The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-20

Exciting Cuntest-Henvy Betting on
the Result -Longfellow Makes the
First Mile In LAO and Wins the Race
description OF the Horses.
The telegraph has already reported the sur
prlsing performance at Saratoga, on Friday, of
the new kentucky horse Longfellow, a four
year OLD, belonging to Mr.. John Harper, the
veteran turtle, now In his eightieth year.
Longtellow is powerful brown, sired by
bennington, dam Nantura. The following
particulars of the great ''event" are collated
from New York papers:
The great event of the day was the contest
between Longfellow and Kingfsher, none OF
the other ten entries for the cup daring TO run
with them. This race had the appearance OF
match between these great celebrities. Since
the entries were made, and during the Whole
of last winter and this spring, discussion has
been rife on the merits of these two distn-
guished racers, and large amounts have from
time to time been posted on the issue. Long
fellow, the winner of the race, and who made
the first mile In one minute and forty seconds
the fastest time ever made-is q dark brown,
four years old, and is owned by Colonel John
Harper, the Kentucky millionaire. Kingdsner,
lighter brown, Is owned by August Belmont,
of New York. The race was for the Saratoga
cup and purse of $1,000. :.
TIE HORSES.
Longfellow has magnificent dark brown
color, long, dropping neck. and long barrel.
His hind-quarters are rather low, and his
stride is long and low, with wonderful! sug-
gestion of confident power. hingfsher Is
lighter colored, higher in the quarter, and has
short, straight neck, and sharp head. In
place OF the easy stride of LongfelloW, ne has
quick, sharp gait, which seems to require
great exertion, and suggests doubt Of his CO.
pacity to sustain 1t for two and quarter
miles. Both horses were in magnificent con-
.dltion.
THE BETTING.
John Morrissey offered to take all odds at
45O to 1000 on KlngfSher. He was instantly
taken at his word by dozen, among them
James Barely and Lemite, of New York.
Tommy Johnson, of New York, offered 200 to
500 on Kinghsher, and found no difficulty In
first, Colonel Harper has evidently felt conf
kent that nothing could stand against Long
fellow, though he is very cautious In his way
of expressing himself. The run Of converse
ton among the magnatss of the course indl-
Gated the magnitude Of Longfello@'s triumph.
Many backed him to beat Gladiatear's time.
After the race, Colonel Bruce said that he be-
with him, and Mr.. Belmont offered to bet g
large amount that he could beat any horse in
the world. Before the start, probably SlO0,0n0
was In the hands of the booksellers.
THE GREAT RACE.
The crowd of betting men stood gazing at
him with intense interest, and as the Two
came up to the starting point and got away,
it was with the greates5 difficulty that John
MorrIssey and the constables Of the course
could get. them out of the way to give the
horses room. On they came toward the stand,
and the crowd actually thrilled with excite
ment as they.passed. Longfellow had drawn
Of two lengths. The difference In the horses
and in their style of running was evident at
once. They rushed over the first mile. Long
fellow running long, easy; but swift as gray
hound, with little Kingfsher leap on leap be.
hind him. At the mile-post stood three OF the
most experienced turfmen on the ground, With
watches ready to take the mlle-time, which
was LAO.
THE QUICKEST TINE EVER MADE
o., on1is .6efIfnd On The next mte-the inter7a
varied from four to ak lengths, and. as they
came. on the homestretch Kingdsher's Rider
piled the whip, and the gallant little morse
answering, gained fast on the great Kentuck'
ion, losing the race by only three lengths
II.
ed with the whip, but showed considerable ex'
haustlon as the grooms pressed around tc
wash and blanket him.
AN EXCITING SCENE.
The excitement that ensued was unparaliel
ed. Men rushed about with tears In thelI
eyes, vowing that such horse as this was
never foaled. The only perfectly COO! person
was Longfellow's owner. old John Harper,
aUncle John" as he Is universally called, VINO
tottered along leaning on his cane and shout
ing directions to the negro boys who were
grooming the victor.
WHO WON AND WHO LOST. :.
Turfmen say they never witnessed more
beautiful or exciting contest. The amount o
money that changed hands, notwithstanding
the large odds to which the hackers OF Long
fellow had to submit, was immense. The Hon.
John Morrlssey was the heaviest loser Among
the Iarre winners were Messrs. Barkely and
Lemite, of New York. After this exciting race,
around which the chief interest OF the Gay
ceotered. it was natural that the excitement
would adg somewhat in the last contest.
THE CROWD.
Racing is fast becoming national sport
and II crops out at oil places OF fhshloEaDle re-
sort and attracts cosmopolitan assemblies tc
its courses. The races at Saratoga, ike those
at Long Branch and Jerome Park, have beer
largely attended by the better classes OF peo
p!e and made the occasion for much display o
genuinely fashionable costumes and equlpages
Among the spectators have been such repre-
sentatives of widely-separated "circles' as
Mrs. August Belmont, Mrs. John Morrlssey
who is one of the most elegantly dressed
ladies at the springs, and Mrs. Jones, the pres
| ident of the Cook County Womans Suffrage
Association, of Illinois The New York re-
ports are hedged In with descriptive POI
pourl of chantlly lace, tarlatan, ruches
bouiIlonce, French muslin, Falenciennes, law
ender silk, chambery, gros grain, lawn, serge
and other beWildering matters apperta1nlns
to the ball or promenade. The LADIES' ert
in high spirits and the season is at its helgnt
AS q contrast to the prevailing extravaganza,
notice is made of the old Kentucky farmer,
John Harper, dressed in q plain, long drat
coat and shabby hat that would not BRING
twenty-five cents in Chatham street. That he
is abundantly able to pay his bills. however
may be inferred from the fact that he owns
| "Longfelow," and has refused s60,0 Tor MIN
which is about IS an ounce.
COMING CONTESTS.
Saratoga dispatches say that Mr. Harper VII
start I,onrfelloW for four mile dash on the
last day Of the August meeting, to beat, i
uosslbIe, Leyington's time. General Butoro
saws he will bet $4,000 his four-year old bay
colt ENQUIRER, by bennington. dam Ida o!
i,exiugton, can beat his halfbroLher Lunsfel
low OF that distance. Should these two horses
| leave together in the dash of four miles, viii
Kinpisher and other fast ones doing the push
| ing, there will be one of the finest races eve
ran in this country.
THE BREAD PROSPECT.