The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-07-05
M is celIan O O u 8.
Accident to a Hartford Race Horse FIT,
Years Ago.

Accident to a Hartford Race Horse Fifty
Years Ago.
The terrible accident to the celebrated
racer McWhirter, which happened on the
race track at st. Louis, several weeks ago,
by which the gallant horse broke both his
fore legs in the midst of race, attracted
general attention to the causes of the acci-
dent. The body was disinterred and the
injured limbs disscctcd, an account of
which is given in the st. Louis Republican.
That journal adds;
The accident to McWhirter, resulting
in necessity for shooting him on the
track, has recalled to mind no instance of
the kind under precisely similar circum-
stances, though broken bones in hurdle
race and steeple chase have been not unire-
quent casualties.
A lady of this city, who came here from
Baltimore in 1886, recalls to mind an acct
dent to racer which occurred in Mary
land about the year 1924 or 1926, of which
she was cognizant, and the account of
which was related to Republican reporter
A Mr.. Bell, of Bel Air, Hartford county,
owned n splendid racer, of a maroon color,
and being young man of high tone and
wealthy connections, he set high store on
his favorite horse. One day he was return
ing from Havre de Grace with the racers,
which he had been practising on the race
course with view to an approaching con-
test, which excited the interest of the whole
country in those days. The roads were
wet from shower, and in ascending de-
clivity the horse slipped and, falling over
on its side, broke the bones Of the right
hind leg. The horse writhcd and kicked,
and its owner was inconsolable at the loss,
rs he believed he would have to shoot the
animal to put him out of misery. The
people in the vicinity gathered about,
among them Nathan Touchstone,a cousin of
the relator of this incident, who advised
against killing the animal. Mr. Bell dis
regarded the opinion of Touchstone with an
expression of some contempt, supposing
him to be poor fisherman, not we'll up in
horse lore. Mr.. Tombstone, however, back
cd his opinion by offering IS down for the
horse, taking him as he lay moaning on the
side of the road. Bell gladly accepted the
proposal. Touchstone paid over the five
dollars, and clinched the bargain by re-
| quiring receipt for the money paid for
the horse. Bell having rid himself of
further trouble went home with sorrow
full heart Tombstone, who had fifty men in
his employ catching shad in the Susque-
hanna, Immediately called to his assistance
all the help he needed, and without NOV.
| ing the crippled horse erected q stout
wooden frame, similar to that used by
blacksmiths in shoeing oxen. The horse
81, Il, - Al,
| could not touch the ground, and the frac-
tured bone was set and kept in place with
| splints, and by proper care the animal re-
| covered, so that it was able to walk in six
or seven weeks. The horse was placed in
a stall with seven other horses in the same
stable, and during the next winter when
turned out in the yard for water he stamp
ed and t1irted about as coltish as the rest,
and, though not directly connected with
this account, it may be mentioned that dur
ing the same winter in the same yard a
little pony, in prancing about with the
other horses, one day slipped down on the
seet and ice and tumbled into WE'LL
The fishermen at Boothby Hill were sent
for, and the pony, whose head had kept
above the water, was lifted out with ropes,
after being in the well three or four hours.
Though badly chilled through the pony
recovered and became respectable horse.
The second season after the racers re-
covery, Mr.. Touchstone entered him for the
races at Havre de Grace, and his fame be-
gan to spread far and wide. 1t got to the
ears OF Bell, the former owner, and he set
up claim for the recovery of his horse
He made tender of the five dollars receiv-
ed from Tombstone, which the latter indig-
nantly refused, and Touchstone was drag
ged before a justice of the peace at Bel Air,
but on showing the receipt for So paid for
the horse the case was nonsuited. A few
days after the suit Touchstones colored man
rushed in one morning and said the horse
was dead. He was found bloated and
there was no question but that it was the
result of poison. Suspicion was rife as to
the parties who administered the poison,
but at this day, 81 years after the event, it
is unnecessary to refer to those now all dead
or further disturb the names of the dead
horse and his conflicting owners
L L.