242 KINGSCLERE 



incident in his business was made the subject of a 

 steel plate. ''The Druid," who was not a trainer, 

 and who was therefore at liberty to study the tout 

 from a playfully humorous point of view, has some 

 good stories of touts in his " Post and Paddock." 

 He relates that when Bill Scott used to live near 

 Knavesmire, his motions were watched night and 

 day whenever a trial at Malton was about to come 

 off, and it was almost impossible for him to steal 

 away from York at any time of the night without 

 having touts on his track. The Flying Dutchman 

 was watched by a perfect squadron of them before 

 the Derby, and Fobert in fact counted sixteen heads, 

 looking like as many crows in file, watching the 

 horse from behind a wall near Spigot Lodge as he 

 came out for exercise. The widow of John Scott 

 used to say that she loved to see the touts, since 

 their presence argued that some good horses were 

 in training upon Langton Wold. Aleck Taylor has 

 been known to ride a tout dowm when he caught 

 him upon that portion of Fyfield Downs where he 

 was trespasser, and warm his jacket with a whip. 

 All this sort of thing is amusing to read and chat 

 about after dinner, but there is a serious side to the 

 question, and of that most trainers have had dis- 

 agreeable experience. It was some time after the 

 two sporting journals which had made reports from 

 training quarters a special feature that I felt impelled 

 to write the following letter of complaint to ' Bell's 

 Life.' On looking it over I am inclined to think 

 that, although touting has become an established 



