i8 2 THE TURF 



calculation, or secret fraud; and that the 

 last-mentioned resource is the base on which 

 many large fortunes have in our day been 

 built, no man will be bold enough to deny. 

 How many fine domains have been shared 

 amongst those hosts of rapacious sharks, 

 during the last two hundred years ! and, 

 unless the system be altered, how many 

 more are doomed to fall into the same 

 gulph ! For, we lament to say, the evil 

 has increased : all heretofore, indeed, has 

 been ' tarts and cheese-cakes,' to the vil- 

 lainous proceedings of the last twenty years 

 on the English turf. l Strange ! But how 

 is it that exposures l are not oftener made ? ' 



1 A very proper notice has been taken by the members 

 of the Irish Turf Club, respecting an alleged attempt at 

 fraud on the part of Mr. Ruthven, a member of the 

 Reformed Parliament, and here a reformer on principle. 

 The charge against him was, that of his having ran two 

 horses in Ireland under false names and ages, thereby 

 pocketing large sums of money ; and the following was 

 the decision of the stewards, the Honourable John 

 Westenra, John Maher, Esq., and the Earl of Howth, 

 after a long and laborious investigation : ' Having 

 most carefully examined the evidence produced before 

 us, we are of opinion, that, in reference to Leinster and 

 Old Bill, as also to Caroline and Becacine, a case of 

 identity has been proved ; and we consider Mr. Ruthven's 



