JOCKEY'S CONFESSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14465, 3 September 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

JOCKEY'S CONFESSION.

" RUNNING STIFF." TELLS lIOW HE PULLED THE HORSE Tin: jockey who rod© Red Rube at Manchester in 1894, confessed in the King s Bench Division, to pulling the horse on the post. Ho had a very 'warm reception from the crowd afterwards, he said, and got away in a cab as quickly as ho could. The statement was made during the hearing of an action for libel brought by Sir. Joseph Stoddart against the Associated Newspapers, Limited. The jury returned a verdict for the defendants. The comment complained cf appeared in February of last year. In that month the plaintiff was tried and convicted at the Central Criminal Court on a charge relating to a sporting competition in a newspaper. On appeal the conviction Mas quashed. Immediately after the trial the defendants published accounts of plaintiff's career, which contained the alleged libel. It was stated that in connection with one competition organised by him competitors wrecked his office in Manchester. The article in the Evening News also included the following paragraph " 'I'ho greatest fraud with which Stoddart's name will be associated is that in connection with the horse Red Rube, which ran in a race at Manchester. Stoddart, at the time lie ran this horse, was selling "tips" in races. He tipped Red Rube in every possible place and manner, and ostentatious! ■ backed it for £400 in-order to inspire confidence. This caused him to be inundated with commissions to back the horse, so that ho was an immense gainer when, starting an "odds-on" favourite, it lost. " The allegation of pulling the horse was sustained. Stoddart was warned off tho turf by the stewards of the Jockey Club. In the recent trial Stoddart denied having given instructions to ' pull' Red Rube, but it was commonly believed that he made no less than £10,000 out of the transaction." While admitting that he was warned off tho turf, Mr. Stoddart denied the other statements made in this article, or that ho had been guilty of any fraud. The defendants denied the meaning that was put upon the words complained of by Stoddart. £900 PROMISE. In cross-examination Mr. Stoddart said there never was a crowd of winners outside his doors in Manchester clamouring for prizes, which they claimed they had won. In re-examination Mr. Stoddart denied that there was any truth in the suggestion that he had made money by having Red Rube " pulled." Ernest Teague, who rode Red Rubo at Manchester, said Stoddart told him twice that he wanted Red Rube to lose because ho was going to back Pampero. As to tho telegram, "Go through and win," received from Stoddart while he was at the point of mounting Red Rube, he did not allow that to intluenco him, because he thought it might have been sent by anyone. " I could have won by twenty lengths," he added. Didn't you think it dishonest to " pull" tho horse?—No ; I was riding for sport. Counsel: Now we know what sport has descended to. Mr. Stoddart, continued Teague, was anxious not to be warned off, and witness said ho was promised £500 the first year and £400 each subsequent year until he should bo reinstated. For that he was to "tell tho stewards pome little tale." In consequence of that he made a false statement to the stewards, taking all the blame upon himself. Teague added that he had received £100 from Stoddart for what he had done. MR. STODDART LOSES. Mr. Charles Mills, a. commission agent, living at Wimbledon Common, said under cross-examination, that when he accepted the commission to put money on Pampero for Mr. Stoddart. lie did not know that the latter had a horse of his own in the race. He only found that out when the numbers went up. Did you understand what that meant?— Not exactly. Your suspicions would be that Stoddart's ho re ft would not win?— Exactly. After the race did you hold out to Teaguo hopes that you were going to give him something? Not tho slightest. Witness was taken to the prosecution of Mr. Sievier by Mr. Joel. Were you acting from beginning to end under tho orders of Mr. Joel? —Not under tho orders. I was the medium of the trap. Do you suggest that you were the innocent medium absolutely?— Witness got nothing out. of it. Mr. Justice Lawrance, in summing up, said he was thankful to say he did not know much about racing, but it seemed to him that if a man raced he was bound to win if he could. The telegram sent by Stoddart to his jockey telling Teague to go through and win made it seem as if there had been some other arrangement previously. It was not a savoury story, however they looked at it. Tho plaintiff had been put" forward as an unfortunate jnan, but he had been fortunate in some things. He had got a couple of hundred thousand pounds— (laughter.) _ Once, too, when ho had a sentence of six months passed upon him ho was invalided, and did not go to prison at all. Instead, he went to his daughter's wedding, and photographs might be seen of him at tho function enjoying a cigar; more than that, it was a big" cigar. It was mentioned that application for a stay of execution would bo made.