view raw text
THE LES tEK KEIFF CASE. fit is noticeable that the American turfmen who were in England when the Jockey Club Tuled Lester Reiff off for the alleged pulling of Da Lacy at the Manchester meeting are to a man, of the opinion that the rul ng was unjust. John Huggins, Edward Corrigan, Captain Thomas B. Merry, all men of great expariencs and keen judgment, believe the jockey innocent of wrongdoing and their opinions must carry f great weight. The two Boiffs landed in New York Saturday a week ago and concerning tbom and Lesters case the Snn published the following: "Among the passengers on the Cunard liner Lucaiaa, which arrived here yesterday, wsre the noted American jockeys, Lester and Johnny Beiff. After landing, the boys immediately went to the Hoffman House where they registered and incidentally met a large number of turfmen who were anxious to bbo them. The fact that Lester Beiff had been ruled off the turf by the English Jockey Club stewards for his ride on W. C. Whitneys horBe De Lacy, in a race during the September meeting at Newmarket, made his presence here, all the more interesting. But though he wbb plied with questions, Lester was very conservative in his remarks, being careful not to say anything derogatory to the English racing authorities, though implying at all times that in his own belief he had been rather severely dealt with. " 1 do not wieh to say too much, said the jockey, for it is a delicate mutter. I have no plana for the future until I have consulted with "W. C. Whitney, my employer, and Trainer Hug-gins. After that, however, I may be able to state whether I shall apply to the English Jockey Club for another license that will permit me to rido over there next year. "In regard to the race which caused the trouble, I feel at liberty to explain a few things. In the first place there wire four horses in the race, Richard Crokere Ally Minnie Dee being second choice in the betting and my horse, De Lacy being third choice. Minnie Dee was ridden by my brother Johnny. Aa I got the best of the start, I went on and made the"runnlng with Do Lac; , The horse has a habit of boring out and he swung wide coming into the stretch, which is a half mile long. As he did so, Minnie Dee had a chance to slip through on the rail and when we got straightened out Mr. Crokors filly waB at De Lacys quarters. Then De Lacy bgan to stop. He was in good trim and had shown fine speed for Biz fnrlonga but was short, in my estimation. Minnie Dee gradually overhauled him eo that fifty yards from the wire I went to the whip and used it so vigorously that the horse bore the marks for several days afterward. As it was Minnie Dee beat De Lacy by six inches. When my horse Bwung wide it was clear to me that if I pulled over I would have fouled Minnie Dee, which wonld have lost me the race. " The stewards of the meeting called me up and informed me that as I had not tried to win they intended to report my case to the stewards of the Jockey dub. They would not allow me to say anything. Accordingly I was called before the Jockey Club officials and was there fifteen minutes. Lord Marcus Berasford made the charges againBt me and, though he acmit-ted that Do Lacy had sworved, he wound up by declaring that in his opinion I did not try to win. Trainers Huggins and Wishard testified that they saw nothing wrong with my ride, but that was of no avail, for the stewards took away my license and warned me off Newmarket Heath, which of course meant that 1 was not only debarred from riding again in England, but also in Franco and America. " Shortly after that Johnny rode this same Do Lacy and was called up and reprimanded because the horse borad out as ho did with me. De Lacy ran in several other events later, bnt could not win, The treatment I received in I England was odd at times. Even when I won a I race there were always persons who said, You I nearly got beaten, or You were lucky not to be ; Bhut in, while there were otherB who were only to glad to give me credit. Theres one thing snre, and that is 1 could not hava pulled so many horses as they say . I did and still head the list of winning jockeys. As I could not ride lower than 120 pounds, it was impossible for me to take as many mounts as other jockeys, but my winning average ought to show that I did my baet. " Volodjovski, Mr. Whitneys colt, which I rodo to victory in tho Derby, .is a good race-hors, but I think that Mr. Whitneys American-bred colt Kilmarnock is juBt as good, if not better. In the St. Lager . I rode Yolodyov-ski again and was fouled. A man hanging over the rail along the stretch hit another horse with his nmb ella and made him bump into my mount. I went before the stewards with a protest, but they dismissed it, saying that another horse, not Volodyovski, had been interfered with. "While Lester was talking Johnny listened attentively and later said: " When we were coming down the stretch I btlievod that Minnie Dee was surely beaten. Suddenly, however, De Lacy began to stop and I came on and won. The stewards established no motive for wrongdoing. " What evidence the steward had, continued Leator, they did hot tell me. "Johnny Reiff will ride in France next year. Ha has signed a contract with M. Caillanot, who won the Grand Prix last season. Johnny, with Kilmarnock, captured one of the richest stake eventB in France this year. He has been riding at about 95 pounds. The boys confirmed ooKTimrtu on FouKTn rxau. THE LESTER BEIFF CASE. Continued from First Fag. the report that Enoch Wishard, Mr. Crokers. former trainer, will train John A. Drakes horees here next seaeon. Leater intends to see Mr. Whitney in a day or two, and then, with hie brother, will go to California to spend the winter. Lesters case differs from that of Tod Sloan in that the latter wets not formally ruled off, but was notified that it was bsBt for him not to apply to the English Jockey Glnb for another licanee. Sloan, therefore, was able to ride last winter in California. "Lester Beiff was born in Emporinm, Kan., I and was bronght east in 1891 by John J. McCaf-ferty. He made his bow as a jockey iu the east at Monmouth Park, where he first came into prominence by riding and winning with the mare Qneanie Trowbridge at odds ranging from 100 to 150 to 1, which was a great killing. Later when McCaffsrty formed a partnership with Enoch Wishard, Beiff continued with the firm and rode with marked success. Wishard and McCafferty dissolved and Beiff, then out of his apprenticeship, went to England with Wishard, who had formed a partnership with Duke, the lumber man. The boy had remarkable success there and last year headed the list of winning jockeys, while this year he hsd the best percentage. In the fall of 1900 Lester and Johnny signed to ride during the past season for Lord William Beresford, then racing partner of the late Pierre Lorillard. Thouga Beresford died, John Huggins continued to train and then W, C. Whitney leased the training grounds from Lady Beresford, as well as accepting the racing engagements of the Beiffs. Lester was recognized as the stable jockey and therefore enjoyed the right to ride the pick of the stable. He is about twenty-six years old and not married, though it is said that he will take a bride this winter."
