Evening star., 1946-08-15


as sportsman and gambling club
proprietor was widely chronicled in
print, but there was another side
to him-the, Ed Bradley who
roamed the Southwestern plains
from the l870s until approximately
l690-whose story only he knew well,
and he never told it.
Col Bradley was born on Decem-
ber II. 1859, the son of poor par
ents, and as youngster worked in
the Pennsylvania steel mills. He
was only IA when he quit the mills
and set out for Texas. That he
worked on cattle ranches in Texas
and prospected for gold In Arizona
and Mexico has been established.
He also was known to have been a
Government scout in the campaigns
against the Apache Indians, which
ended in 1886 with the capture of
the chieftain, Geronimo.
Within those years in the South
west. where nearly every one played
poker and faro and bet on the In
dian pony races, Col Bradley &C
qulred his aptitude for gambling
Late in the '80s he appeared as a
bookmaker at race tracks in Men,
phis, Tenn, and Hot Springs, Ark
For some reason, perhaps the i'm
pending Worlds Fair of 1898, he
came to Chicago in 1890 and there
made his headquarters until 1918
His first Chicago venture was
clothing store at Clark and Madison
streets. In 1893 he was advised by
his physician that unless he quit
active participation in business he
would have only year to live.
Turned Then to Racing.
Throughout his years on the
plains he had maintained a part
nership with his brother John.
From this partnership, which in
cluded in its assets the Bacchus
Club at Ell Paso. Tex, the largest
gambling ablishment in the
State, and other sources Col. Brad
ley was assured a sizable income.
So when his doctor ordered him to
quit business he did the thing that
was nearest his heart-he purchased
the Idle Hour farm near Lexington.
KY, and began the development of
racing stable
In 1893 he and John Bradley, hav-
ing sold the Bucchus Club. opened
the Beach Club. at Palm Beach. The
place had poor start and was about
to close when the women members
Of dinner party asked to be allowed
to visit the gaming rooms. Women
then were barred from all f1rst-class
American casinos, but John Bradley
figuring the club had nothing to
lose. let the women gamble.
The incident proved the turning
point in the clubs fortunes. The
women told their friends and the
next night and for many winter
nights thereafter the place was
crowded. That it was highly profit
able was common knowledge, but its
secrets of high play were zealously
guarded by employees trained to be
deaf and mute to what went on
within its portals.
No Prices on Menu Cards.
Until after the market crash of
1929 the menu cards at the club car
ried no prices. Col Bradley reasoned
that any one who had money enough
to patronize the place, had no oc-
casion to worry about the cost of
food.
/ The sky was the limit at the gam
ing tables if man or woman was
winning. But the Bradleys kept
track of the financial standing of
the club members" and If one ap-
peared to be losing too heavily. his
or her credit was stopped.
/ Shortly after Col Bradley gave ur
his clothing store, he purchased the
/ Del Prado Hotel, residential hos
telry fronting on the Midway Plai-
Sance on Chicagos South Side. He
maintained his home there until he
sold the place in 1918. After that
he divided his time among New
York, Palm Beach and the tracks
where his horses we're running.
. When a Senate committee. headed
by the late Huey Long, in 1884
asked Col. Bradley his occupation
ne replied: Dealer in race horses
and gambler" He told the Senat tors
he would bet on anything"
/ For years his turf record bore this
out. He was a plunger. credited
with bets of $4,000 to $4,000 al
times, but in later years he became
more conservative.
Favored Letter B."
The Bradley stable for decades
was known as the lucky B" estab-
llshment, because of his habit of CIV
ing all his thoroughbreds names be-
ginning with the letter "B." All his
derby winners had these character
istic names.
Despite his large race winnings
both in stakes and from wagers
on his entries, the turf proved a
costly hobby for Col. Bradley
Though his winnings from stakes
! alone passed the $4,000, 900 mark in
1882, he estimated that his net
losses from racing, because of the
Hed'y upkeep OF MS breeding farm
and maintenance expenses of
his horses, amounted to 10000
annually.
Idle Hour Farm always was open
to tourists and sightseers, who
were most impressed by one barr
which quartered four stations with
an aggregate value of $1,000 900
They included the imported horse
North Star III, for several years
Americas leading sire and which
produced Bubbling Over, another
OF the four costly stations. The
others were Black Toney and Black
Servant.
The veteran turfman was vitality
interested in the Army Remount
Service, founded to improve the
quality of Army horses. He donated
Ia ~ 80 A