Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-02-08
DURNELL CALLED
MAN OF MYSTERY
STILL YOUNG MAN, BUT HAS HAD
cHEcKERED CAREER ON
RACING TRACKS.
RULED OFF TURF THREE TIMES
Final Suspension Due 90 Unknown In
huenees-Won Classic Suburban
After Having Been Suspended
Was Good Friend OF John W. oates
A Successful Trainer.

Was Good Friend OF John w. oates
A Successful Trainer.
Charles l.. (Boots) Durnell has
earned the title OF the Man OF Mys.
terry" in the turf world. A young man.
not over 80 years OF age. he has been
ruled OF the turf three times. the last
occasion but short time after no
had won the classic Suburban. On the
first two occasions there were we'll
defined reasons. In the last case.
which happened recently, nothing has
been learned from the Jockey club.
only they ordered associations under
their Jurisdiction to refuse Durnell's
entries
Many reasons have been assigned.
One OF them is that his connections
with John W. Gates, when the Wall
street magnate was doing his spectac-
ular plunging. was so distasteful TO
the racing authorities that they
showed their dissatisfaction by TAX.
ing drastic action. On the other hand,
IL is said that several races run by
horses belonging TO DuTnell did not
please the Jockey club, and after a
quiet investigation they felt that II
wo;ild be to the best interests of the
turf to give him the gate.
Durnell first came under the ban
of the turf authorities when the
French officials ruled him OF in 1901
for standing at the post with his
Londre at St Cloud in a big stake,
Durnell claimed that his remaining at
the post was due to misunderstood
ing. Nevertheless the French author
tiles suspended him.
On the ruling of the French Jockey
club the American turf folks barred
him from their tracks for two years,
when he managed TO get influential
friends 60 get him reinstated by the
French club. In February, 1908, Dur.
nell became mixed up in a row with
John McCaferty over the horse HUI.
guenot. Both preferred charges and
counter-charges, and It finally wound
up In both being ruled of the turf
for life. In the early part OF this year
Durnell managed to get back into the
fold through the efforts OF John w.
Gates, IL is claimed He got together
"a good stable and startled all the east.
ern racegoers by capturing the Subur-
ban with Nealon at the liberal odds
OF 20 to l.
With that great victory to his credit,
Boots" Durnell came TO be known as
one OF the most successful trainers on
the turf He Immediately blossomed
out in swell raiment, and wore his
stable colors in his hatband. Just
before the horses went to Saratoga
John w. Gates announced his retire.
ment from the game.
This set tongues wagging, as II was
reported that Gates had received a
tip from the authorities that his
heavy betting was detrimental to the
welfare OF racing. With his sponsor
out of the way, Durnell began 10 fail.
During the Saratoga meeting he held
a public sale of his horses. This also,
was due to a hint from higher up, II
is said.
To the surprise OF many, when sew
eral OF his horses were disposed of
at the sale faced the barrier they
ran under the name Of the BurlinRame
stable. They carried the Durnell col.
ors and IL was admitted that he bought
them in This was looked on as some.
what OF an act OF defiance. and many
we'll informed turfmen did not hest.
tate to say that the end OF Durnell
was rapidly approaching.
1t came along toward the middle Of
December. Durnell was racing at
Oakland when the action of the Jockey
club was taken, and whom the ofncials
at Emeryville we're Informed by the
Jockey club, they refused to allow
him to enter his horses Durnelrs
friends cast longing chances toward
New Orleans, hoping that Ed CORR.
gan, who had antipathy against the
Jockey club, would allow him 20 race
down in tho Crescent city. Their
hopes were dispelled when Corrigsn
said that he would positively not al.
low DuTnell track privileges. and also
mentioned that Durnell WAS no orn&
ment 10 the turf
At the present Duruell stands alone
as an owner that has won a Suburban
after being ruled of. and a few
months after winning that classic
meets the same fate that has been
trailing his footsteps for nearly ten
years.