Tulsa Racing Abandoned: Meeting is Declared off Because of Governors Unrelenting Attitude, Daily Racing Form, 1914-04-17

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• , ! * 1 TULSA RACING ABANDONED MEETING IS DECLARED OFF BECAUSE OF GOVERNOR S UNRELENTING ATTITUDE. Decision Reached Only When It Became Evident That Adjutant-General Was in Earnest in Threatening to Shoot Horses if Racing Was Attempted. Tulsa. Okla.. April 16. --Manager R. J. Allison and hi- associates in the Tulsa Jockey Club today came to the conclusion that further efforts to carry their raee meeting through its scheduled nineteen days would he futile, in view of the odds against the.n because of tin- determined attitude of Governor nice. Ihe ineel ing was therefore declared off. and unless the voters of the srule disapprove ..f the ami belling act pa-sed by the legislature last rear when it i BUbmitted to a referendum rote the ..lining fall, it is probable that Oklahoma has seen Ihe la-l of thoroughbred racing. Ihe decision to abandon the meeting came only after it had been demonstrated that Adjutant-General Canton could not be moved from his determination BOl to permit any more racing. At uim.ii Manager At lison announced that an attempi would be made to continue and resume racing this afternoon. Adju taut General Canton, win. remained in charge at the track with the two companies of militiamen that look possession of Ihe coin ■-■• y.-ierday. met this announcement by reiterating that If any attempt should be mad.- to race lie would older the militiamen to -hoot the haraea 1h.11 might be engaged in the races. Furthermore be Instructed his men to Banal In kill anyone attempting to force an entrance to the grounds. By lis iust ru. tb.iis wires win- stretched across the track on the front stretch. canton convinced the amnagemeat thai he meant business and then the decision to call the meeting ..IT was arrived at. Canton refused absolutely to recognize tin- right ot any court to issue an injunction, holding that the militia was supreme became the track had been Only declared to be under niariial law. The management of the track contended to the end that ihe proclamation declaring martial law was unwarranted and unconstitutional. In announcing that the meeting had been declared off resident R. .1. Allison said: "In the race track controversy a crisis has been reached, 1 believed at the beginning and 1 still believe that racing contests in this .state are neither unlawful nor unmoral. It has been my opinion and that of my advisers that the sending of the state militia to take possession of my property and interrupt my business is a great private wrong protected by an arbitrary executive power." President Allison staled no further attempt would be iiiailc 10 race her.- until after the people ex-pn-s their views at the next general election in November, when the anti race track betting law passed by the lasl legislature will come before the people. flu- soldiers permitted the trainers to exercise their horses during ihe day. but excluded spectators from the enclosure. Whether or not an effort will I.e made to Obtain redress for Ihe forced abandonment of the meeting his not been divulged. There will be an Immediate scattering of the horsemen and horses thai came here for the meeting. A few will go to Kentuckv for the racing that is Bbortlj to begin there, but by far the greater number will go to Denver, to await the opening of the Overland Park meeting in .lime. Adjutant General Canton stated today that the troops would remain at the local track until Governor ■•uce ordered their return home. Mi. 111 ISO of the 20O horses here will ! e shipped to Denver within the next few days.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1914041701/drf1914041701_1_5
Local Identifier: drf1914041701_1_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800