The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-09-18
A Tale OF Old HIekOry-HOw He Put
10000 Men TO Flight.

In speech made by Judge j. @.
Guild, known as "Old Joe Guild" at
Erin, Houston county, Tenn, on the
25th ult, after an absence from bis ma
tive heath of over sixty years, he re-
lated the following anecdote of Gen.
Jackson
Many are the interesting scenes of
Jackson's life which his biographer
Parton has omitted and not brought to
light. When a boy L saw him scare
and put to flight twenty thousand men.
The occasion was this: Greyhound,
Kentucky horse, had beaten Double
Head, q Tennessee horse, and they
were afterward matched for five thou
sand dollars a side, to be run on the
Clover Bottom course. Ny uncle, Jo-
sephus III. Conn, carried me on horse
back behind him TO see the race. He
set me on the cedar fence and told me
to remain until he returned. There
must have been twenty thousand per-
sons present. L never witnessed such
fierce betting between the States.
Money and negroes were put up. A
Large pound was filled with horses and
and negroes bet on the result of this
race. The time had now arrived for
|
L heard some loud talking, and looked
down the track, and saw for the first
time Gen. Jackson riding slowly on a
gray horse, with long pistol held in
each hand. L think they were as long
as my arm, and had q mouth that
ground-squirrel could enter. In his
wake followed my uncle, Conn, Stokely
Donelson, Patton Anderson, and several
others, as fierce as bulldogs. AS Gen.
Jackson led the van and approached
the judges stand he was rapidly talk
ing and gesticulating. AS he came by
me, he said that he had irrefragable
proof that this was TO be a jockey race
that Greyhound was seen IN a wheat
field the night before, which disquali-
fed him for the race, and that his rider
was to receive $500 to throw it off, and
by the eternal 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 necessarily, while
the spittle rolled from his mouth and
the fire from his eye. have seen bears
and wolves put at bay, but he was GER
tainly the most ferocious looking ami
NAL that L had ever seen. His appear
ance and manner struck terror to the
hearts of twenty thousand people. If
they felt as L did every one expected to
be slain. He announced to the parties
if they wanted some lead in their hides,
| just bring their horses on the track, for
! by the eternal he would kill the first
man that attempted to do so. There
was no response to this challenge, and
after waiting some time, and they fail
ing to appear, Gen. Jackson said it was
great mistake i'll the opinion of some
that he acted hastily and without con-
sideration. He would give the scoun-
drels fair trial, and to that end he
would constitute court to investigate
the matter, who would hear the proof
and do justice to all parties. There
upon he appointed Sheriff TO keep or
der, 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 themselves. Not appear
ing, Gen. Jackson introduced the wit
nesses proving the bribery of Gray
hounds rider, who was to receive $500
to throw off the race, having received
$3.50 in advance, and that Greyhound
had been turned into the wheatfeld 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 Judgment
in the premises, which, in a few mo-
ments, was done in accordance with the
facts proved. l was still on the fence,
forming one line of the large pound
containing the property bet on the race.
Each man was anxious to get back his
property. Gen. Jackson waved his
hand and announced the decision, and
sad: Now, gentlemen, go calmly
and in order, and each take his own
property" When the word was given
the people came with rush. 1t was
more terrible than an army with ban
ners. They came bulging against the
fence, and in the struggle to get over
they knocked it down for hundreds of
yards. 1 was overturned and nearly
trampled to death. Each man got his
property, and thus the fraudulent race
was broken up by an exhibition of the
most extraordinary courage.