The Washington times., 1906-02-13
GOLD CUP SCANDAL
LONG UNDER COVER
Advance Information That
Lou Dillon Would Lose.
Mr.. BILLINGS WAS WARNED
Told About Alleged Doping Plan, But
Wouldn't Believe It-What
Horsemen Noticed.
Mr.. BILLINGS WAS WARNED

NEW YORK. Feb. 13.-Murray Howe,
secretary and treasurer of the Memphis
Trotting Association. on whose COM
plant the Memphis gold cup was forcib-
" taken from Elmer E. Smathers a few
days ago at his apartments in the
Pierrepont, consented yesterday to
throw additional light on the charges
made against the multi-millionaire
turfman
The public must not get the impress
sion that this suit has been brought
against Mr.. Smathers precipitately,"
said Mr.. Howe. when the case comes
up in the courts we will produce evil
dence TO prove the truth of our asser-
tion that SmatheTs entered into con-
spiracy 10 drug or disable Lou Dillon,
so that SmatheTs' horse. Major Delmar
could defeat her for the trotting cham
nionship of 1904 and win the Memphis
gold cup.
hack now 10 the meeting at Lexington.
Ky. some two weeks before the day of
the cup race at Memphis. While there
was Informed that there was plot to
tamper with Lou Dillon before the race
at Memphis. At first / refused 10 take
any stock in this statement.
Mr.. Billings Warned.
as one Of the officials of the trotting
association l had no right TO ignore the
information that had come TO me On
nv return to Memphis I went 10 e X
G. Billings. owner of Lou Dillon. and
told him what l had heard.
Mr. Billings said no man would dare
to attempt such 4 thing: that the mare
was guarded and that il would be next
TO impossible to carry out such >
scheme. That ended my duty in the
matter and 1 gave II no further thought
until the day Of the race.
''AIillard Sanders, trainer and driver
for Mr.. Billings, brought the mare out
and gave her TWO warming up heats.
She seemed to be in the very pink of
condition 4 few days before IN her
final preliminary workout l had seen
her turn off the mile without Il skip in
2:0lE, and in both Of the warminE-up
heats she appeared TO be keyed up TO
the top notch.
Bad Condition Noticeable.
But the minute the mare came out
on the track for the first heat I knew
there was something wrong with her J
was standing out on the track with the
other officials, and we all remarked that
there had been a great change in the
mare. Frank G. Jones. president OF the
association. said he had never seen such
told him what had come to me at
Lexington.
''Millard Sanders brought the mare out
for the first heat. He took her up the
stretch and scored down once. and then
more than ever il was APPARENT that
she was In distress. She could not have
been going faster than a 2;20 gait when
she went to a break
Mr.. Billings then got up behind her
On the nrst score down the mare and
Major DelmaT We're off. The wonder
ful courage of Lou Dillon kept her 90
ing Tor the first half but that was the
end of il for her. and Major DeIruaT
came home as he pleased His time
was 2;Ut, and that of the mare PIG
ana Yet she had time and gain beaten
track
Judges Wanted to Know.
Before the second heat the Judges
sent Tor Lou Dillon and her owner and
driver. TheX examined her carefully
and then sent for a veterinary surgeon.
He looked the mare over and said she
was not suffering from thumps' bUt
had bad case of heart paIpitation
He said It would be very dangerous IN
start her in another heat Mr.. Billings
however, refused to withdraw the mare.
He said he would jog her around the
track with Major Delmar and let him
Win the cup and race as he pleased
Al least hundred men came To me
aIterWard ana said they felt sure Lon
union had been tampeTed with. and
wanted to know what | meant To do
aDout II Ihat night I went again TO
Mr.. Billings and told him of my sllspi-
clons. lie refused to listen TO me then.
but a few days later he admitted 10
me that things did not look inst rizht
TO him This change of opinion vas
que to the fact that within an ho.r
aIttr 5he race the mare sGddenly re
covered her spirits and seemed 10 h. /
all rlgnt, Just four days lats.- she went
the same mile with ridiculous ease in
Prom that day to this have haa,
collecting the evidence to urove tha
truth OF the charges against Mr.
Smathers."