Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-05-03

to be much worse.
WARREN TAYLOR.
GALLIPoLIs, April Esd, 1855.
The GREAT RACE AT NEW ORLEANS.
The correspondent of the Louisville
Democrat gives the following account Of
the race between Lexington and Le-
compte:
As the moment of the race approach
ed, the excitement became intense
The police Of the course were entirely
insufficient to such tremendous multi
tudes from clustering on the fences and
crowding the track. Some time was
lost in starting the horses, SO nervous
were they and anxious to be off. At
last, they got fair, even start, right
under the line-Lexington having the
inside. During the first half mile, they
kept side by side, Lecompte threatening
to take the lead, but he fell back little,
and when they finished the mile Lex
ington was about a neck ahead. They
kept on and half mile more placed a
gap between them, which, by the end
of the second mile increased to about
a length. Lecompte then got directly
behind Lexington, but could not catch
up-the end of the third mile found
him better than two lengths behind
Lecompte's friends here became tre-
mendously excited, and some offered
odds that be would win the heat-'he's
playing the trick he did last yearl-
shouted they. But before they were
well out of the stretch on their fourth
mile, Lecompte ''caved"-fell back per-
ceptibly and continued falling back till
the mile and the heat were finished
coming in about sixty yards behind. In
amoment the blackboard was hung out
from the Judges stand, with the fig
ures-7:23 34-chalked upon it. Of
course, there was a tremendous shout
for Lexington then. He looked as
though he hadn't been trying himself
at all, while Lecompte plainly showed
fatigue. This ended all suspense, and
the offers of the Lexingtonians, of four,
five, and even ten TO one, that their
favorite would win the next heat, were
but sparingly taken. When the horses
were brought out for the second heat,
Lexington looked splendidly;' but not so
with poor Lecompte. He dropped very
perceptibly, and on his blankets being
raised, the spectators were permitted to
see for themselves that he was not well
scarcely any. After
conference among the owners, it was
announced from the judges stand, that
Lecompte's owners preferred giving up
the race to letting him run another
heat, which they feared would endanger
his life, adding, that as the race had
been given up to Lexington formally,
all bets on the race should be decided
by it; bets on the second heat, of course,
to be withdrawn.
With that the multitude dispersed;
the friends of Lecompte contending that
it should not be called test race, owing
to his evident indisposition after the
heat he run.
Lexington thus stands the victor by
two and a quarter seconds over Le-
victory over him last year.
There was very marked contrast in
the running of the horses. Lexington
undulated gracefully along, his neck,
back and tail in an almost straight line,
while Lecompte threw up his head and
rump in an ugly manner at every jump. !
The first three miles of the heat were
splendid to behold, and indescribably /
exciting. OF course, it is not yet known
the famous animals will ever
come together again.