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GREAT PLUNGERS OF THE PAST. Transactions in Which Famous Enfjlish Owners Figured and Not Always Creditably. There is no such beltiiijr now as was transacted in the fifties and sixties and in the early seventies. a.vs the sporting writer of Truth. The last really uroat stake which was landed over this race the Osarewitch was won by Kosobery, and two years earlier F. Swindell had tacked the Truth kcMIiik to win ?500,000 br a lony course of dexterous but perfectly unscrupulous inanciiverinjr. llr. Swindell won a Iuifje stake over Diileihella. whieli had been tried ci certainty, and she came in alone. There was an immense win over Lecturer. Lord Hastings himself clearing 00,000, while the total winnings of "the party" were not less than "i0.-000. When the weights for the Cesarowitch of 1S0 were published Lord Hastings considered that his horses had been unfairly treated by Admiral Rous, and they were all struck out. Lecturer was not included in the lot. as he had been nominated for eome reason or other by the well-known Peter Wilkinson. Everything in those days was utterly chaotic and hugger-mugger in the department of ownership and partnership, -but under the present rules Lecturer would surely have been disqualified. The most sensational race was that won by Lioness, as it led to unpleasant developments which had far-reaching results. Colonel Ouseley Iliggins. who was one of the most popular members of the Jockey Club set. had been for some time on intimate terms with James Merry. He was consulted as to the running of Mr. Merrys horses and was finite behind the scenes in the stable tactics. Lioness was .systematically "steadied" with a view to her winning the Cesarewitch. the coup having liecn for several mouths in contemplation, but on this occasion not only was Colonel Iliggins kept in the dark, but he maintained that he had been deliberately misled and that, not only had he been put oft backing the mare Iiiinself. but he had prevented many of his acquaintances from supporting her. Mr. Merry, as was said of a celebrated turf tactician, had been "as sly as a fox and as mute as a mackerel." The fact was that he gave his commission to a shrewd man. who undertook it only on receiving a most solemn promise that not a word should be uttered in recommendation of "Lioness until the numbers were up. Mr. Merry carefully held Ms toDguo and although Lioness was obviously being backed for a great deal of money, neither Colonel Higgiiis nor anyone else received a particle of encouragement from the owner. When the numbers were hoisted. Mr. Merry looked out for Colonel Jliggins, hut in those days it was easy for men to miss each other at Newmarket just before such a big race. One would b in the Rirdcage, and the other might be at the ring, or in the crowd of horsemen, or in a carriage by the ropes. Mr. Merry met Lord Stamford, who was galloping to the ring, and begged him, if he saw Colonel Iliggins, to tell him to be sure to make Lioness a winner. However, the tip did not arrive in time, and directly after Lioness had won easily. Colonel Iliggins galloped up to Mr. Merrys carriage, almost speechless with fury, and assailed him publicly with a rich flow of invective, including such epithets as are commonly associated with Ananias and Barabbas. Lord Stamford, who came up during the attack, vainly attempted to explain away matters, but Colonel Higgins was implacable, and vowed that only "satisfaction" would compensate for his grievances. Mr. Merry did not , relish the prospect -of standing opposite a bloodthirsty Irishman Who was known to be a. sure shot, and later in the day Lord Stamford was seat to confer with Colonel Higgins with much the same secret instructions as wore given by Lord Steyne to Mr. Wenbam when he deputed him to meet Colonel Itawdou Crawley. Happily, the offer was referred for final decision to Admiral Rons and Mr. George Payne, whose strong common sense and fine tact enabled them to patch up what Lord Beacons-field has defined as "a bad tempered understanding." The episode caused a great fuss at Newmarket, but it was kept very quiet, as people were not in those days so fond of proclaiming quarrels and scandals as they are now. It was this unfortunate affair which prevented Mr. Merry from being elected a member of tho Jockey Club. A few years afterwards, his name was to be put forward, but Admiral Rous and Lord George Manners, advised the proposer and seconder to withdraw the candidate, as it was absolutely certain that he would be blackballed. Admiral Rons was sensibly averse to subjecting a man of Mr. Merrys position on the turf to a public snub, as it might very likely have caused him to sell his stud and give up racing altogether. In those days the names of candidates for the Jockey Club were published in the Calendar before tho ballot, so if-a man was blackballed every one knew of his failure. There was a great to-do about 1S07 when the late Duke of Hamilton was blackballed for the Jockey Club, find not only did the Avelkin ring with the indignation of tho candidates friends, but Admiral Rous pointed out the absurdity and folly of rejecting a candidate of unexceptionable position who raced 01: a very large scale. At that time, however, there was a positive craze for blackballing at Newmarket, and a certain clique vowed to keep out of the club any candidate connected with "the city." Lord Glasgow nearly always put in a black bail. and for years one of he great objects of his life was to keep Colonel Forester out of the Jockey Club.
