The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-05-29
Sham Hays and his Bully


Same forty years ago, he managers Of a
race course, near Brownsville, on the Mcnon.
gahela, published notice Of race, ono mile
heats, on a particular day, for nurse Of ono
hundred dollars, free for any thing NTH
four legs and hair on" man 10 the neigh.
borhood, named Hays, had bull that he was
10 the habi, of riding 10 mill with his bag Of
corn, aud he determined TO enter him for the
race. He said nothing about it TO any one,
but be rode him around The track a number
Of times on several moen.l'gh, nights. until
the bull bad The hang of the ground pretty
we'll, and would keep the RICH. course. He
rode with spurs, which The bull considered
particularly disssrseable; so 1fln so, that
he always beloved when 'he] applied
10 his sides.
On the morting Of the race, Hays came
upon the ground on horseback, 90 bull
Instead Of q saddle, he had dried ox.hide,
The head part OF which, with The horns still
on, be had placed on the bulls rump. lie
carried q short TIN horn 10 his hand. He
rode to the Judges stand. and offered TO enter
his bull for the race; bu, the owners OF the
horses tina, were entered objected. Hays up
7ea'ed TO the terns Of notice, insisting iha,
HE bull had " four legs and hair or" and
tia, therefore be bad right to enter bin
Alter a good deal Of "cussln" and discuss
~" The Judges declared themselves compel
ed 10 decide iha, The bull had RICH! to run
aud vas entered accordingly.
/ When The time for Starting arrived, the
bull and the horses took their places. The
hotee racers were Gu, Of humor a, being both
cred With the bu and a, the burlesqne which
they supposed vas intended, bu! thought ihs
would all be over Us socn as the horses started
When The signal was gwen, they did START
HAYS gave a blast with his horn, and sunl
his spurs ITO the bulls sides, and bounded OF
with terrible bssl, a, no .riiilng speed, iht
dried OK hide fippiug up and down, and rat
ding at every jump, making combination
noises thai bad never been heard on rac'
course belnfe. The horses oil flew the track
every one seeming 10 De seized With suddeI
determination TO take the shortest Gu. TO sc
out OF the Redstone County, snd not one G
hem ccud be brought bsck 10 time 10 saw
their distance. The purse was given to Hay
under grea, deal Of hard swearing on tn
mart Of The oa ners of the horses. 4 genera
row ensued, but the fun Of the thing pu, I'd,
crowd al, on the SIDE Of The bull. The horse
men coniended they were swlndled out OF tn
purse, and that if II had no, been for Hays
horn and the or hide, which he ough. Hot Il
have beeu permitted TO bring on the ground
the thing would not have turned out as II did
Upon this, Hays told them lha, his bull coult
beat any Of their horses any how, aud If tho!
would pu, up a hundred dollars sgains. tb'
purse which he had won, he would take oil
The OK hide and leave his tin horn, and run
fair race with them. His offer was accepted
asd the money siaked. They again took the
places a, the starting post, and the signal wa
given. Hays gave The bull another touci
with his spur, and the bull gave another tire
mendeus below. The horses remembered
the horrible sound, aud though. all the res
was coming, as before. Away they wen
again in spite Of all the exerions Of their rider,
While Hays galopsd his bull around the track
again, and won the money. From tina. time
they nick.named HIN Sham Hays. He after
wards moved to Ohio, bu, his nick name slucl
10 him Is long as be Iived.-N. Y. Spirit d
/ The Times.