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Cancel Longacres Meet At Gottsteins Request Decision Climax of Disagreement As to Approval of Key Officials SEATTLE, Wash., May 14. — Joseph Gottstein, president of the Washington Jockey Club, operators of the Longacres race track, yesterday asked the Washington Horse Racing Commission to revoke its license for a meeting scheduled to run June 25 to September 5. This decision was the climax of a disagreement between the commission and the track operators relative to the approval of certain key officials. At a session held yesterday afternoon the commission announced approval of Eddie Thomas, well-known starter, as presiding steward, but then added that they did not approve racing secretary W. J. McKeon, associate steward Noel Chilcutt and judge George Adams. Following this announcement Gottstein said, "Gentlemen, I am not satisfied with the manner in which this commisison has handled the question of our officials and its failure to approve three of them for no stated reason. I do not want to operate under these conditions. I ask that the application of the Washington Jockey Club for 1949 dates be revoked. We will not race at Longacres." Gottsteins request for cancellation was formally accepted by the commission and the commissions secretary was ordered to refund advance license fees. Chilcutt, later appearing before the commission for the first time, demanded a hearing so that he might refute any charges which anyone might have made against him. The commission talked with Chilcutt in private and then announced Chilcutts appointment met with their approval. Other officials previously denied, approval, but sanctioned yesterday by the commission, were judge Victor A. Meyers, Jr., clerk of scales Robert Smith, announcer Harry Henson and assistant secretary W. C. "Chick" ONeall. At a night session, commissioner Weitz-man told Dr. McKeon and the horsemen present that "the only man we have actually turned down is Adams. But, we are not going to be rushed into decisions regarding officials whom we do not know or who have complaints registered against them. We reserve the right to investigate. And that goes for Spokane or any other track that may come under our jurisdiction." Present at the meeting were Oscar Levitch and Frank Granger of the Playfair track at Spokane. Whether Spokane will be affected by Gottsteins decision is a question Levitch was not prepared to answer. It is believed, with Longacres dark, Playfair may operate earlier with a few extra days.
