Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-10-23
sham Hmv. AM, u,- Bnn Racc.


Some forty years ago the managers
OF race-c0urse near BroWnvllle, on
the Mongahela, published notice of
q race, one mile heats, on particular
day. for purse of $780, free for any |
thing with four legs and hair on. A
man in the neighborhood, named
Hays, had bull that he was in the |
habit OF riding to he mill with his |
bag of corn, and he determined to en-
ter him for the race, lie said Moth !
ing about it to anyone, but he rode
him around the track number Of
times on several bright nights, and
the bull had the hang of the ground
pretty WI, and would keep the
right course. He rode him with spurs,
which the bull considered particularly
disagreeablc so much so that he al
ways beloved when they were APP
piled TO his sides. On the morning
of the race. Hays came upon the
ground. ION horseback on his bull
Instead of a saddle he had died OK
hide. the head part of which. with the
horns still on, he had placed on his
rump. He carried short tin horn in
his hand. lie rode up to the judges
stand and offered to enter his bull for
the race, but the owners of the horses
objected. Hays appealed to the terms
of the notice, insisted that his bull had
-four legs, and hair on" and that,
therefore, he had right TO enter him.
| After good deal of .cussin' and dis.
cussin, The judges declared them
selves compelled TO decide that the
bull had a right to run, and he was en-
tered accordingly. When the time for
starting arrived the bull and the horses
took their places-the horse-racers
were out of hnmor at being bothered
with the bull and at the burlesque
which they supposed was intended,
but thought that would be over as
soon as the horses started. The signal
| was given, and they did start. Hays
gave blast with his horn aud sank
his spurs into the bulls sides, which
bounded with a terrible below, at no
trifing speed, the dried oxhidc flop.
ping up anu down rafting at every
Jump, making combination of noises
that had never been heard on race
course before. The horses flew off the
track, every one seemed to be seized
with Il sudden determination to take
the shortest cut to get out of the Red
stone country, and not one of them
could be brought back in time to save
T their distance. The purse was given
to Hays under a great deal Of hard
swearing OH the part Of the owners Of
the horses. A general row ensued
but the fun of the thing put the crowd
, oil on the side of bull. The horsemey
commended that they were swindled
out Of the purse and lift had not beer
: for Hays horn and oXhide, which III
ought not to have been permitted tt
bring upon the ground, the thing
would not have turned out as it did
Upon this Hays told them that hil
bull could beat any of their horses, and
il they would put up 800 against thu
purse he had won, he would take of
his oxliide and leave his horn and rur
) fair race with them. His offer wa
accepted and his money staked. They
again took their places at the starting
post. and the signal was given. Hay
gave his bull another touch with hi
, spurs, and the bull gave another ire
mendous below. The horses remem
bered the horrible sound and though
( all the rest were coming as before
Away they went again in spite of al
the exertions of their riders, Will,
, Hays galloped his bull around th,
: track again and won the money. From
that time they nick-named him Shan
Hays. He afterward removed tt
Ohio. but his nickname stack to hin
/. ~ long ~ he lived.