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FAIR GROUNDS OFFICIALS ! Complete List Named for Meeting -Beginning January 1. i Alternate System of Starters Abolished and . William Hamilton Assigned to That Important Position. : NEW ORLEANS, La., Nov. 14. At a meeting of the board of directors of the Business Mens Racing Association Thursday night, following a conference with E. G. Schledier and Edward R. Bradley, general manager John Diamond today announced the complete list of officials for the Fair Grounds meeting, starting January 1, 1D24. In addition to approval of the list of officials, it was also announced that the admission fee had been reduced to and , plus the war tax, instead of and .65, as prevailed for the past several years. The officials, according to the statement issued, will be : Presiding steward, Joseph A. Murphy ; associate stewards, C. "YV. Hay, John T. Ireland and Herman P. Conkling. Joseph McLennan, racing secretary since the revival of the sport some ten years ago, will retain his former office. Mr. McLennan will also serve as one of the placing judges with Messrs. Ireland and Conkling alternating. J. Stone "Ware, another placing judge, will serve as alternate clerk of the scales. The alternate system of starters has been abolished. There will be but one starter, William Hamilton, who has done such creditable work on the Kentucky tracks. A. J. Stalling, a local banker, and one of the strongest supporters of the sport in this section, has been appointed honorary steward of the meeting. Among the new faces in the official family will bo that of James McLaughlin, at one time Americas premier jockey, and who for the past several years has filled the office of paddock and patrol judge on courses under the jurisdiction of the Jockey Club. Francis Dunne, as in previous years, will fill the office of timer. Racing secretary McLennan has been authorized to use the system he deems best in the matter of claiming races. It is likely that the rule governing races of this character may be the same as in use in Kentucky. At the request of horsemen, a number of "Whom stable at Jefferson Park, scratch time for the races will be 9 a. m. The fields are to be limited to twelve starters, with an eligible list of six. Horsemen who wish to withdraw their racers under the new scratch rule must be present at the time of announcing their intention. The rule adopted several years ago eliminating a scratch fee will prevail but scratches will not be permitted under eight starters without the approval of the stewards.
