The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-04-02
GOLD CUP DISPUTE.
Brings Suit For Alleged "Dop'
ing" Of Lou Dillon.
SAY SNATHERS TRIED TO BUY RACE
Great Turf Prise Won BY Major Del.
mar Causes Litigation Proceed
ings In New York su-
preme Courf

s.n* WV oEk 8o~
preme Court.
NEW YORK, April 2.-In an effort 10
recover from Elmer ID. smathers the
famous gold cup won by his horse Mn.
jor Delmar In race with the trotting
mare Lou Dillon at Memphis on Oct.
is, 1904. the Memphis Trotting assocla.
ton as plaintiff began TO lay before
Justice Greenbaum and jury In the
supreme court all Of the facts connect.
ed with the alleged drugging OF the
mare as the result OF a conspiracy plan.
ned by Mr.. Smathers. The board OF re.
view OF the National Trotting associa.
ton took the matter up last year and
In December awarded the cup 90 Mr..
Smathers. The Memphis association
now claims the board OF review acted
lrregularly. and the entire matter Is To
be thrashed out In court.
No event OF the turf In recent years
has caused the sensation which the
charges brought by G. X. q. Billings.
the owner OF lou Dillon. against Mr..
Smathers stirred up. Involving. as II
did. two Of the most renowned trotters
known on American tracks and the
most prominent owners OF racing sta.
bles, the case has been followed with
the kecnest interest, but now for the
first time has reached the stage OF n
public hearing.
George w. Spear. employed by Mr..
Smathers for more than Ave years as a
trainer, took the stand AZ the opening
OF the trial and stated that at Lex.
lngton just prior TO the Memphis meet.
ing Mr.. smathers had asked him TO mr..
range with the trainer OF Lou Dillon 10
have the mare beaten. lie declared he
received word from the trainers broth.
err that II would cost $4,000. He re
ported this fact 20 Mr.. smathers. who
declared the price was prepcstcrous
and said he would not give but $500
That was as far as Spear went with
the negotiations.
The attorneys representing the Mem
phls association next called 10 the
stand Milland Sanders. the trainer Of
lou Dillon. Sanders went Into the In
innate history OF the wonderful race
mare.
Sanders had carried his narrative OF
the life Of lou Dillon down 60 n few
days before the famous race Of 1904.
which. II Is alleged. the mare lost be-
cause Of drugs administered to her.
when adjournment was taken.
The gold cup was offered by the
Memphis association 20 be contested
for by amateur drivers IA wagons
The cup was 10 become the property
Of the owner or club capturing II two
years In succession. Mr.. smathers. rep
rc-cnting the New York Driving club
won the race In 1902 with Lord Derby.
In iiS8 Major Delmar. driven by Mr..
Smather-. and lou Dillon. driven by
Mr.. Killings. the latter representing
the Memphis Driving club. met for the
first time lou Dillon won In two
straight heats. never being fully er-
tcndei.~her trainer declared 90 reel OF
both mile heats In the same time.
2Ols,.
The same horses were 10 meet again
In IDA lou Dillon. Il was testified.
was never better In her life than just
previous 20 the race Of Oct - She
had worked nicely before the first heat
and when the two horses were sent
away together they went to the half
mile post In almost record time. Then
Lou Dillon suddenly stopped almost 10
walk. allowing Major Delmar 20 20
on and win In 2OI. while she finished
the mile In no better than 2:is. The
mare was found 10 be unit 10 continue
the race and was reported by a vet.
crinarian 10 have been druggcd. Mr..
Billings drove another horse IN the
second heat to>allow Mr. smathers 10
take the race with Major Dclmar.