The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-09-14
Passing OF the Negro Jockey.
Colored Rider Rare on the Race Tracks Of Dav
as Is Gray Horse
as Is a Gray Horse.

a race course. He could neither read
nor write, and it was difficult to I'M
derstand what he said. No trainer
ever was certain Tony understood
what was said to him.
He was, however, a natural horse
man, alent at the post, a fair Judge of
pace and powerful f1nisher. Most
Jockeys nave a habit of talking to
their mounts when on the way to the
post but Hamilton kept on a constant
Kind Of gibber that was always a
source Of amusement. Most of the
money he earned he gave away. He
mad sort of mushroom growth.
sprlnging in short time from an
undersized exercise boy with a cot in
stall to where he could earn hum
dreds Of dollars in a day. Perhaps
II IS little wonder, under the cir
cumstances, that he didn't appreciate
moneys value. Champagne and dia-
monds were his weaknesses. The ST.
600 diamond that he would wear today
would be the property Of his valet or
MS faVortte tomorrow A bank roll'
TO him was merely a bank roll. 1t
might be Of 81 notes or Of $50 or of
$lOO notes. 1t was good just for so
long as 1t lasted.
IL 1t were of 81 notes it probably
lasted him as long as would one COM
posed entirely $10O notes.
1t was pathetic at times to see the
way in which the black boy was part
Ing with his money, but he apparent
ly did not realize it and it was not
until his money was all gone and
necessity for bread and shelter and
medicine passed him that It came to
him how valuable little saving might
have been. --
The Claytons-Lonny particularly
lasted perhaps better than any Of
the other boys riding, for the reason
that they took good care Of them
selves, but the white boys, outstripped
them, and they had sense enough to
retire while they still had some of
the money they had earned. One of
their contemporaries was THOMPSON.
who rode MANY good thing" for
Jack Mcdonald and the coterie of
smart horsemen who made money I'm
the days of Clifton and of Gutten-
burg. He was a strong finisher, but
MS career was short. He could not
stand the climate or the reducing
necessary, and passed away, with no
one of his color at these tracks TO
succeed him, If Harry Jones be ex-
cepted.
But Jones lacked brain. He was
just as illiterate as Hamilton, and
his season was a brief one. He was
not treated generously, and he be-
came sour and heavy, and finally met
a deserved discipline for some sus-
p1c1ous work. He had no ambition
afterward, and drifted into the sub
merged. Penn shone for a time with
the stable Of A. IT. 81 D. H. Merffs
put ne rapidly went the way of the
others.
Joe Harris, who was better known
IN the West than In the East, having
ridden for Richard F. Carman in the
season Of 1907, when he was the
premier jockey at Ascot Park, was
the best Of the late colored riders
He was killed In Texas two years
ago, He called on q young woman
IN his native town and took her for
a drive. A rival warned him not to
40 1T again. He not only did not
heed the warning, but went to the
stable where hts rival kept a horse,
told the liyeryman he had been sent
Tor the horse, got 1t, took the woman
out and, after returning her to her
nome, took the horse back to the
stable. The rival with an automatic
pistol killed him before Harris could