El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-10


but satisfied in the consciousness that
everybody else missed it
Yet this event, drOu enough TO the
thousands at the track netted some
body in the neiEhbOrhood of 100000
and gave to western handbook men a
shock from which they were years in
recovering. It was killing in every
sense OF the wOrd-as carefully
planned and efficiently executed as IL
was unspcctacular-but the general
public knew nothing about IL until they
picked Up their papers the next morn
ing and read the reports Of the ire
mendous winnings Of those who were
Oh the inside.
These newspaper reports, however.
which probably were taken with
grain Of salt, did not tell the whole
amazing story Tor they failed TO record
the most interesting thing-to the
handbook men at least-which was
that the winnings were reduced con-
siderable sum and three-fOurths Of the
handbook men saved from bankruptcy
because one Chicago institution which
suspicious Of the size OF the play
wired a thousand dollars to be bet at
the track and thereby cut the odds
practically in two
Fails Many Times.
The medium OF this tremendous
venture was a horse named The Fid-
dler. He had been started a lot Of
times and never did any good Nat
urally enough the talent held him very
lightly and when he was entered in a
selling race at the Aqueduct track.
New York, on October 3, 1903, the ap-
pearance Of his name in the list not
only caused no excitement but at
tracted mighty little notice.
The Fiddler was entered in the
midst OF some pretty good company so
good in fact that the bookmakers at
the track would almost allow you 10
write your own ticket This was just
what had been counted on evidently,
for the hackers Of the horse STAYED
away from the landlords which did
not receive enough money on the ami
NAL to pay their daily "cutin" fee
Almost any kind of a bet would have
sent the odds tumbling to some ex-
tent, but il was the plan that those
track odds should not tumble and also
that the cold eye Of suspicion should
not be cast on the anticipated per-
formance- Therefore at the track
every horse was backed except The
Fiddler and people actually felt sorry
for the idiot who was wasting money
by starting him.
II the Fiddler was neglected in the
east, he was certainly the most popu-
lar horse in the west for several hours
In Chicago, Cincinnati. St Louis and
other western cities there were some
handbOoksh OF considerable financial
standing and they were accustomed
TO take money on anything and every
thing and to take it as long as it
came in.
Rushed to Buy Tickets.
So the friends OF the apparently
frieudless Aqueduct entry began 10
walk up to these various western hand
books and place their money on him.
army Of those in on the know for
they came in streams TO buy tickets.
Al first they were greeted with the
same uncOncern that is accorded to the
lea. agnN r. 81
continued TO flow in on The Fiddler
notice began to be taken Of the back
ers Of the horse and when finally the
tickets began TO call for hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars some concern was
manifested.
one OF the biggest Of the western
handbook men was spending the day
at a resort and his clerk hurriedly
called him on the long distance tele-
phone 10 get Instructions
Take all the money you can get
came the reply.
To one Chicago boOkmaker. however, I
the stream Of money and the inCreas-
ing size Of the tickets began to look /
suspicious and Just before post time I
lie telegraphed $1,000 to the track TO
be placed on The Fiddler Although
this was not a big bet for the Aque-
duct track, it had the effect of send
ing the odds down 10 20 to 1 and pro-
vided a passable shelter from a pos
Ezcites Little Interest.
The appearance Of this bet at the
track on a horse that nobody was pay
ing any attention TO excited a little in I
terest but was soon forgotten.
Then the field was sent away. To I
the amazement OF verybody-almost
The Fiddler scampered away from I
that field and running like a stake /
horse won by a good margin. The
bOokmakers locked up their stalls and /
the crowd went home mildly inter /
ested, but no soon had the ticker
carried the news Of the result 10 the I
west than there we're scenes Of the /
widest confusion in the rooms OF the [,
western haudboOks.
While they were figuring Up their /
losses and trying to figure out the I
particular manner in which the play I
had been made. the holders of tickets I
began to appear and clamor for their !
money Needless to say it was not /
Immediately Forthcoming. They waited 4
for confirmation of the result then for /
confirmation OF the odds and finally /
they debated whether il was up to /
them TO pay off on the horse or not.
On the next morning they concluded I
that il would be best to paw and for /
he greater part Of the day they were /