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JOE THOMPSON S BETTING OPERATIONS. For clearness of intellect, businesslike acumen and energy. Joe Thompson, the English bookmaker who died on the island of Madeira last month, was a remarkable man. and. having regard to the magni Hide of his business, he deserved to rank with "Leviathan" Davis, who was one of the biggest pen eilers of the peat generation of racing men. Joe Thompson started life as a sailor. In a voy age to Australia he was shipwrecked outside Sydney Berber and managed to reach the shore on a cask. He landed at a time when the gold fever was on. and making his way up to the diggings he did very well and laid the foundation of a respectable fortune. He later took to the turf and before long became recognized as one of the foremost operators in Aus tralBU Success attended him from the outset and in the course of time he had raee horses of his own. some of the most celebrated horses of the time carrying his colors. Among them may be mentioned Argus. Don Juan probably the best of the loti. Scandal, Romula and King of the Ring. Thompson being at this period himself called "King of the Ring." After Joining the ring in England. Thompson had worked liard for the lienefit of the members of Tat-IcrsaHs. and was responsible for the tif teen-minute rule regarding objections. He was the originator in England of the mam moth double-event bets on the principal races. He paid innumerable sums of 0,000 over double events, the largest amount laid in one bet. and lost. being 50,000 to ,000. Aboet Comedv and Ragi munde he laid a wager of 25,000 to $.VK . lie ■km bwt In the aggregate a sum of 25,000 when I«a Flcche won the Cambridgeshire, independently of a double, laid to a brother tiookmaker. of 0.001 to 00 Bnrnaby and La Fleehe for the Cesarewiuh anil Cambridgeshire. Winkfields Pride, at 200 to 1. was offered a few days before he won the Cambridgeshire. On that occasion Thompson took ,000 to 0 that the winner was not named in twenty tries Needless to say. the hacker did not include Winkfields Pride in his twenty horses. Mr. Thompson was a big loser on the race. In 1K94 the late Sir .1. B. Maple backed Childwick and Oangwav. both of which horses he owned, to win 00,000 with Thompson. After Chidwiek had aaa the Oeaarewrteh "Joe" asked the Imronet if he would like to hedge. "No." said Sir John. "I want a little more on Gangway." "Oh. do von? Well. 1 will lay y ni S.flOO to 1.000 to buy some sweet stuff with." When the second race was decided and Oangway was beaten bv Indian Oueeu. "Joe" beckoned to Sir John and sang to him. "Thou art so near and yet so far." In another instam-e a backer had a double event bet with "Jim-" to win 0,000. and when the afford horse peered successful the backer was so overcome that he fell in a faint. Viiurally. a crowd began to gather around him. and on some one calling out "Make room, and let him have air." Thompson quizzically observed. "Send him a wreath.- But. Thompson was a great winner over the Cam bridceehire of 18!M as he was in possession of some rare information concerning Indian Oueen. On the night prei-eding the race he went into the subscription mama at Newmarket after the card bad been called over, and not only supported the mare to win the race hut also backed her against pretty nearly everything else running.
