Much Inquiry for Missing Secretary, Daily Racing Form, 1911-08-19

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MUCH INQUIRY FOR MISSING SECRETARY. The Louisville Courier-Journal publishes the following special from the Kentucky state capitol at Frankfort: "Complaint against the manner in which W. E-Bidwell, secretary of the Kentucky State Racing Commission, has conducted his affairs, lias been made by the members of the commission, and a now secretary probably will be elected shortly. The commission itself selects the secretary, and the governor lias nothing to do with the election except that iu the case of Mr. Bidwell the otlice was given to him because of Governor Willsons iersoiial desire to see Bid well get a good position. "Governor Willson said tonight that he had heard nothing of the disappearance of Bidwell, but that some six weeks ago a member of the commission had told him that Bidwell had antagonized many persons by his maimer and that the commission was not satisfied, witli the way in which he had been conducting his otlice. "Governor Willson said he had nothing to do with the selection of a secretary, except that Bidwell Was chosen because of the fact that his appointment would be acceptable to the governor. Governor Willson said tonight that if the commission did not like the way Bidwell was doing ills work the governor would offer no objection to his removal and the selection of a new secretary. "Nothing is known here of the reported disappearance of Bidwell, and the governor stated that he had heard nothing of it." The same paper publishes the following under a Lexington date line: "The members of the Kentucky State Racing Coin-mission, it is understood, are thoroughly out of patience with Secretary W. B. Bidwell on account of absenting himself without communication with the commission for the past two months and having with Iii m papers belonging to the commission which are badly needed for the transaction of the commissions business. He did not attend the meeting last week at which the commission awarded dates for the fall meetings and accepted Louisvilles bid for the Endurance Stakes, and as Mr. Bidwell had received all of the entries to the latter stake his absence caused much inconvenience and still causes embarrassment, inasmuch as neither the commission nor the Louisville Jockey Club managers know what horses have been entered or what the value of the stake will be until Secretary Bidwell turns in the papers in his possession. There are also other documents which the commission needs that are in the hands of Mr. Bidwell. Col. E. F. Clay, chairman of the commission, it is stated, has made inquiries as to the secretarys whereabouts, but has been unable to locate him. It was reported that he had been recently seen at the races in Canada, where he was, it was said, the guest of It. F. Carman."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1911081901/drf1911081901_1_10
Local Identifier: drf1911081901_1_10
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800