Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-12

which nll gentleman sport" is built 1t
is that It shall be honest, straightfor.
ward and clean.
And yet. in the bcst-known and greatest
event OF the year, in the world of American
fashionable sport-the National Horse
Show at Madison Square Garden-a first
prize was won by fraud the other day.
Right in front of tho eyes of Mr.. Regi.
maid Vanderbilt who stood in the ring MS
the Official in charge that Wednesday af-
ternoon. horse was entered in one OF the
prize competitions under name not It's
own, in class which it had no right TO
be in, pretending to be of an age which
was false and disqualified it, And this lit.
tie animal. masquerading as something
which II was not. walked away with the
blue ribbon. the first prize in the class, by
trickery and misrepresentation.
The astonishing thing about II all is that
this. horse was entered from the stables
owned by Mir. Samuel NJ. vauclain. tho
multi-millionare president OF the Baldwin
Locomotive Works. of Philadelphia. and
his own granddaughter rode the animal
put it through its tricks and won the prize
which it did not deserve and which was
later stripped from it in disgrace.
There is more or less mystery surround
ing this extraordinary event which marked
the Horse Show with scandal which has
been the talk Of the social world-nnd the
end is not yet.
The public race tracks have always been
notorious with gamblers tricks Many az
the persons connected with the horses the
stables. The Jockies and the betting ring
we're often professional crooks And even
the national sport of baseball has been In
vaded by crooked gamblers
But one thing everybody believed re.
manned clean: the honorable competitions
On their merits of the exhibits from the
stables Of Americas millionaires and great
social leaders. II was upon this unques.
toned belief that the arena boxes at Madi.
son Square Garden were filled morning.
afternoon and night during Horse Show
week with the same men and women cf
wealth and fashion who adorn the famous
horse shoe of boxes al the opera II was
not supposed that there would be any
more likelihood OF trickery or dishonesty
In the Madison Square Garden arena than
there would be likelihood of Mrs. Wander.
bits stealing Mrs. Astors Jewels at tho
opera.
The catalogue announced:
Glass 14S-Ponies under saddle to he
judged at 2:30 p. m. Wednesday, Ponies,
mares or gedings, Il hands and not OK
ceedlng 1872. four years old or over. First
prize. $50; second prize, s25"
There were fifteen horses entered in this
competition The last one on the list was
entered from the Broadlawn Stable under
the name of Little Fire Lady" four years
On the pony's back sat Miss Patricia
VAUGHAN, granddaughter of Samuel NJ
Fanciain. owner of the horse.
l'u: Little Fire Lady" was none other
than two.yearold flly, whose real name
was Mystery. one of Miss Patricia's pets
Little Fire Lady was what is known as a
ringer an old race-track gamblers
phrase.
When rnmors of the fraud crept round
the Iarden and reached the ears of the
officials OF the Horse Show. an investiga-
ZION was Immediately made and Patricl,
O'Connell. master OF the VauclaIn Stab,cs,
was summoned and the evidence was dis.
covered OF the trick. The prize was with.
drawn and awarded tG Chestnut Blossom.
owned by Mrs. +. p Caravan.
no entered the two.year-od Mystery
uhoeF The name of Little Fire Lady as a
four-year-old? 80 :"
Was ii TO win the $50 prize money and
perhaps some heavy betting? O'ConncII
me head OF the stables, said It was "a
mistake"
Who else besides O'Connell was a marty
10 ne tflck! Horse Show Officials for the
'hS boOu HGillt OIL 1nelr annual
competition. mean TO follow this thing 10
the end -
ne officials OF the Horse Show sent this
not very pleasant letter TO the Bloadlaw
Stables: q y
IL mas been brought TO our notice tina,
your pony, Little Fire Lady. entered as :
louI'year-old. vas shown in Classes IA,
and l5l and awarded the blue ribbon i,
pom classes Investigation shows tina,
inns amman was loss than four years olf
and therefore not eligible We NOV m -,
iorm you That our executive committer
has decided TO withdraw these blue ribbon.
ana prizes and not allow this pony 10 h,
shown In any other class al the show an,
70 bring the matter to the attention OF III,