Montgomery County sentinel., 1874-09-11
Old Hickory's Pluck.

In Speecn made by Judge y. y.
Guild, known as .Old Joe Guild" at
Erin, Houston county, Tennessee, on the
10Th utimo, after an absence from his
native heath of over sixty years, he re-
lated the following anecdote of General
jackson
"Many are the interesting scenes Of
Jackson's life which his biographer, Par
ton, has omitted and not brought to
light, When boy saw him scare and
put to flight twenty thousand men. The
occasion was this: Grey Hound, a Ken
lucky horse, had beaten Double Head,
a Tennessee horse, and they were after
wards matched for five thousand dollars
course. My uncle, Joseph H. Conn,
carried me on horseback behind him to
see the race He set me on the cedar
fence and told me to remain until he re-
turned. There must have been twenty
thousand persons present. never wit
ness such fierce betting between the two
States. Money and negroes were put
up. A large pound was filled with
horses and negroes bet on the result Of
this race. The time had now arrived
for the competitors to be on the track.
heard some loud talking, and looked down
the track, and saw for the first time Gen.
jackson riding slowly on gray horse
with long pistols he'd in each hand. |
think they we're as long as my arm, and
had a mouth that a ground-squirrclc could
enter. In his wake followed my uncle
Conn, Stokely, Donelson, Patton, An
derson, and several others, as fierce as
bulldogs. As General Jackson led the
van and approached the judges stand he
was rapidly talking and gestculating
As he came by me. he said that he had
irrefragable proof that this was to be
jockey race that Grey Hound was seeh
in the wheatfcld the night before. which
disqualified him for the race, and that
his rider was to receive five hundred dol
lars to throw it off, and by the Eternal
God he would shoot the first man who
brought his horse upon the track -
that the peoples money should not be
stolen from them in this manner. He
talked incessantly, while the spittle roll
ed from bis mouth and the fire from bis
eye. | have seen bears and wolves put
at bay, but he was certainly the most
ferocous-looking animal that had ever
seen. Ills appearance and manner struck
terror into the hearts Of twenty thousand
people If they felt as | did every one
expected to be slain. He announced to
the parties if they wanted some lead in
their hides, just bring their horses Oh
the track, for by the Eternal he would
kill the first man that attempted to do 50.
There was no response to this challenge,
and after waiting some time, and they
falling to appear, General jackson said
it was great mistake in the opinion Of
some that he acted hastily and without
consideration. He would give the scoun-
drels a fair trial, and to that end he would
constitute court to investigate this mat
ter, who would hear the proof and do
justice to all parties. Thereupon he aJ-
pointed a sheriff to keep order, and five
judges to hear the case. Proclamation
was made that the court was open and
was ready to proceed to business, and
for the parties to appear and defend them
selves. Not appearing, General jack
son introduced the witnesses proving the
bribery Of Grey Hounds rider, who was
to receive $500 to throw off the race,
having received $3.50 in advance, and
chat Grey Hound had been turned into
the wheatfield the night before. He
again called on the parties TO appear and
counteract this proof, and vindicate their
innocence. They failing to appear, Gen.
Jackson told the court that the proof was
closed, and for them to render their judg-
ment in the premises, which in few
facts proved. / was still on the fence,
forming one line of the large pound con-
tanning the property bet on the race
Each man was anxious to get back his
property. General jackson waved his
hand and announced the decision, and
said NOW, gentlemen, 90 calmly and
in order, and each take his own proper
ty." When the word was given the peo-
pie came with a rush 1t was more ter
rible than an army With banners. They
came bulging against the fence, and in
the struggle to get over they knocked it
down for hundreds of yards. | was
overturned and was nearly trampled to
death. Each man got his property, and
thus the fraudulent race was broken up
by an exhibition Of the most extraordi-
nary courage. He did that day what it
would have required two thousand armed
men TO have effected All this was effect
ed by the presence and action Of one man.
and without the drawing one drop of
blood.