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VALUABLE FRIEND OF THE TURF DIES Judge John J. Graham of New York Succumbs at long Island Home After lingering Illness. New York, August 28. John J. Graham, considered a valuable friend of the most prominent men on the turf, died at his country .home, Syosset, L.. I., Saturday, evening. Judge Grahain was sur--rogate of Nassau county from 1910 - to 1910 inclusive, aiid was widely known on Long Island. as one of the ablest members of the New York bar; For the last two years he had suffered almost with-.out cessation from dilatation of the heart, after his first attack, which occurred in July, 1915, while he was watching a race at the Belmont Park track. John J. Graham was favorably known In a personal way among all classes on Long. Island and was held jn the highest esteem for his legal attainments by the entire bench of the Supreme Court, second department. Several years ago, when thoroughbred horse racing was beset by discouragements on account of stringent laws fostered by the tiie then Governor Hughes against bookmaking. Judge Graham, although nqt a partisan of racing interests, was retained by Paul Shane, .who had beeii arrested on the rharge of "oral bookmaking." Nassau county being one of those counties in which tiie surrogate is allowed to practice law, he took up the defense of Shane and obtained his discharge. The case was bitterly fought by reformers, who appealed from the decision of Supreme Court Justice Townsend Scudder. It was carried to the Appellate division of the Supreme Court, and the decision of Justice Scudder finally stood the test of the Court of Appeals. It is to the present day the undisputed law, as maintained all along by Judge Graham, that "oral bookmaking" is a misnomer and that the racetrack betting to fall under the ban must be conducted as a business and with the paraphernalia of bookmaking. Became Exceedingly Popular with Turfmen. Judge Graham naturally became exceedingly popular among the friends of racing. He was a member of the Turf and Field Club, the Piping Rock and Meadowbrook Clubs. He also belonged to the Brooklyn Club. He was always a staunch admirer of the horse and when at college he took a lively interest ill the trotting turf. Tommy Murphy, who since has become the foremost of trotting horse trainers, was associated with John Graham in his early days on the trotting turf and in partnership they raced a string about the country. Graham returned to the study of law, where he was destined to attain a brilliant success, while Murphy went on to a brilliant success with the trotters. Later Judge Graham became interested in thoroughbreds after becoming a member of the Meadowbrook Club and the Piping Rock Racing Association. He was one of the subscribers to the Piping Rock yearling subscription scheme and one of the horses that raced for him with success at both the hunt meetings and over the big tracks was Sickle. While his health and the press of his professional duties permitted, lie was a frequent attendant at the various race meetings and he was a keen judge of a horse. He loved the horse and the sport for the sake of the horse and the sake of the sport and did not need a wager to interest him in any contest.
