Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-11-06
By ELMO


When one listens to tales Of piO-
neer horse racing in Montana, he
wonders which was the greatest
spOrt-winning the race or Job
bling" the fellows on the other
side. Most horse races were Inn
promptu affairs, wherever two
horses could be brought together.
From the standpoint Of racing
rules there probably wasn't an HON
est horse race staged on such oc-
casiOns, If one side or the other
could find a way to Job" the race.
The money involved was only
secondary consideration, as rule,
but q good laugh ON the other fell.
low was worth all Ii might cost
Joe Keeney of Livingston was one
of the sports of all SportSmen In rae
ing during the seventies and eighties.
He tells of a "jobbed" race where
everybody was "jobbing" everybody
else, and he was "jobbing" the whole
crowd.
It was a gala day at old Shields
Bridge, now Three Forks, way back
in the late seventies. Joe remembers
not what the occasion was, but the
crowd was there. and when there was
a lull in activities, someone called 1or
q horse race
Race JOUpcG AAu1
AL Harrison had horse. He also
had a reputation as a race JobDer
par excellence. Charles Church, sport
and gambler, had horse he was also
looking for a chance to even up With
Harrison for some previous experiences
The crowd wanted a race, and they
would be satisfied to see Harrison, the
"iobber," get wen "Jobbed-
Harrison knew his was the best
horse and could easily win the race.
Church and the crowd knew 1t, too, and
were sure that Harrison would not bet
on his own horse Harrison was Of
ferinp a considerable sum of money
to cover the crowds cash. He had
Charles Callahan, a saloon man,
handling his bets. Joe Keeney was
running the book and holding stakes.
Harrison had spotted a young fell
low named Milligan to ride his morse.
He told Niligan he could have the
horse if he would appear unable 10
it, work it among the build
ings lining the race course, and then
keep going, ito Pony, If you want TO,
but don't come back here"
What Harrison didn't know was that
Callahan, his betting manager, and
Milligan were good friends and neigh
bors at Pony.
Miliigan tipped Callahan off to the
plan. Then Keeney started passing the
stake money to Callahan to get again
for Harrison. The stakes grew to a
considerable sum.
Won by Default
The race started. MiIligan followed
instructions, got off the course, and
kept going, proud owner OF a good
horse. The Church horse won by de-
fault, OF course.
Harrison followed the crowd to a
saloon and demanded his money He
cot q rousing horse laugh. There was
4 solemn moment when Harrison
drew his gun, laid it on the counter,
and made his demand again. The
crowd, in its enthusiasm, had forgot
ten that Harrison might be armed. 1t
was carefully explained that most of
his bets had been the stake money
bet over and over until he was in debt
10 the crowd. Still determined on a
Harrison started out to
find Joe Keeney.
But Keeney was doing his 'jobbing''
now. Just as Harrison came on the
street he saw Keeney, mounted on q
fast horse. setting out toward BoZe-
Harrison got a horse and started in
pursuit, but Joe's was the fastest
mount.
Harrison had @'jobbed" a race once
100 often, and he was on the rocks
Keeney, a few years later, came out
N the bottom of the pile when both
iides "jobbed" q foot race at Gar
liner. Keeneyis opponents insured tae
effectiveness Of their operation with |
ifx-gIns.
Joe was oStengihiy backing a racer
famed Grapevine George, the while |
o run against George, who was 10 Nv /
he track af a crucial moment and for /
cit the race. The other side arranged l
or their man 10 fan down Just short !
the firtsh lis1e, and they were bet