view raw text
GOSSIP OP THE TURF. Concerning the latest Missouri decision about bookmaking last Sundays 8t. Louis Republic said: "Judge "Willis H. Clark of the Court of Criminal Correction yesterdsy rendered his decision holding the breedeis law, under which the poolroom men must be prosecuted, constitutional. It means that the downtown poolrooms will be closed. Chief of Police Campbell, as scon as beheerd of the decision, immediately ordered another raid, which took place yesterday afternoon. All tho poolrooms were closed and tbe operators placed under arrest. Chief Campbell said there viould be so abatement in the raids and the prosecutions wonld be as "vigorous as special counsel could make them. "Judge Clark, in passing upon the law, handed down no written opinion from the bench. A motion to quash the information on which a dozen or mora bookmakers were arrested had been interposed by their counsel. In support of their position they argued that the breeders law was unconstitutional, that it was class legislation and was incorrectly framed. Judge Clark simply said he would overrule the motions, forcing the cases to trial. "After leaving the bench, Judge Clark was seen by a reporter for Tho Republic. " I have no long opinion to give, he said, lI hold that the law is constitutional in both form and meaning. The poolroom cases must go to trial upon their merits. Gambling is a recognized evil, which the law has the right to prohibit. Some evils, however, cannot be wholly wiped out and the legislature reserves to itBelf the right to regulate them, which more often produces better results than total prohibition. " In the case of pool-making, tbe legislature has sought to regulate the evil and restrict it to tbe smallest bounds. A license system is established by which no one shall Bell pools on hcrse races unless he complies with the law of the state and obtains a permit from the state auditor. The Bpirit of tbe law is in accord with the constitution, and its form is good. When these two things are taken into consideration, I do not think it within the province of an inferior court to hold the law unconstitutional. That ia the province of higher courts. " What about class legislation? was asked. " It is not class legislation that I can see. There are only the two classes those who have secured permits and are entitled to Bell pools, and those who are lawbreakers. "Judge Clark was asked about the point made by Attorney Noland for the Police Board that the license system unoer the present law was subject to a more liberal interpretation by the court. Nolan contended that if a bookmaker received a state permit he could not only sell upon the race course designated in the permit, bnt conld sell anywhere within that state. " I am not ready to answer that questionyet. It is merely a side issue to the case in hand. If I h ave a case involving Euch circumstances I will render an opinion then. At present I hold the law to the letter. "Judge! David Murphy, who preceded Judge Clark, held that the law was unconstitutional." 8. J. Jones, of Portland, Ore., has sold bis Hanover stallion Handsome to J. D. Neet, of Versailles, Ky.. for ,000 Handsome is a bay stallion, shed by Hanover, out of Cinderella, dam of Ferrier, Plaudit and Hastings, by Tomahawk or Blue Buin, and wbb bred and raised by Mr. Neet, his present owner, who also owns his dam. Handsome was quite a racehorse before i going wrong. He won the Hyde Park Stake i for two-year-olds, valued at 2,875, over i a distance of three-quarters of a mile in 1:14 with 118 pounds up, but his best record at that distance is 1:13 with 111 pounds. He was brought to San Francisco by Ed Corrigan, who had hoped to pet him in condition, but his bad leg went wrong again and Mr. Corrigan Eold him to Jones for a song, in the spring of 1897. Mr. Jones has fifteen yearlings by him and bred ten mares to him this season. This horse is a great losa to the thoroughbred breeders of Oregon, for there are but few better horses anywhere than Hancsome. Hanover, bis sire, is dead, and there are but thirty-eight of his get of colts, which enhances the value of a horse bred like Handscme Portland Bural Spirit. Bit cf Fashion, the filly that Burne and Water-houBO purchased in St, Louis last summer, broke down in tho Stanford Stakes Wednesday. The daughter of Forest closod favorite in the bettiDg.aud rounding the turn for heme it looked as if she wonld overhaul Bathos. From there on be did not gain any ground and was beaten two lengths by Bathos. On the way back to the stand Thome dismounted from Bit of Fashion and Dr. Rowell nude an examination of tbe filly. He found that tho suspensory ligament of the front leg wbb ruptured and it is thought that Bit of Fashion is hopelessly broken down. It is believed thandt the filly stepped in a hole. The filly showed good form at St. Louis and it wbb expected that she wonld develop into a high class performer. She is a chestnut filly by Forest Welcome, a mare by Mortemer and was bred by J. B. Malone of Gallatin, Tennessee. S. F. Breeder and Sportsman. The stewards of the Washington Jockey Club concluded their tfBcial inquiry into the Sib.ey case Tuesday. Tbey ordered the suspension of Mclnerny, tbe jockey who rode Sibley, directed that his jockey bsde be tsken up, and that he be excluded from the grounds, and recm-me nded to the National Hunt and Steaplechasa Association that ha be ruled off. Sibley is owned by F. D. Beard of Brooklyn. On the opening day of the present Washington meeting Sibley won a steeplechase at odds of 20 to 1 lika a good cross-country horse. Last Saturday, bis next appearance in a like race, ha met virtually the same company, and, after opening favorite, went to 5s and 6s, a couple of the books laying 8 to 1 against his chances. He was rating in fourth position during the running of the race, going easily, until the fourth obstacle, where Mclnerny tumbled off. The fall smacked so strongly of fraud that tho st ewards immediately began an investigation. P. J. Dwyer has seven yearlings and five of the older division, for Frank McCabe to take charge of this winter. The yearlings are a de-c idedly ueeful lot. One of the best-looking colts on the track, a chestnut by Hindoo, is the general favorite of the youngsters in this string. Of the older horses Rochester, tho two-yea r-old by Potomac Lavinia Belle, waB added to tho list some two months back. Others of the lot have been blistered for slight ailments. His Royal Highness, for whom Mr. Dwyer paid ,0C0 at the Gideon and Daly sale, has been punch fired and blistered in front. He is thickening into a particularly fine ing colt. McCabe says of him : "I know he can run half a mile in 47i seconds. All that I have to do is to make him carry his great speed over a distance of ground." Major Henry C. McDowell, one of the best known citizens of Kentucky and father of tho well k nown turfman T. C. McDowell, died at his home near Lexington, last week, Major McDowell won distinction in the Civil .war, serving on the staff of Gen. Rosecrans. He married tbe grand-daughter of Henry Clay and lived at the famous Clay family saat Ashland. Many noted runners and trotters have in the course of years come from Ashland since Major McDowell became its master. Lily Dale is the name that has been chosen for a chestnut filly foaled last March by Magnet Hazel D., by George Kinney, sacond dam Flitaway full sister to Carrie C. by Sensation. It will be seen that this young miss is bred something like Jean Beraud as that horse is out of Carrie C, and his sire by The III Used, the sire of Magnets dam. Lily Dale is now at Charles Boots stock farm near3an Joso, looking and doing well. She is the property of A. Wright and Co., of San Francisco. Yearling? entered in sn?h great events a9 tho Futurity, The Matron or the National Stallion stakes always sell for a much higher average than those not so engaged. This is thoroughly understood by such sagacious and highly successful breeders as J. B. Hoggin, Milton Young, Col. W. S. Barnes, Gen. W. H. Jackson, Williams and Radford and others whose yearlings annually head the averages because of baing well engaged as well as well bred. By such broad minded and enterprising men the offering of the splendid California Futurity will be hailed with comprehension of the fact that it means the opening of a new field to eastern breeders that i bound to further enhance the market valce of their annual crops of yearlings By reason of the time Bet for its decision, two-year-olds can fill their engagements in the big eastern stakes in September and October, with ample time left to make the trip to California and be prepared so as to be ready to start for this new prize as fit as fit can bo. Besides this is the highly important fact that the Tanforan Park officials have felt obliged to follow the hot pace set by DresideLt Tom Williams and have also announced thrae valuable Btakes for two-j ear-olds, one of which, The Western Produce Stakes, haB the princely sum of ,000 added. Such stakes put California racing in the front rank and the eastern breeders will hardly fail to take advantage of the new and greatly changed conditions.
