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TACTICS QF OLD-TIME JOCKEYS. Characteristics of Well-Known Riders of Other Days Treated in an Interesting Vein. The action of the stewards of the Coney Island Toctey Club in suspending Jockey Dugan for rough riding was being discussed by a group of horsemen a few days ago when a veteran racing man said: "It would not have been necessary for the StCW-nrds to take any action in Dugans case if we had u rid -r of the Winnie- OConnor type in tlie- saddle-in this country at the present time-. That leeiy took goo.i care of all theese who attempted liberties with him in 11 race and I shall never forget the- surprise. Tommy Bnrns. then in the heyeley eef his prowess as a joe-key, got at the- Fair Grounds course- at New-Orleans .em- afternoon. ••Burns was riding for John W. Schorr, the Me-iu phis brewer, at that time and was winning more-races than any two other jockeys at the- course until OConnor came along. In the race to which I refer Bum:; was up on tin- favorite and when OCbU nor moved up at the- head of the stretch and challenged for the lead Burns promptly roele him to the outside and ench-aored to get a leg lock on him. "This trick gives a marked advantage In a lighting finish, and OConnor called to Burns when the Canadian tried for the lock that he must not carry him out any farther. Burns paid no attention, but continued his foul tac tics until at the brick barn aleout a furlong from home OConnors mount was within a few feet of tile outside fence-. Rising in his stirrups he- rained half a dozen blows upon Burns he-ad and sbonldera with the short riding whip he carried •ind then sat down anil rode a hair-raising finish that landed him in front by a neck at Hie wire. "Tin- stewarels of the meeting promptly called both rhlers into the stand and demanded an explanation. OConnor pleaded that his life- was in danger and that he only used his whip as a last resoert, because he believed that he Would be- thrown over the fence- cento the shell road tent feet beneath, the trac k being much higher than the road about it. "The stewarels reprimanded both boys. Burns for rough riding and OConnor for lukhng tlie law Into his own hands. That was the only time that Burns we-nt up against OOmnor, and you can bet if leoys eef the type of OConnor we-re rilling today Dugan would have- had a trimming long ago." "Fitzpatrick OB aid take- care of himself too in the old days." broke in a listener, "and so eeeulel Andy McCarthy and Johnny Spc llinan. Mc Laughlin wasnt a rough rider, hut he was a bluffer and in a race frightened most of the boys with whom he came in contact. "Ill never forget one- time at Penning that Me Laughlin got up against" tlie wrong bug to frighten. He was riding old man Morris Favor in one of the spring stake-s and the big bay horse was a tremendous favorite and carrying a heavy commission for Mike- Dwye-r, one of McLaughlins employers. Favor was the top weight anil naturally Jimmy waited with him. Rounding tin- upper turn there were three horses ahead of him. "Look out there, boy! called McLaughlin, evi death/ expecting the Jockey on the horse next the rail to pull out and let him through. "Now- it happened that the horse was Eolian. owned by the late A. .1. Cassatt. tlie- Pennsylvania Railway magnate, and the jockey was Willie Martin, now a trainer and for many years one of Americas best riders. Martin, then a liegiuner at the- game, paid no attention to McLaughlins call, but redoubled his efforts on Kolian, then a comparatively unknown three-year-old. "By the time that McLaughlin made np his mind to go to the outside in the run home Martin, who had shouted back some-thing uncomplimentary when ordered to pull out and let the then premier jockey of Anu-rica through, had tin- race won and Favor lost by a nec k in spite of all his rider could do. "McCarthy, who was always truculent, having trouble with the turf authorities or with his fellow riders almost constantly, lost bis life on the track at Morris Park. He was riding a crazy gray mare called Little Nell and she ran away with him ami crashed into one of the- many fences which crossed the Fclipse course when the circular course was in use. "McCarthys quarrels with starter Caldwell we-re spectacular and almost constant. They appear;--! to understand each other, aud when the starting point was distant enough from the grandst-uid so that their conversation could not be heard by the spec tators tin- language was some-times vitriolic- and always acrimonious. Such goings on between starter and jockey disappeared long ago. but when Cablwe-ll was at his best in his profe-ssiuii he had numerous battles at the- post. "McCarthy and Bergen, I guess, were his particular pets in that line, anil the latter could he-quite as exasperating as McCarthy when hi- was in the humor, and that seemed to be all tlie time. Hi- reminded me of the boy who boasted that he hail the most even-tempered man in the world for a father -always angry. "Some of Bc-rge-ns witticisms and sarcasms are famous. Old Larry Hart owned a three-year-old named Duke of Leinstcr that nobody thought of more than very ordinary selling plater class. Tin-public that followed the horses those days was astonishi-d erne- day to Ind tin- Duke entered in a race- against several of the best horses in training, Among them the redoubtable Tenny. one of the best three year -olds we have ever had in this country. Hart, who was a character himself. Called Bergen over into a remote corner of tin- paddock at Sheeps- head Bay to give him instructions. " "Now. Marty. he said, "lay wid Tenny till ye hit the head of the stretc h and thin come on with him and yell have it all to yerself. " AH right, sir. resounded the jockey, with as near a smile on 1-is face- as he ever permitted to show there. . "When the head of the stretch was reached the Duke was fifty yards behind Tenny and be was almost twice as far away at the wire. Barnes war up on Tenny that clay and when I i art approached Bergen after the race the jockey said: " Oh. Mr. Hart. Barm s wouldnt throw me a liawliae and I couldnt follow orders. "One day while Mr. Pettingill was starting the hones at Oakley, the handsome course near Cincinnati built anil managed by the Labolds, Bergen was riding a fractious two-year-old tilly. The- starter, whose patience had stood a long strain, finally shouted : " Bergen, bring that filly up in line here. " Honest. Mr. Pet. replied Berge-n as he snatcheel at the lillys head in an endeavor to turn her around, this is no bicycle-. "Bergen rode for Corrigan, you remember, for a year or so. Their contract was unique. There were no written articles of agreement between them. When somebody sugge-steel that there should be- a written contract Corrigan sent for Bergen and in his characteristic way remarked: " Now see here. Be-rgen. when your riding doesnt suit me Ill te-11 you so. and when youre- not satis-iie-d witli me you can tell me so. Thatll be con-trae-t enough. " That suits me-, boss. was Bergens reply. "It was only a few days afte-r his engagement tliat Oorrigan started a horse that he was pretty sweet on. and he- leehl the Jockey before the race-that he had a lot of money at stake. The horse was beaten badly and Corrigan rubbed his big aqnlline nose in perplexity. Before he could ask Bergen what the trouble was the rider ilrawb-d: " "Say. Imiss. you made a mistake. That was the buggy horse you la-t 011. "Corrigan was disarmed for the moment. Such natures as Conigans and Bergens had no morr chance- to mix than oil and wate-r, and they so.111 parted." "Tliat Spellnian was lupgg and tough enough," said another member of the group. "lie knew as muc h about the line- [Miiii t s of liorse-manship as anybody riding thirty years ago. and when In- wgs betting his own money and riding his own horse Strathspey around the many cornered track at old Jerome Park, wo.- betide the Jockey who got in his way. "In a fist liuht he was easily the champion of the jo. !;, vs. and he was always ready with e ithe r hands or feet. His eenthaay got him into trouble, ami he-lost his life- as the result of a midnight brawl 111 Sixth avenue where the white lights were thickest at the junction of that thoioughfarc- anil Thirty Second street. •lb- was perhaps tin- heaviest bettor anions the jockeys of his day and the wagers he made at times would slugger the- turf authorities of tin-present clay. Five thousand dollars wasnt an unusual wager f.ir R pel] man when he thought be was liLlit and if Jimmy Ke lly were alive- he lid tell you of some- large winnings scored bv tin- natty Jockey, who snout as much for his clothes as any man in Ne-w York." "Talking of c lothe s." remarked one of the- crowd. "tl Id time Jockeys we re- better dressers than the lopnoic he is of today. McLaughlin. Garrison, the Clay I. .11s. Siinins and others w ere turned out like-fashion plates. "II took OConnor a couple- of years to elress even fairly well and I remember meeting him ones eroaslug til" Mold at GraVeseud afte-r he had won four rnees. lb- was at the time under contract t . the Feathers tone-Bromley confederacy and was earning 0,000 a year at hast. II.- had on an old gray sweater, a pair of trousers that a swine would have disc-aided and he had one- shoe and a sltppe-r cen his fee t. I Stanped him and asked him why he was not more particular about his personal appe-aranee. " I couldnt ride- any belter if I had bettor clothes, eceiihl I? was all he- said in reply, and I was forced to admit tin- truth of his remark. "But tin- next year he- blossomed out and when he went to Ne-w orh-ans in the autumn his ward robe would satisfy the most exacting taste. II,-hud silk pajamas and checked suits. Of the former he said that It took him sepe time to get used to them, as they were so sllpperv he fell cent of bed a number of times when be first worn; them. He had one chfck suit so loud that you could hear It around tlie corner. "Slack, who was then little lietter than an apprentice, was a .rent chum of OConnor. He looked with longing eyes on Winnies cheeks, and this loud suit in particular was the finest tiling iu the way of clothing tliat Slack had ever seen. "One day Slack rode anil won on Tappan, a 100 to 1 shot, owned by his brother, ami a hilarious planter from one of the river pifrishes who had won u lot of money thrust a hundred dollar bill into the lads hand as he was re-turning to the jocke-y room after weighing in. Slack had no more use for 1 the race track that day ami twee evehfpgs later I met him 011 Canal street near tin- Boston. Club. At first sight he looked like OConneer. reel cravat, patent teethe shoes and tin- loud check suit; in fact I shouted: 110110. Winnie. " 8-s-s-h, whispered Slac k behind his hand, OConnors at home in bed and Ive got his clothes. "Tin- youngster had fpenl the greater part of his % *i in clolh.-s. Is it any wonder that few of them save any motify? One year they an- carrying a bucket ami sleeping in a stall with a horse and the next they are- pet red and lauded by those w ho are alwavs ready to applaud anybody, man or boy, who does something better than the- other fe llow." -New York Sun. ,
