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JOHN W. GATES AND HIS PLUNGES. The late John W. Gates made some of the biggest wagers ever recorded on the New York race tracks. He won manv too, but there was one loser which he never forgot. At Drighton Reach four years ago there were three starters in a certain race. One of them was Charley Ellisons Yankee Girl, another A. Xi. Astes Gold Lady and the third a rank selling plater named Home Again, which never had a chance. Yankee Girl had won several impressive victories and was a hot favorite at 1 to 2. Mr. Gates saw Ellison in the paddock before the race and was informed that the mare could not loose. At the same time a confidential agent told the millionaire that Aste didnt believe Gold Lady could win. So Mr. Gates went to a well-known bookmaker and wagered 0,000 on Yankee Girl to win half that amount. Hurrying to tins clubhouse Mr. Gates saw jockey Miller ride Yankee Girl to the barrier and was in rare good humor until the start was effected. Then, to his evident surprise and dismay, be saw Gold Lady rush to the front with terrific speed, while Yankee Girl, tangled up at the .getaway, was unable to raise a gallop. Gold Lady led from start to, llnish and won in a romp. When Yankee Girl struggled home disgracefully beaten. Mr. Gates gave vent to his feelings by throwing his 00 iield glasses to the lloor, smashing Ihem to atoms. The plunging of Mr. Gates and the late Davy Johnson undoubtedly attracted so much attention that it was the beginning of the successful crusade against racing in tiie State of New York. Messrs. Gates and Johnson did not attempt to conceal their Ixjtting operations, with the result that stories were chronicled which did much harm. They appeared to enjoy the notoriety thus gained, in striking contrast to other big speculators who kept their business secret and thereby made it impossible to learn what they were doing. .Messrs. Gates and Johnson frequently were warned by the turf governors to curtail their plunges, but they paid no heed. Mr. Gates admitted just before lie quit the turf that he had beaten the bookmakers out of a large sum said to be 200,000 but Davy Johnson went broke. New York Sun.
