joseph w. Bailey, Former
Governor M. G. Bulkeley and
Many Other Prominent
Officials Are on the 1
Board of Ap- /
peals. a
Especial to The Timcs-plspatob.,


NEW YORK February ei.-Not since
the National Trotting Association was or.
ganized, in 1870. has any meeting OF ths
board of review been awaited by horse-
men with such great interest as the ons
to be held here in May, when tho much
talked of Memphis gold cup case will bo
heard by the turf court.
Besides determining the right OF pos
| session to the five thousand dollar trophy,
which is really but a minor consideration
in the battle to be fought out then, tha
outcome OF tho trial may put lasting
stain on tho reputation of ono or tho
other of the two millionares concerned.
Both parties seem to lie aware OF this
fact and they are preparing for u conflict
such as the turf courts have never known.
Judge Alton 3. Parker and former I.ieu-
tcnant-Cioycrnor William Il. Sheelan, to-
Eether with two prominent law firms in
Memphis and Chicago, have been retained
by the Memphis Trotting Association.
while II. II. Smathers has employed for-
mer Congressman j. J. Adams and John
S. Wise to look after his interests. and ID
is said that General b. Il. Tracy and u
criminal lawyer OF national promiEcnca
may he called into the case.
No stone will he left unturned by either
side in obtaining and presenting to the
Board of Review every scrap Of evidence
tending to support its contention or td
break down the testimony of its OPP
ponents. Men familiar with the parties
and the case have expressed the opinion
that more than $4,000 will be expended
before a final decision will be reached.
independent Investigation.
| Owing to the extraordinary character
OF the case and its Importance to harness
racing interests, the National Trotting
Association has decided to make an inde-
| pendent investigation of the Memphis gold
| cup race and the grave charges growing
out of it, and Mr.. Gocher, secretary of
/, tho association. Is now directing the ma
ohinery of the organization to this end.
| Evidence is being sought In all parts of
the country. The turf court has tile
i power to compel witnesses to attend and
Isive testimony under penalty of eNpul-
sion from all tracks. and inasmuch as
| afiidavits are sometimes unsatisfactory,
because affording no opportunity for
cross examination. 1t IS expected that all
| important witnesses Will be required to
appear in person at the trial.
| Not being governed by the rules OF
evidence which circumscribe the testi-
mony brought out in the civil courts, the
Board of Review will go into all phases
of the case much more thoroughly than
| could be done i'll an action of replevin or
other legal proceedings. For this reason,
and because the men who will sit in
| Judgment at the trial are familiar with
tho ways of the turf, horsemen feel con-
ndent that their decision will come nearer
being a lust one thar If the case were.
tried before Il Jury of laynlen.
! The members of tho tribunal beforu
which the big turf scandal is to be settled
will be designated by Major +. p John-
ston, president OF the National Trottng
| Association, from among the ofticials
elected at the biennial congress last week.
In tho somewhat complete organization of
| tho National Association the Board OF Re-
view is composed of the five chairmcn OF
the District Board of Appeals, together
| with the president and the vice-president,
i who are members of the turf court eS-
offico. After each meeting of the Bond