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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Jockey Lyne will join the English division of the Keene stable early in February and at once get down to work. The contract guaranteeing him 0,000 a year, with the regular fees for winning and losing mounts, and the privilege of accepting outside mounts when the Keenes have no horses engaged, has been signed by his father and now is in the possession of James R. Eeene. The retainer and the conditions are the most generous it ever has been the good fortune of an American jockey to secure. How much Lyne will make in addition to his retaining fee of 0,000 has been estimated at all the way from 0,000 to 0,000. All the American jockeys who have ridden in England and on the Continent agree that more money is to be had abroad than they can earn here. That being the case, a boy like Lyne should be able to pick and choose his mounts, always provided that he hold the form which he has shown since going East this year. He is not so good a rider as Sloan was, but ho ranks with the beBt of the other boys who have tried their fortunes in foreign countries, and all these boys have done well. That is, those of them who have walked in the straight and narrow path and avoided the displeasure of the turf authorities have done well. They have made money. That Lyne may do that aDd earn honor and glory for himself will be the wish of all American horsemen. He is a quiet, well behaved little chap, who because of his skill and conduct, deserves all the honors to be won in his chosen calling. With the expulsion of an American bookmaker from France raised to the dignity of an international incident, members of the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Layers of Odds well may believe that they are some pumpkins. The bookmaker is Robert L. Rose, who was identified with the turf, f this country some years ago, both as an owner and layer of odds. It is with his expulsion from France and not from his disbarment from the French turf that the state departments of France and this country now have to do. According to the cable, M. Dolcasee, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has admitted that somebody acted hastily in expelling Rose . from France, and that justice will be done,lwhen the bookmakers case is reopened. Among those who have interested themselves in behalf tot Rose are Senator Depew, J R. Van Wormer, Representative Su!er and Tim Sullivan. The good offices of these men in interesting our state department in the case ma. result in the edict of expulsion from France being recalled, but it is not likely that the Jockey Club will rescind its action in debarring him from the turf. Nor is it likely that our state department or onr ambassador in Paris would take part in any effort having to do with hia reinstatement on the race tracks. The Jockey Club of Franco, like the governing authorities of the turf of other countries, makes its own rules of conduct, and to these rules every owner, trainer, jockey, bookmaker and patron subscribes when he enters upon its course. If any man offend against these rules he must pay the penalty, and the fixing of that penalty rests with the Jockey Club alone. An incident not down on the program added to the excitement of the afternoon at Latonia Monday, being thus related in the Commercial-Tribune of yeaterday: "The burning-of the gasoline lighting plant at Latonia, which is located in the betting shed, caused a lively panic yesterday while the betting was going on for the second race. The apparatus, which is located in the lower end of the shed, blazed up, and some candidate for Longview yelled "look out, it is going to blow up, and then for a few seconds there was seen a wild flight of a panic stricken bunch. They carried everything before them and many unwilling ones were swept along and ont onto the lawn and under the grandstand. One individual, Sammy Hughes, a paralytic, living in Newport, could not get out of tho way and he was knocked down and trampled on, but got away with a badly cut face and some bruises about the body. A few others had their clothes made a little worse for wear and Henry Wehmhoff almost had his leg twisted off. "In the meantime the apparatus, which is enclosed in a wooden box, was burning briskly and if it had not been for the prompt work of Walter Hanlon, the driver of Engine Co. No. 10, the entire betting shed might have been destroyed. Hanlon took charge of the affair, smothered the names and then a fow buckets of water did the rest and business was again resumed. Mclnerny, one of the employees, had his face and hands scorched. "A littlo later in tho afternoon there was another rush out of the betting shed, caussd by some one in the judges stand sitting on the pnsh button which rings the big bell in the betting shed. Tho clatter of tho bell startled the would-be speculators and they came ont at a marry clip, but it was nothing like the panic caused by the fire." Jockey Georgo Odom left New York Tuesday for his homo at Colnmbus, Ga., where he will take matters easy until after tho first of the year, when he will go to Now Orleans to ride for the remaindor of the meeting there. Odoms first mount this year was on January 21 at New Orleani. From that time until the close of the Morris Park meeting he rode 145 winners and was placed in almost twice that number of races. He probably rode the winners of more important stake events than any rider in this country ever did. Odom received ,300 from Messrs. McLewee and Co. alone for his services during the season. He will ride for Captain Sam Brownagain next season and will receive 2,000 for first eall on his services. The sale at public auction on October 29 and 30 of the famons thoroughbred stallions at Belle Meade farm, together with their equally noted mates and many of their untried progeny has attracted the interest of the entire turf world. At the home of Bonnie Scotland, Great Tom, Enquirer, Iroquois, Tremont and others who have passed away, but still live in memory of turfmen, there reside Luko Blackburn, Tho Commoner, Huron, Longstreet, Mont dOr, Seashore, Inspector B. and the imported horses Tithonus, Madison and Loyalist. Arrangements have been made with the Louisville and Nashville for a one and one-third fare for the round trip to Nashville from points on the line. Henry Ziegler has closed a contract with George Mountain to ride for him for a year. Mountain is a very gentlemanly little fellow, and it is believed by those who have seen him in the saddle that he will make good, as he has had no opportunity to ride horses that had a chance before this. He rode a good race on Nick Longworth Tuesday and finished a good second. This was the first time that Nick Longworth went to the post, and he certainly ran a very good race for a green colt, and he wont stick in the maiden class very long. The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association for some time past has been planning to increase the interest in steeplechasing wth the result that next year the Westchester, Brooklyn, Coney Island and probably tho Brighton Beach tracks will hold two events of this kind each weak, ontside of stakes. No purse will be less than ,000. Interest in races over the jumps has been greater this year than for several seasons, the climax being reached when Self Protection won the Champion Steeplechase two weeks ago. With an increase in the number of steeplechases next season, it is expected that many new owners will take the field and that there will be a higher class of horses among the starters. Thero is nothing moro spectacular than a steeplechase and tho crowds, realizing the elements of danger that exist, are usually worked up to marked enthusiasm. In spite of numerous accidents this year no rider has been soriously iojnred though saveral horses hnve been killed outright. The leading spirits in the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association have also decidrd that all the jumps at New York tracks will be of uniform height next year which means that many such mishaps as brought the sport into ridicule at Gravesend will be avoided. James R. Keenes horses which will race in England noxt year were shipped on the steamship Minnehaha yesterday for the other side. They include the two-year-olds Whitechapl, by Chorister White Rose; Dalesman, by Ben Brush Inner Dale; Surbiton, by Kingston Virginia Water; Dazzling, by St. Leonards Splendour, and Duster, by Bon Brush Lady Invercauld. The yearlings are a brown colt by Kingston Catharine II.; a bay colt by Kingston Glide; a bay colt, by Hamburg Pastorella ; a bay colt, by Ben Brush Fairy Slipper; a brown colt, by Kingston Royal Gem; a half brother to The Regent; a brown filly by Kingston Bonnie Gal; a chestnut colt, by HoroscopeHandmaid ; a bay colt, by Ben Brush Bova, and a bay colt, by Kingston Calico. Ten exercise boys and ten stable hands went along with the string. Matt Allen also sent a saddle horse named Dandy, which he recently purchased from W. P. Bnrch.
