The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-10
M,WHIRTER RIDDEN TO DEATH.



When McWhirtcr and Mahstick came
down tho quartersrctrh to complete the second
mile it was mock and neck mt a steady oven run.
SiNiy yards nwly from IN" sirng Muhlsiick,
in 'i The lad. "McWbircr is giving down."
cried ont some ,eN'lt"d spccintor j. was true
warming one leg had failed him. hut he kout
On gallnuily. for the game blood WIS hot. Had
kuoN, the lillc cuur.d jockey, roincd him in
been spared nui Mcwhirlcr Ecpt on: il
was virtually on three legs. As ho rounded
the lower turn. ana was VOL into the second
quarter OF the last milo. there lning. lust per-
ccptibl Stacking NJ the gait. Joe Rhodes over
hpul.l him and went hy. AZ the horse passed
him NJ Whittier swD ryrI and then il vns thnt
Knox The rider, says the other fore leg gave
down. From TINT point tn" poor fellow plunged
ahead and into the last hall mile. every jump
Knox Juggling ut the rcins. When at last the
hcgdway sagkencd and tho horse came to n
cgs torn from the sockets OF the ankle joint
aud protruding six inches through hide and
lesh. ana resting IN the earth, the ,hoofs lying
limp and useless before. The sudden halt sent
the Jockey flying over the horses head.
T., shoot him. for Gods sake" was the prompt
instruction 81 the owner when he learned the
luIl extent OF the mstOrtune.
Police Officer kecble undertook II. He fired
at close range. The ball struck, square. about
midway between the eye and the base Of the ear,
anu from the hole the streaming blood gushed
forth. At the report the horse threw himself
buck on his launches, and struck out with his
mangled fore legs. but dropped down again into
the same steady position and stood there. Three
times the officer lnvelled his weapon and fired
Each time the bullet entered the brain and the
blood gushod out. At the third shot McWhirter
hobhled across the track and stood 10y the fence
IA he painted the blood spurtcd out upon tho
fence and ran from his mouth and nose. Finally
me officer stopped in front of the now failing
horse. and putting the mu2zle Of the pistol al
mosttothc forehead fired. the ball entering right
between the eyes. The horse dropped then but
II was not till long after he had been dragged
into the southeast corner OF the grounds under
meath the shade Of great oak that life finally
went out.
At the conclusion Of the races, and while the
grave was bcing dug. Gen. Mitchell and othor
well-known hurscmen made an examination.
In one sense, perhaps. both Of McWhirters legs
were broken: hut II was not a bone fracture
Icndons aud muscles were torn apart and the
bones dsJointed. The accident was what is
known among horscmen as breaking down.
Con. BufOrd says:
- The boy ought To have hold him ur. Nc
Whittier hadn't completed this training. and
! only entered him to come here. | engaged
him here and nowhere else. He was ridden
badly at Louisville. whore gave him n trial to
see how he went more than anything else. and
another horse struck him on his good leg. We
have nurscd him and he seemed to be- all right.
We used cold water on his leg and it must have
made 1t tender. refused 10000 for him. lie
ran the grandCst race ever won. and his win
nngs have been between 5000 and 100000"
The ST. Louis Jockey Club will put UP mon
ument III McWhirter's memory.