Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-01-07
Death Of Mr.. BOnner's Famous Fast
TrOttel. the Auburn Horse.

The celebrated chestnut gelding owned
by Mr.. Bonner, and 80 we'll known as the
';Auburn Horse" died suddenly Of spas
modic collie at the private stables Of his
owner, in this city, on Wednesday evening
last He had been subject to this com
plant for year or two past At one time
the Auburn horse was regarded by good
Judges as the fastest horse in the country,
and that great horseman, Hiram Woodruff,
declared that he had ridden faster behind
him at the trial on the Union Course, u.
l., than hehad ever done in his life, He
was purchased by Mr.. Bonner some four
or five years ago, and his name is derived
from having been bred near. Auburn, IN
New York State. Before purchasing him,
Mr.. Bonner held the watch over him him
SELF and his trial was SO great and satiO-
factory that he at once paid the very large
price demanded for the horse.
He was by Champion, horse said to pc
nearly if not quite thoroughbred, out OF q
mare said to be by Vermont Hambletonian.
Champion was noted forhis savage temper,
but his son, on the contrary, was of q tract
able and kind disposition, although coura-
geous and determined. In color he was
bright chestnut, sixteen hands high, with
white legs and blaze in the face, In this re-
spect resembling the "King Of tho Turf,
the immortal Dexter. Hiram Woodruff.
who was wonderfully fond of him, declared
the Auburn horse the best balanced big
horse in America. Soon after Mr.. Bonner
purchased him he was tried with tho fam
ous gray mare Peerless, and, though he
could not pass tho mare, she In turn was
unable TO shake him off, although extended
to the height Of her wonderful speed.
When Gen. Grant reviewed the trotters on
the grand field at Dubois track, the Auburn
horse, driven by Mr.. Bonner to q road
wagon created greater sensation among
horsenen than anything else on the
ground.
A few months before Hiram Woodruff
died, the Auburn horse was sent TO him,
and this was the first time he was ever in o
training stable. At first he did nothing
but Jogging work, there being little sore
ness in his feet When that was removed,
be gave the old Field Marshal and his aids
suoh touch of his quality that they never
forgot it. He out-trotted Lady Thorn as
easily as she could out-trot 2:30 horse,
and then landing upon the home stretch
he went up the straight at such rate that
Hiram declared it was beyond all his ex-
perience, and he was fully satisfied that he
could drive him in 218 or better. After
the great horseman 8 death, the Auburn
horse WIS last year in John Cooks hands
for time; and although Dexter had made
his record of 2:174 in harness, at Buffalo,
the experienced driver maintained that
Auburn was probably as fast as any horse
in the world, II not faster Mr.. Bonner
still owns Dexter, Pocabontas, aud Peer
less, and he also owns another horse that
he has never had in his stable yet, because
he had no room for him. We refer to the
famous young horse Bruno, which, with
his mate, made wonderful performance in
double harness, year ago. When Mr..
Bonner was up in Suffolk county, last fall,
he saw this horse trot mile in remarkably
fast time on Mr. Burrs private training
and at once bought him. He
will now take the place of the Auburn
horse. Y, Sun, 18Th inst.