Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1913 — PORTER RACE MEETING STOPPED BY TROOPS [ARTICLE]

PORTER RACE MEETING STOPPED BY TROOPS

Gambling Continuing, Indiana Governor Sends Guards- , men to Track. Curfew sounded for horse racing at Mineral Springs, Porter county, Ind., late Wednesday afternoon, when two companies, comprising 100 men, of the Indiana National Guard, in charge of Major George W. Freyermuth, of South Bend, pitched camp in the middle of the track. Major Freyermuth stated that the guardsmen would remain until Governor Ralston was satisfied there would be no further attempts at.racing. The day’s card of six races had juist been run off when the guardsmen were seen approaching. The crowd immediately ran .for the trains, and when the detachment reached the track only a few of the hangers-on were present. Several of the horsemen, fearing that their animals would be confiscated, begun packing up, but they decided to remain after being informed that the soldiers were there only to stop

racing. No attempt was made Wednesday to conceal the fact that open betting .was being dope. Although the track officials were told the soldiers were on their way to the course, they made no effort to put on the “soft pedal” as far as gambling was concerned, the only change being a hurry order to the judges to run the races off as fast as possible. The six events were flnislied at 4:30 o’clock, an hour earlier than usual, and then the management announced that “the sport of kings” was ended in or about Chicago as fat as they were concerned. Ben Hymen, track manager, acted as spokesman for W.. F. Knotts, president of the racing association. He stated that the Porter track would be abandoned and that the Mineral Springs Jockey Club would go out of existence for all tlme A He attacked the stand taken by the _ M IVtnn

Indiana governor as "worse than anything ever pulled off in Mexico,’ and declared this country was traveling under an assumed name when it posed as a free nation. “We are not harming anyone,” said Hymen, “and I am satisfied we are not violating the law despite the fact that Governor , Ralston says open gambling is being carried on here. The people hate shown that they want racing by the manner In which they have attended this meeting, and I was always of

the opinion that the people were supposed to have their own way in the United States. Anyway, the calling of the National Guard is good practice for the soldiers in case they are called to Mexico.” Despite Mr. Hymen’s statements, open gambling was carried on at the track Wednesday and every other day during the meeting just stopped and the fifteen-day session run off last month. A reporter for The Record-Herald made a bet on every race run Wednesday, and the bookmakers made no effort at concealment. In case a bet was won the money was paid openly, and the sheriff and his deputies, who were preperrt, made no objections. H-

Tom Clark, a price quoter for the book, which is said to have been operated by employes of the track owners, when asked if he was not afraid of being arrested for accepting bets, replied that things were "all set” and that the only bookmakers bothered were those ‘not working for the management. By this he meant the Chicago hand-book-makers not under the wing of Mont Tennes, who is supposed to be the man "behind the money” at Mineral Springs. • ‘