Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-06-16
Mats Ane Oueders Ready but Only Busby Can Crash Lineup
Fire al Belmont Park
kills Laurel Groom,
Il Race Horses
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
ELMONT. N. Y, June 16.-A
groom and 81 race horses were
burned to death early today in a
spectacular fire which destroyed
half Of big barn at Belmont Park
race track
The groom, found burned to
death. apparently had been kicked
unconscious, by a horse he was
trying to save. He was identified
as Alfred Mitchell, Is. of Laurel
Md.
Screams of horses could be
be heard a mile away, residents
said.
George Clough, Nassau County
fire marshal. estimated damage at
$3.50. 900. including horses, barn
and equipment.
Seventy horses in the barn were
saved. A brick fire wall in the
center of the barn saved so horses
and half the barn. The other 20
horses were led out by police, fire.
man and grooms.
Trained by Judy johnson.
Six of the horses killed were
Jumpers trained by Miss Judy
johnson of Sandy Spring, Md
The horses had been left at the
barn after racing shifted from
Belmont Park to the Aqueduct
track last week.
Among them were Syracuse Lad
and Rush, owned by Thomas T
Mott of Washington, D. c. Mott
purchased Syracuse Lad, one Of
the country's top hurdle horses
from Robert Kleberg for $4,000
two years ago and only last week
refused an offer of $4,000 for the
son of Brazado- Perigee. Rush was
a 2-year-old filly.
(Miss johnson, who trains
a public stable, formerly lived
in Washington, but now resides
with her late brothers widow,
Mrs. Edward Johnson, at Cold
Spring Ha1bor, N. Y. She makes
the Mott farm near Sandy
Spring her headquarters when
her horses are running in
Maryland.
(She was the first woman
ever licensed as a steeplechase
rider, and only Mary Hirsch.
daughter of Trainer Max
Hirsch. preceded her as a wom-
an trainer. Miss johnson got
her trainers license from the
Maryland Racing Commission
in 1885 and her license to ride
in 1943.)
A groom, Marvin Weinstein, 20
also Of Laurel, was the last to
see Mitchell alive. The two had
been sleeping in the barn, half
OF whose 100 stalls were destroyed
Weinstein told a newsman he
heard some one scream, 1.-THE
joints on fire." He called to
Mitchell and told him to try to
save a horse.
Driven OF by Flames.
The two grooms: ran in oppo-
site directions. Weinstein tried
to lead out a horse, hut 1t bolted
and ran back into the blazing
barn. A few minutes later, Wein-
stein found Mitchell lying uncon-
scious in a subsequently
kicked by Syracuse Lad. Wein-
stein tried to save him, but was
driven off by the spreading flames.
officials expressed doubt that
the cause of the fire could be de-
termined. They were attempting
to compile list of the destroyed
horses, but said Identification was
difficult because some of the
horses were so badly burned.
Eperon, French-bred jumper
owned by Paul Mellon, was among
the horses lost. Another was Mrs.
RIG. Wolfe's Quiet, winner of the
Bushwick Hurdles Handicap last
year. Mrs. Wolfe's husband, who
trained the horse, lost several
jumpers he was handling, among
them st. Brendan, Fairy Lore and
Lady Roxanne.
Other horses trained by Miss
johnson that are listed as killed
Faustein, Pet Belle, Care
less Jones and an unnamed colt.
The dead groom was the son
Of Mr.. and Mrs. E. r. Mitchell,
325 Main street, Laurel. He was a
native of that community and
had attended the Laurel Elemen-
tary and Laurel High Schools. He
is survived by a sister and three
brothers.
Mr.. Mitchell, according to his
family. went to work for Miss
johnson at the end of racing at
Pimlico. He formerly had worked
for the Holly Beach Farm and
had been a jockey for about four
years before entering the Army
for brief period.
Probable Pitrhnre