, 1879-03-09
SPORTING.
THE TURF.

lHE IU ne.
In OLD TIME 1RoTrER's TROUBLES.
In the current number Of the 1urt appear
the following Interesting account Of the sad tat
which has oyertaken q once-famous trotter:
Our Mobile correspondent, :" wno o. mas & oee1
tic story from the old town OF san Antonio. II
writes That, m hour previous to his departure fo
11ene IN nf froat Of the aenee House when poor
looking horse, attached to butchers cart, can't
in eight. The animal was 50 weak that 1t was only
by al effort he put one foot IN front OF the other
some Of the gentlemen commented sarcattca1lJ
upon the dilapidatcd appearance Of the turnout,
while others had words OF Pity tor the p9sfFy and
the celehrated trotter silas Rch at least that is
the living shadow Of once great horse" The
statement. he referred the doubters to the man
who had carried the chestnut geldiag to Texas.
and when the dentlty Of the horse was established
up purse and bug him. His owner priced him 1T
Sl3. so, and this sum was quickly paid. and the
The eyes Of the veteran Frightened il visions Of
fairer days doomed before him. A crowd followed
him into tie stable, and the greatest sympathy
owner Of large ranche volunteered to give him
the freedom OF pasture for the balance of his
is;enee. and contribution W; taken up to pur- Ut
young grass should be sufficiently advanced
to put the question Of grazing beyond a
90 tSe sas Res a. 9s f
catpeutcr, Preeidcnt, and q. E. Tuttie, Secretary
and Treasurer. Among the members are JET Mil
i. Wieks, G. Z. Minor, J. G. Manning, S. S. Hie.
gins. P. 8. Freer, and i. Rische. Our Correspond
ent writes that the chestnut geIdiug Was takcn 10
scored several victories in that State. when his
owpers met with reyerses. and then be entered
upon bis cown-htll tramp. he sank lower and
ing under. the weight OF butchers cart
in the streets Of San Antonio. II this is not case
Of mistaken identity it shows that The idols Of the
declining years ss they should be- When their
powers BEGIN to wane. instead Of struggling for
hnlf-s1aryed menials, crushed By the burdens and
the blows OF cruel task masters. The last days OF
many gallant racer are clouded with sorrow.
from life of poverty and drudgery the aged and
Worn-out tr0tter. Sl}as l0ca-
As SiIas Rich was in days gone BY one Of the
most famous and popular Of Western trotters,
and for several seasons WAS owned and driven
By Chicago men, there are numerous facts OF
interest connected with hts star in this city. In
order to secure these al,d present them to the
readers OF these columns TRIBUNE man
called upon Mr.. p. R: Morgan, one Of the oldest
and best-known ho-semen in the city, whose
mind is stored with "reminiscences OF the West
ern turf from its inception to the present day.
.sDid know Si]as Rich?" said Mr. Morgan;
swell, should say did. In 1861 the horse
came here from Independence, Ia. He IVES
bred by Si1as Cunningham, Buchanan County,
H., and sold BY him to Mr.. Rich, Of Indcpend-
eucc, who gave him the name OF Sias Rich.
He 10 turn disposed Of him to Messrs. Mcclure {
aud Clark, who brought him to Chicago. |
Shortly after their arrival purchased him for |
Daniel Thompson, Of Flint, Thompson l. Co. |
The price agreed upon Was 81 ,000, and handed |
Clark Mr.. Thompson's check for that amount, |
payable in currency. 'Giye it to me in gold, |
Pa,,' said he, and I paid him $3.50 more, I
which covered the premium on gold at !
that time. At this time Silas Rich had
4 record Of s:S9, aud was 6 OF years old, |
I am not certain which. The first race VIC gave
him was in the fall Of '61, over the old cinder
track. It was mile heats, three in 1ye, ic har-
rcss, and Rich won, beating Scalpcl md others.
The following season we did not do much with !
him, but in 1863 he trotted a three-rnile and re-
peat rcce here against Carrie, Which he won. He |
also trottcd at Kalamazoo and Sandwich that
season, being driven By Sam Lansing, who is
still in Chicago, and one OF the Oldest drivers
we have. That year he reduced his record, aud
at its close was in the 2:34 or 2:35 class.
In 1864 he went to St. Louis,
and trotted aud won mile heat
race against Billy. .(afterHards called Morrisse.l
Dayton Belle, and Gen. Grant. Then the same
horses had another race, which Norrissey Won
This last Was t.ro-mlle heats. Ne then arranged |
still another. in which Rich was to go to wagon,
anu Pilot Temple and Carrie in harness. This |
vas great betting race, and the Chicago BOYS |
made lot of money By packing Carrie. She
vas selling for from $l1 to s14 in 500 pools,
ind they took the short end every time. Frank |
Luuhsrd Was doing the nODt h1vinr fnr nt,r |