Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1874-04-16
Helena, Montana, Thursday, April 16, 1874


Some Oyears ago the managers Of race
course nc..r Brow nsvillt, on the MunUnya-
hcl.,. published N notice Ot II race, Uile-lnilc
heats, on n particular day. for II purse at
9lUJ. free tor any thing with tour legs and
hair on \ man in the neig ghb"rH"M. nalheI
Hayes. had u bull which he was in the habit
at lrilng IL the null with his bag of corn, aud
he determined, tu enter him tor the race lie
s,id nothing about it to anyone; but he rode
hIml aro,lut the track n number ut times on
several Liig ght nights. and the bull had the
hang "t the ground pretty well. and would
keep the right course. lie rode him with
spurs. which the bull considered particularly
,ll>ayr,table: 80 much :" thai he always bel
low, 4 ~hen they were applied I" his side. On
The morning "t the race. Hayes came upon
the ground ION horse bach" on Iir bull In
stead at Il saddle he had u dried OK hide. the
head par, "f which. with the horns still on,
l,r had racr,i"n The rump. lie carried Il sl"r,
TN horn in hi hand. lie rode Up L" the judges
stand AM offered ,O enter his bull for Tie race
hut the owners of the horses objected. Hayes
appealed iO the terms Ot the notice, insisted
,l,:., this huh had -four legs ami hair on. >
AMI that therefore he had II right 20 enter
him. After good deal of" "c,,S>in and dis
cu>>in." the Judges .lt. Jared themselves COM
,Wlit.l to decide that the l'uIl Ii I'll the tight to
run. ana he was entered accordingly. When
the time for starting arrived the ball and the
horses took their places. The h"r>e-raccrs
were out of hrmOr at being bothered with the
bull and at the hu'h>uuc which they sup
posed was intended, tut thought that would 'c
over AS soon aS the horses started. The 81
nal WAS given, and they did start
H,ye> gave blast with his horn and SINK
his spurs in,o the bulls sides, whi'h bounded
with \ terrible below, at no ,ritllng speed.
The dried OK hide Topping up and down. rat
Ting at every jump, making II continuation
uf noises that had never been heard on Il lace
course. before. The horses i'll flew 'tf the
track, every one seemed 10 bc seized with u
sudden determination I" take the shortest cut
To get "u, of the Iici>t"nc country. and no,
one nt them could he brought hack in time I"
save their distance. The purse WAS given t.
Hayes under a great deal at hard swear
Ing IN the part Of the owners Of the horses.
4 general row ens,,ri. but the fun 1T the
thing nut the crowd all on the side Of the
bull
The hOrsemcn COntended that they were
swn,lird out "f the purse, and that 1t II hal
not been for Hayes horn and ok hide. which
l,c ought NJ, have been permitted I" bring ON
the ground. the thing would not have turned
,u, ,s il did Upon this Hayes told Them his
bull could beat any "f their horses, any how.
and it they would put up 500 against the
purse he had won. he would take "ff his "x
hide and leave his tin horn anil run Il fair
race with them. His offer was accepted and
his money stxkesl. They again took their
places at the starting post. ant. the signal
given: llaves gave the hull another touch
with his spurs. and the hull gave another ,rr.
mrn,i",ls below. The horses remembered the
horrible sound. and Thought all the rest was
coming as before. Away they wen, again in
spite "f Ill the rxcrti"nS az their riders. while
lI,y,s gall"pel his hull around the track
again and won the money. From that time
they nicknamrl him Sham Hayes. lie after
wards removed to Ohio. Int his nickname
| stuck tu him as long ms hc lived.