Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-04-24
'PLUNCERS or THE
BYGONE DAYS
Time Was When English No.
bility Boasted Some Great
Figures on Turf.

Inere is no such betting now on the
English turf as was transacted in the
sos, COS and early '70s, according to
London Truth. The last really great
stake which was landed over this race.
the Cesarewitch, was won by Rosebery,
and two years earlier +. Swindell had
backed the Truth gelding to win $780,
600 by long course of deXterous but
perfectly unscupulous maneuvering.
Mr.. Swindell won huge stake over
Dulcibella, which had been tried to a
certainty, and she came home alone.
Winnings We're immense over Lectur-
er, Lord Hastings himself clearing
100000, while the total winnings OF
the party were not less than $3.50, 900.
When the weights for the Cesarewitch
OF 1866 were published Lord Hastings
considered that his horses had been
unfairly treated by Admiral Rous, and
they were all struck out. Lecturer was
not included in the lot, as he had been
nominated for some reason or other by
the well known Peter Wilkinson. Ev-
orything in those days was utterly cha
otic and hugger- -mugger in the depart
ment of ownership and partnership,
but under the present rules Lecturer
would surely have been disqualified
The most sensational race was that
won by Lioness, as it led to unpleasant
Developments which had far-reaching
results. Colonel Ouseley Higgins, who
was one of the most popular members
of the Jockey club set, had been for
some time on intimate terms with
James Merry. He was consulted as to
the running of Mr.. Merry's horses and
was quite behind the scenes in the sta
BILE tactics. Lioness was Systematically
"steadied" with a view to her winning
the Cesarewitch, the coup having been
for several months in contemplation,
but on this occasion not only was Colo
HipoIne in do I'll h,,f hn
maintained that he had been deliber-
ately misled and that not only had he
been put off backing the mare himself
but he had prevented many of his ac-
Quaintances from supporting her.
Mr.. Merry, as was said Of a cele-
brated turf tactician. had been "as sly
as a fox and as mute as q mackerel."
The fact was that he gave his commits
sion to a shrewd man who undertook IT
only on receiving a most solemn prom
Use that not a word should be uttered
in recommendation of Lioness until the
numbers We're up. Mr.. Merry care
fully held his tongue, and although
Lioncss was obviously being backed for
great deal Of money, neither Colonel
Higgins nor any one else received a
particle of encouragement from the
owner.
When the numbers were hoiSted Mr..
Merry looked out for Colonel Higgins,
but in those days it was easy for men
to miss each other at Newmarket just
before such q big race. One would be
in the bird cage and the other might
be at the ring or in the crowd Of horse
men or in a carriage by the ropes. Mr..
Merry met Lord Stamford, who was
galloping to the ring. and begged him
if he saw Colonel Higgins to tell him
to be sure to make Lioness a winner.
However, the tip did not arrive in
time and directly after Lioness had
won easily Colonel Higgins galloped up
to Mr.. Merry's carriage almost speech
less with fury and aSSailed him pub
liCly with a rich flow Of invective, in
Guiding such epithets as are commonly
associated with Ananias and Barabbas.
Lord Stamford, who came up during
the attack. vainly attempted to explain
away matters, but Colonel Higgins was
implacable and vowed that only sat
isfaction" would compensate for his
grievances.
Mr.. Merry did not relish the prospect
OF standing opposite a bloodthirsty
| Irishman who was known to be a sure
| shot, and later in the day Lord Stam-
| ford was sent to confer with Colonel
Higgins with much the same secret in
structions as were given by Lord
Steyne to Mr.. Wenham when he de-
puted him to meet Colonel Rawdon
Crawley. Happily the offer was re-
ferred for final decision to Admiral
Rous and George Payne, whose strong
common sense and fine tact enabled
them to patch up what Lord Beacons-
field has defined as "a bad tempered
understanding"
The episode caused a great fuss al
Newmarket. but 1t was kept very quiet
as people were not in those days sc
fond Of proclaiming quarrels and scan
dals as they are now. This affair pre-
| vented Mr.. Merry from being elected q
member Of the Jockey club.
A few years afterward his name was
| to be put forward, but Admiral Rous
and Lord George Manners advised the
| propoSer ana seconder to withdraw the
candidate, as it was absolutely certain
that he would be blackballed. Admiral
Rous was sensibly averse to subjectine
man of Mr.. Merry's position on the
turf to a public snub, as it might very
| likely have caused him to sell his STUD
and give up racing altogether. II
| those days the names of candidates fol
the Jockey club were published in the
| calendar before the ballot so if a mar
was blackballed every one knew Of his
| failure.
There was a great to do about 1856;
| when the late Duke of Hamilton was
blackballed for the Jockey club, ant
not only did the welkin ring with the
| Indignation of the candidates friends
| but Admiral Rous pointed out the alb.
| surdity and folly of rejecting a candi.
| date Of uneXceptionable position whC
| raced on very large scale. At tha
time, however, there was a positive
craze for blackballing at Newmark ct
and certain clique vowed to keep ou
| of the club any candidate connected
with the city," Lord Glasgow nearl,
| al II ~