The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-16

tnreo O'CLOCK yesterday morning fAm0us vot0-
ran Of the turf died. at his residence Long Island Of
an attack o. congestion Of the lungs added to the liver
Complaint For the past thirty years Mr.. Woodruff held
prominent position among the sporting fraternity.
As trainer and driver he was superior to any turf
man In the world and these Quaies added TO charac
ter OF un,mpeachable integrity, made him favorte,
not only with the owners OF rotng horses, but with
the public ut large
MI Woodruff was born in Bucks county. Pa, on the
22d or February, 1917. His father and uncle were
well known turfmen and from them he obtained his
first knowledge Of tho manner in which q horse
should be trained When quito lad he removed to
Philadelphia, and In that city and Baltimore first
appeared jockey. The remarkable success that
tended nearly all the horses he rode soon brought
him into notice. and upon his removal 10 New York he
was sought after by numbers Of Of horses who
desired to secure his services for the racing
His reputation q trainer and rider however did
become established until he was put in possession OF the
famous trottng horse Dutchman. After course Of
careful training in 1889 he rode Dutchman three
mile heat for 81 900 against time and came out win.
ner having made the distance in seven minutes and
thirty-two and a half seconds The extraordinary
ta,ion as being the frst turfman in the country
He now settled In life ~ q professional jockey,
obtaining as many offers FOR his services az ne
were or In tins country any trotting horses OF note
with which he had not something to do at times either
In training or In handling the rbbons Tho confidence
rcposed In his ability and honesty were unbounded and
he never failed to do full justice to those who employed
him.
The rapid strides which have been made In do.
velOping the speed Of trottng horses in this
q Mr. Woo nan . ANY oser Of
the turf He was. in fact the pioneer Of America in
his profession After Dutchman he trained and drove
Rpton, Confidence, Flora Temple Rose OF Washington,
Boston Girl Lady Woodruff and Dexter, together with
many other well known trotting horses One Of his
Rpton and Lady sutton Hiram drove Rpton, and, to
the astonshmen OF ALL lost the FIRST heat The excite
ment became intense and heavy odds were offered
1pAin al yyin
the second heat every eye was upon him. and when the
horses started the crowd treated with brilliant OK
hibiton Of jockeyship The result was that he won
the two last heats and the race. and came in winner
amid the deafening applause Of both winners and losers
all parties being satisfied that II entirely owing to
his skill a driver that the success achieved
Another famous and exciting contest in which he was
was MS race on NE uh,on course n
OBennis, lola, Prince and Boston Girl Mr.. woodruff
was probably the first man on record who drove horse
IN race without traces This he did IN 1897 with Dos
ton Girl. Being very hard puller, and the traces
| dangling about her legs on the first heat Hiram
ordered the Dutch collar and traces to be
taken Off The order was obeyed and he
won the next two heats with ease, nothing drawing
M ,s drove Flora sae 10
| against Tacony, on the Union Course, and came out
winner in 2:24h, making the quickest time then on
record The excitement that was manifested IN the
i sporting world when this achievement became known
has since been equaed not excepting that caused
/ by Deytcrs achievement OF 2lS since that time.
| While horseracing was the business Of Hiram Wood
ruff 1t was not purely from mercenary motives that he
devoted his entire time to it,. Tho fact was that he
loved horses and the turf was the proper field which
to display that affection In series Of articles which
he wrote FOR sporting journal Of this city he says Of
bis avorte Duchman that he twas the best take him
for all In ALL of the old time roters.' At the time
when Dutcnman was in his zenith II must be remem-
bered that tracks kept good condition
as they now are vehicles were not perfect and even
the breed Of horses had not attained that excellence
! which the science Of man has since developed.
And must be said Of Hiram that notwithstanding these
drawbacks he made ''time in those days to which old
turfmen look back with reverence. He was the first
TO combat the belief that the trot was an artificial
gait for the horse His argument as to the elk, deer
and other quadrupcds was unanswerahie.
Mr. Woodruff was man who loved society Possessed
sought after by all who desired to hear about turf mat
ters He used to tell with great gusto Of the chances Of
when trottcrs that .broke when in harness
obliged 10 be stopped and backed up that the judges
could see the wheels 'go back" and when jockeys
around before they could start again Although he
was not possessed OF liberal education, MT md.
WAS nos " %h9 hs aSo . ns the
norss p''"0" :, owing 70 his careful study Of The
which enabled him to decide what was the best e
buoyed up the owner Of horse with hopes which
he knew could be fallcd but plainly and capddly
win or lose And this homes. candor was sppsysnt
IN al his dealings He never sold race. but aways
tried ns q win fellow Jockey s,c once said TO him
you are, while am richn And II true that his
| answering integrity kept him poor in . pecunary
tried IL more than once Indeed, for many
offering him bribe II was well known that when he
came on the track was 10 win his possible.
Otherwise This knowledge Of his honesty made men
have faith in him. that If he lost race, the
lucky owner Of the horse was satisfied that IL was be-
cause the victor was The better animal oi the
On the ed OF last February Mr. Woodruff celebrated
his hftieth birthday with his friends although he
was then ailing, none supposed that his death was so
near at hand He was the proprietor Of hotel
the Union Course, /. l., and his house popular
place OF resort for sporting generally. Although he
80 very successful his racing career he was never
wealthy The fact that his open hearted Ibe-
raty, sdded 10 naturally cornwall disposition, made
him lavish his money as fast NJ he earned IL He
was never in wsnt, however About year ago num-
Der CT gentlemen Of wealth in all parts Of the country,
who took interest in his welfare bought the house
and grounds he possessed al his death and after putting
them order made him present OF the title deeds
mark OF their appreciation OF his ski and
| driver and for his honesty rs man.
BY the death OF Hiram Woodruff the sporting world
has sustained loss that cannot easily be replaced.
Al the time Of his death his Stables filed with
OF the best horses in the country and he engaged
for large number Of matches that were made to
on during the coming season.
Throughout the country wherever horseracing is
popular the death OF Hiram Woodruff will be greatly
snen!sa ~ psn q his profession had fewer enemies
and more friends The wealthy and aristocrstic patron
OF the turf and the poorest sportnsman in the country
alike respected him for his many good qualities II he
have and even they forgotten the remembrance
OF his life Of unapproachable honesty and unqnestioned
integrity.
Meeting Of Sporting Men.
large number Of sporting men assembled last
evening al the Florence saloon, broadway, for
the purpose Of entering horses for the purses
offered by the prorrietors OF the Union Course for
trotting races In respect 10 the memory Of Hiram
Woodruff however, 10 was determined " postpone the
until Friday, the I'D inst Captain Rynders in
making this announcement, alluded in few brief but
appropriate remarks TO the loss sustained by the sport
nf world and the community at large In the death Of
Mr. Woodruff.
CONNECTICUT POLITICS.
The National Union Party In RavOr Of the