The Driving Clubs of Greater Boston 



129 



firmly told him that unless he handed over the 

 remainder of that fifty plunks he never would 

 pass off that bridge alive. The Vermonter 

 noted Mr. Leavitt's determined air, saw that 

 no person was in sight, hesitated only a min- 

 ute, and then produced the goods. 



From that day to this he has never men- 

 tioned the occurrence to Mr. Leavitt, though 

 both have repeatedly met, nor did it break 

 friendship in the slightest degree. 



Had he but known, however, Mr. Leavitt 

 asserts that had the Vermonter shown fight, 

 he was all ready to do a stiff sprint, himself, 

 across that bridge. 



Once when he had Jere O'Neil racing 

 R. M. Wilkes at the Narragansett Park (it 

 was during a fair and there was no betting), 

 Trainer Colonel Jas. Galvin asked Mr. Leav- 

 itt to please drop a heat so he could mark a 

 stallion he was starting in the race, and which 

 he had been in sore straits in giving a record 

 better than 2 :3c It was agreed on. It so oc- 

 curred that one of the judges was Major P. P. 

 Johnston, president of the National Trotting 

 Association. The heat was back in 2:283-4. 

 Immediately Jere was called in the stand to 

 explain why he was defeated in so slow time. 

 Mr. Leavitt, seeing that something was going 

 on, followed up. He then told Mr. Johnston 

 just the whole story of dropping the heat to 

 accommodate Colonel Galvin. 



"I never in my life heard anything like 

 that," declared Mr. Johnston. "You come up 

 here and tell the judges that before the heat 

 you told your driver plainly not to win, but 

 to deliberately pull his horse. It is most aston- 

 ishing.'' 



"Well," replied Mr. Leavitt, "I'm not to 

 blame if nobody has ever told you the truth 

 before, am I?" 



To this day Mr. Leavitt firmly believes that 

 it was his retort to Major Johnston that 

 caused the judges to soak him a hundred dol- 

 lars fine for having his horse pulled, and 

 placing a penalty of another hundred on the 

 horse for getting pulled in the race. 



A partial list of the horses, not before men- 

 tioned, that have passed through Mr. 

 Leavitt's hands follows : 



Ituna, 2:10; Jasper Ayers, 2:09; Larabie, 

 2:12 3-4; Allen Lowe, 2:12; Allie Snell, 

 2:14 3-4; Roster, 2:12 1-4; Tuna, 2:12 1-4; 

 Wistful, 2:11 1-2; Kwanon, 2:12 1-4; Zem- 

 bia, 2:11 1-4; Darnette, 2:12 1-4; Fanella, 

 2:13; Bingen, Jr., 2:13 3-4; Alice Drake, 

 2:14 1-4; Rondo, Jr., 2:12 1-2; Erskine 

 Reed, 2:12 1-4; Utility, 2:13; Edgardo, 

 2:13 3-4; Tomah, 2:10; Lucy Carr (4), 

 2:14 1-4; Gaiety Girl, 2:15, dam of four in 

 the list and grandam of Lee Axworthy, 



2:08 1-4; Regent's Last 

 or better ; Nosegay, 

 2:12 1-4; Clayhontas, 2 

 2:16 1-2; Merry Bird 

 2:15 1-4; Nellie Boca 

 2:17 1-2; Red Cliff, 2:1 

 peror Wilkes, 2:20 3-4; 

 Diamond, 2:15; Fannie 

 Mr. Leavitt resides at 



dam of five in 2 :30 

 2:13; Pussy Cat, 

 :i 1 1-4; Frank Jones, 

 2:16 1-2; Achille, 

 (3), 2:18; Cohannet, 

 8; Driver, 2:19; Em- 

 Tom Phair, 2:14 1-4; 

 Swope, 2 119 1-4, etc. 

 Readville, Mass. 



CHAPTER III 



Jimmie Carpenter Sits in a "Gen- 

 tleman's" Game of Poker, 

 and What Happened 



ANEW ENGLAND trainer, known 

 far and wide, is James Carpenter, 

 of Readville, who, during his turf 

 career of about fifty years, has 

 driven horses to victory over all 

 the prominent tracks of this country, the 

 purses of which have run as high as $10,000. 

 There are few knowing Mr. Carpenter that 

 would even suggest his having a swelled head, 

 but here is a story of a race in which, from 

 Mr. Carpenter's own words, he did feel a lit- 

 tle chesty. This is how it happened, and the 

 plot was laid over the Woonsocket, R. I., 

 track : 



In one of the events was a trotting mare 

 called Betsy Bets, and her owner being a 

 prominent Frenchman of that town, those of 

 that nationality for miles around flocked to 

 the course to see her win. Each and every one 

 of them had to have a pool ticket on their 

 champion. Two heats were decided, and in 

 place of leading the party Betsy Bets came 

 straggling in away in the rear both times. 



Something had to be done, or all of the 

 French money was burnt up. Carpenter was 

 approached to see if he would take the mount. 

 He did, and pulled off the race in the three 

 following heats. Imagine the great excitement 

 at the conclusion of the race among the 

 Frenchmen, and Carpenter was in the center 

 of the turmoil. When he got to the mare's 

 stall it was even worse, if possible, some of 

 the Frenchmen and their wives fairly falling 

 on his neck with joy. On all sides could be 

 heard cries of how he was the best driver in 

 the whole country. Carpenter at that mo- 

 ment really thought he was. 



All of this time the owner and the mare 

 had been left in the lurch. Nothing was said 

 of the mare, while the owner stood to one side 

 unnoticed. The great hurrah over Carpenter 

 finally jarred the owner's nerves so he could 

 hold in no longer, and stepping up to Carpen- 

 ter he said : "You tink you one hell driver, 



