20 The Trotting and the Pacing Horse 



high-wheel and low-wheel records are treated 

 alike. 



January 5, 1904, a joint committee, composed 

 of three representatives each from the National 

 Trotting Association, the American Trotting 

 Association, and the American Trotting Register 

 Association, met in New York and one of the 

 things discussed was shield performances. The 

 validity of irregular performances against the 

 watch was formally disputed by the American 

 Trotting Association, and this brought the ques- 

 tion before the official board, the three presidents 

 of the governing associations. On January 7 

 there was a public hearing before the board, com- 

 posed of Presidents P. P. Johnston, W. P. Ijams, 

 and William Russell Allen, and the fact was 

 established that the official announcement at 

 Cleveland was that Lou Dillon would start to 

 beat 2.o8f to high-wheel sulky. The report 

 telegraphed over the country that the mare started 

 under the precise conditions that governed the 

 record-breaking performance of Maud S. lacked 

 the important element of truth. The fact was 

 also established through the testimony of Charles 

 Tanner, an employee of Mr. Billings, that the 

 sulky drawn by Lou Dillon was fitted with ball- 



