New-York tribune., 1910-12-03
STURG|S PUTS II
Up TO BELMONT
Saws Banker Ordered All Legal
Disbursements by Jockey Club
in Fight on Bills.
SPEAKERS NAME COMES UP
Mr.. Wadsworth Recommended
Judge" Coyne, Says Witness
Treasurer of Nets" Has
No Books Of Record.

Frank X Sturgis put a little lie INTO
the proceedings OF the legislative investi-
eating committee yesterday when be-
mentioned casually that Speaker James
W. Wadswo-th. tr. had recommended 70
the racing associations the name OF
Judge" Edward P. Coyne as one who
could help them in their fight against the
anti-racetrack gambling bills OF the 1919
session.
do you mean the Mr.. Wadsworth
who is a member Of the state Racing
Commission. the father Of the Speaker
asked Assemblyman James A. Foley. one
of the committeeman.
NO. I mean young Mr. Wads7 9rtl1.
the Speaker corrected NJ. SturEi5
oheerfuIly. and with thai Isido- hresel-
assistant counsel To the committee.
passed hurriedly or to other matters
concerning which the c,.mmittee vas
anxious to hear from Mr. Stursis
All through his time on the stauj Er.
Sturgfs. who is secretary treasurer 81
the Jockey Club. persistently put ID u
August Belmont all responsi5ility for
disbursements for legal expenses. pub
Iicity and everything else spent by the
Jockey Club
THE legal business Of the Jockey club
was always transacted BY August Bel
month. with advice Of counsel. and ny
instructions were To pay on direction Of
Mr. Belmont said Mr. Sturgis when
ever he was pressed for details Of snv
expenditures charged up 70 legal ex-
penses."
According to the books of the Jockey
Club. which came before the committees
when Mr. Sturgis took the stand. that
organization paid out for legal services.
either for itself OF for the racing associs-
tions which were members Of it $92-
642 in 1906. Ss6. 150 in 1907. bur only
Sj.I14 % in 1908. the year in which the
racing interests generally were engaged
in their death struggle in this state
Didn't Pay for Legal Work in 1903
Mr.. Sturgis explained that the Jocksv
Club had not handled the legal expensa
because d different arrangement had
been made that year
why was that" asked 11r. hresel.
Mr. Belmont asked the racing as
sociations TO contribute 70 a special fund
70 be used. under advice Of counsel. for
future legal expenses" explained Mr..
Sturgis.
He was custodian of this special fund.
Mr. Sturgis said and though not in
cIuded in the accounts of the Jockey
Club he admitted that il had aggre-
gated about S40ooo of which he had
spent approximately ST. 900. the balance
of about $4,000, plus some accumulated
interest. still remaining in the account
which was kept in the Standard Trust
Company. apart from the regular funds
Of the Jockey Club
who expended this Sc1 ODu9'' he was
asked
August Belmont" replied the witness
Before 1905. said Mr. Sturgis. the
Jockey Club had always kept a .'rea-
sonabIy large balance on hand with his
firm. Strong, Sturgis & Co and when
the bills came IN the Jockey Club would
pay them, and then apportion and as
sess the amounts to be contributed by
the various racing associations. but ths
penses. legal and otherwise. which IN
cluded among other things considerable
litigation with regard 10 al the tracks.
and a publicity bureau. which Mr.. StIr-
gis said employed at different times J.
T Hettrick, Maurice Minton and g T.
Fitzgerald Hettrick got altogether
about 5000 Minton about 5000 and
E>f-zCarafd abo11r Sf4F+a.l
Item of s12.5o0 in 1903.
Mr.. KreseI then called the attention
of the witness 10 an additional $500
paid out by the Jockey Club on Febru-
ary 30. 1905. an item which had escaped
the attention Of Mr. Sturgis- He couldn't
recall what that was for. but by re-
fcrring 10 the ledger he ascertained that
AIgernOn Daingerfield. the assistant sec
retary, had collected that amount from
the racing associations in the spring OF
1909. and reimbursed the Jockey Club
Mr.. Sturgis could not recall that the
Jockey Club. either as principal or agent
had disbursed any other moneys in
1898.
Would that indicate, then. that
neither the Jockey Club nor the racing
incurred any legal expense
in 1898 except the S5.114 which we and
on the ledger
That was our share responded Mr.
Sturgis. "and so far as ! know there
was no other legal expense in which we
were mutually interested with the rae
ing associations.
Mr.. KreseI called his attention 20 the
fact that there had been pending in the
1905 session of the Legislature certain
bills in which IL seemed reasonable 10
suppose that the Jockey Club and the
racing associations were mutually and
vftauy Interested In response 20 that
suggestion Mr. Sturgis said. We felt
that the thoroughbred horse was being
attacked" That was the very reason.
he said for the collection OF the s4',U'V
fund. OF which he was the custodian
The checks disbursing this rund. ne
said. were drawn by him 70 the order OK
Mr.. Belmont. at hts request, and MI
Belmont attended 10 the details OF rne
further disbursement Going back 70 ne
1897 books of the Jockey club then MI
KreseI read into the record the following
statement which appeared on bill rem
daved bv Judge Coyne. To CounSei anu