Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-07-23
CHAPTER 1.
BARRED,

I was on the carpet-before the
stewards of the Jockey club. Around
a huge mahogany table they sat
frowning heavily at me. No one had
offered me a chair. SO I stood there,
feeling like a school-boy summoned,
for various misdemeanors, before the
faculty of h school. In fact, the
present situation reminded me of ono
of those all too numerous occasions
back in military school in C%ovington
and l grinned. Soren, at the head OF
the table, scowled angirly at me.
This is very far from a lauRiine
matter, Mr.. Herman" he said.
The others nodded, coughed. clear.
ed their Threats, grunted what I took
to be assent. I quit grinning: it was
not a laughing matter. Soren tapped
the edge of the table with the news
paper that ne held.
"Mr. Herman" he said, cit is nov
three days since o made the charge
O'Toole is too friendly toward the
Classon entries. Day before yester-
day o were requested-in writing
to prove our charges or retract them
as publicly as you made them. ]
have seen no withdrawal in the pa
pers, and you have forwarded nc
proof Of your allegations to the
OK" ALI / I4SlI Ill pTCSu1lluS
that you have brought proof with
you?"
The battle vas on; no thought OF
grinning was within me now.
"The facts speak for themselves
SIR" 1 replied. "In every ace during
this present meeting at Beaumont in
which there has been an entry from
the Classon stable Starter O'Toole has
given the Classon horse far and away
1.-The hncf ne II Lo hoe olfo-oN %he
Classon jocks.to crowd, push and hin
der the other starters. There has
been neither warning nor penalty in
f1icted on the Classon entries. Starter
ORIOLES conduct in showing such
open favoritism to the C~lasson stable
is the talk of the meeting, sir"
Yet there has been no complaint
1 smiled a trife. "Mr. Francis
Classon is one of the stewards. SIR
I retorted. And 1 looked %squarely at
Classon, sitting next to Soren, with a
sheer on his lips. He pretended not
to see my glance n looked idly out
the window.
What do you mean, Mr.. Herman"
asked Soren.
II mean that most owners, and
not to make charges that involve one
of the stewards. But under the rose
there's been talk enough"
Can you bring before US any other
trainer or owner who will speak as
you do?" inquired Soren.
II don't care to get other people
into trouble" I replied. Il can fight
my W battles"
That is evasion, Mr.. Keenan," said
|Soren sternly. Have you any evil
Idence to substantiate your charges?"
II have the evidence of my own
eyes, SIR" I said holly. "All through
the past two weeks I've thought that
|O'Toole has been acting queerly; I've
noticed that Mr.. Classon's horses get
all the best Of it in every race. But
II thought it racing luck. A pretty
it down to that. But three days ago
I saw Starter O'Toole enter the house
of Mr.. Classon's trainer, Marshall
Connors, in Flatbush. I was out
automobiling, and, not certain that it
was really O'Toole, or hat it had
been Connors' house that he entered.
II stopped the a and got out. I
the end of that time O'Toole came
out of the house. 1t was in the mid
die of the block. sir, and while I'd
once taken Connofs from the track to
his house in a car, I could not be
certain that this was the house. So l
waited until after O'Toole had disap-
peared. Then I rang the bell of the
house and Connors came to the door.
II asked him what O'Toole had been
doing there. He denied that O'Toole
had been there.
Gentlemen, my eyes do pot deceive
me; I don't suffer from delusions.
lO'Toole had been in Connors' house.
That visit might be innocent, but if
so-why did Connors deny the visit?
There's only n answer. sir. Con-
nors is the trainer of the Classon
been favoring the Classon horses. He
pays a secret visit to Connors. Why?
Isn't the answer easy?"
"Why didn't you make immediate
ly a full report to the Stewards" de-
lmanded Soren.
II admit, sir, hat that is what I
should have done" I answered.. But
IL was hot under the collar. My own
horses had been done out of two
cause the winners got the best Of the
start. Because the race starter at
Beaumont had an understanding
guilty Observation-Disclosures the Clas-
son trainer! And well, at dinner
in my hotel that night a reporter
from The Bugle spoke to me, asking
me for track news. and-well. l made
Tic SLdlCkEiSAL' IlldL III CldoSOl StdO1C
was getting all the best of it from
|O'Toole."
You didn't tell the reporter. what
you have told us. though" said Soren.
"As soon as l began talking to
Williams of The Bugle I realized that
I was letting my temper get away
with me-" said 1. $50 | stopped after
I'd merely stated my belief in the ia
voritism shown"
Fol the first time Classon spoke.
Merely he said. glancing around at
his fellow stewards. Then he esum :
ed his gazing out the window. But
his word had its effect. Soren flush
ed angrily and glared at me.
did you ask Williams not to print
what you had said in anger?"
At that I flushed. "No, sir" l ana
swered.
why not?" &
ut is not my habit to retract any
thing that is true" I told him.
But you had nothing on which to
base "a belief that our charges were
true" exclaimed Soren. "Connors
had denied ORIOLES visit: you had
made a mistake. AS to the other
is the fortune Of racing, MI. Ker-
nan I thought you were toe good a
sportsman to play the cry-baby be-
cause another horse got away better
than your own" &,
"If the other horse got away first
on It's own merits, or the merits OF
its jock. I'd mot whine" 1 snapped.
But when there's collision between
the starter and the trainer"
Soren cut me short angrily. :sMr.
Herman. we stewards are amply able
to look put Tor the honesty OF this
track We need no Jealous trainers
to show US our duty. You have
Iscandalized Beaumont by your un-
HnnnAad char1eS. II IN cifhnr uo,ie