The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-08-17

! MESSRS. EDITORS: L notice in your last issue
report of the races at the Fair Grounds by
your SpectM reporter, in which are some state
ncnts not only false, but made without the
shadow of ground upon which to base them and
I which calls from me denial and an explanation.
Not knowing who this mushroom il that has 30
suddenly sprung into existence in connection
with your valuable paper, (and, by the way, l
must compliment the fraternity but presuming
him to be aspirant for free pass to the Great
Moral Exhibition TO be held here on the Goth
inst, will say, by way OF encouragement, that
If he faithfully pursues his avocation, predict
for him position as special for some OF our pub
lie state institutions-for instance, at Jackson
yille-or the gratifying satisfaction Ito him of
finding out that Though many a flower is born
to bloom unseen," his pedigree has been discov-
cred, and himself written down in the title
derived from his ancestors, either as fool or an
ass. Since the Fair Grounds have been under
my control, defy any man to say that | ever
! held horse i'll race. | took the grounds when
they were in a bad condition: l have laid out
my own money in repairing the track and i'm
proving the grounds; and have, as all men will
| TESTIFY done my utmost to render all races under
my control fair and honest, and make the grounds
as pleasant and agreeable as possible. | have
thrown my grounds open to the driving public
and have in nearly every instance of a race ex-
pended more money than I have received, that
the public might feel satisfied and the "horse
men encouraged 70 visit our grounds. For two
years now have had control of the grounds ;
several races have come off within that time !;
and not until your pusillanimous special report
er, through gap in his Judgment, bet one dollar
upon the unlucky horse, and lost, have / heard a
single word of dissatisfaction. And now, that it
may be possible that his mother is widow, and
that she didn't know ale was out" if he will call
OH me l will freely give him his dollar that he
honestly lost upon his promising me that he will
expend it in purchasing some work on the phi
losophy of the mind. In relation to the race he
attempts to report / will say that there was a
race advertised for that day, but the advertised
race did not come off. In the race with the La
Sale colt he mentions, there was not, AS he
asserts, purse for thirty dollars, or one dollar.
There being no horses on theground, except the
colt tSir gears od), besides my own, made the
race to please those present, and, as far as could
be, render those satisfied who came there expect
ing race. Some pools were sold, and the horses
went :" for what they were worth My horse,
which drove myself, went to 200 Id. buggy,
and driver weighing 1875 lbs. the other horse
went to Is ID. sulky. and driver weighing 100
lbs. The colt won the heats fairly and honestly.
My horse was not held, but made all the time
! could get out of him.
| Now, if that does not satisfy your special
reporter, will bet him one hundrcd dollars that
the La Sale mare can beat my horse 3 in 5 mile
heats, in the same rigs they were driven in on
that day. If he feels satisfied my horse was held
| by me, and will bet, and not whimper and whine
in case he loses tell him to call round, and be-
sides recovering his lost doildy if he is correct,
he can satisfy the community that he is right.
Messrs. Editors, in my travels through the
world | have seen some SBdV men, but whom
man, or an css, gains admttance to an entertain
mout free, us this was, for no admittance was
charged and prompted by the love of gain, will
wager his money on the play using his own
Judgment, and when losing it will resort to the
! public press, and cry fraud swindle, etc. and
you know, Messrs. Editors, that this howl is
always rcsored to- for the purpose of injuring
the reputation Of the grounds, when he has
nothing but HIS dung-hill Imagination to ground
his cry upon he is, in the language of Billings,
small and mean enough "to steal sugar whistle
from Niger baby to swoeten II cup of rye
| coffee" G. w. ALDEN,
Manager Of fdir Grounds.