Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-01-16
OLD DHICKORxs NERVE.
HOW He vetoed SvvtndIing ON Ten.
nessee Race.COuFse.


Many are the einteresting scence of Jack
sons life which biographer, Parton, has
omitted and not brought to light. When
a boy l saw him scare and put to flight
20, 900 men, The occasion was this: Grey
hound, a Kentucky horse, had beaten
Double-Head, a Tennessee horse, and
they weresafterward matched for So, 900
a side, to be run on the Clover Bottom
course. My uncle, Josephus II. Conn,
carried me on horseback behind him to
see the race. He set me on the cedar
fence and told me to remain till he re-
turned. In those days not only counties
but States, in full feather, attended the
race-course as a great national amuse-
ment, and the same,is still kept up in
France and England under the fostering
care ofeach. Government. .@..s,
There must have been 10000 persons
present. Z IneveF@witneesed such fierce
betting between the States. Horses 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 appear on
the track. I heard some loud talking,
and looking dawn the track, saw, for the
first time, General Jackson, riding slowly
on gray horse, with long pistols held in
each hand. Think they were as long as
my arm and had mouth that a ground
squirrel could enter. In his wake fol-
lowed my uncle Conn, Stokely, Donelson.
Patton, Anderson, and several Others as
fierce as bull dogs. AS General Jackson
led the van and approached the Judges,
stand he was rapidly talking and gestic-
ulating. As he came by me he said that
he had irrefragable proof that this was to
be jockey race, that Greyhound was
seen in the wheat-field the night before,
which disqualified him for the race. and
that his rider was to receive $500 to throw
it off, and sFby the eternal God'' he would
shoot the first man who brought his horse
upon thetrack; that the peoples money
should not be stolen from them in this
manner. He talked incessantly, while
the spittle rolled from his mouth and
the fire from his eyes. 1 have seen bears
and wolves, at bay, but he was certainly
the most ferocious looking animal I had
ever seem. His appearance and manner
struck terror to the hearts of 1000 peo-
pie. If they felt as L did every one ex-
pected to be slain. He announced to the
parties if they wanted some lead in their
hides to first 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
failing to appear, General Jackson said it
was a great mistake in the opinion of
some, that he had acted hastily, without
consideration. He would give the scoun-
drels fair trial, and to that end he would
| constitute a court to investigate this mat
ter, who would hear the proof and do JUS
! tiee to all parties. Thereupon he ap-
| pointed Sheriff TO keep order and five
| judges to hear the case. Proclamation
was made that the court was open aanC
was ready to proceed to business, and fol
the parties to appear and defend them
selves. No one appearing, Gen. jackson
introduced the witness, proving the brib
/ cry of Greyhound's rider, who was to re
ceive $500 to throw off the race, having
/ received $3.50 in advance, and that Grey
hound had been. turned into the wheat
field the night before. He again callet
on the parties to appear and contradic
this proof, and vindicate their innocence
They failing to appear, Gen. Jackson toll
the court that the proof was closed, an
for them to render their judgment in tn
premises, which, in few moments, wa
done in accordance with the facts proved
was still on the fence forming one lin
of the large pound containing the proI
erty bet on the race. Each man was anS
ious to get back his property.
Gen. Jackson waived his hand and al
! nounced the decision, and said; ''Nov
| gentleman, go calmly and in order, an
: each man take his own property" Whe
: the word was given the people came wit
e a rush. 1t was more terrible than a
army with banners. They came bulgin
against the fence, and in the struggle
! get over they knocked it down for II
9 wards. 1 was overturned and nearl
= trampled to death. Each man got
O property, and thus the fraudulent ra
n was broken upby an exhibition of Il
most extraordinary courage. He did tn
y day what would have required 30
= armed men to have effected. All this w
% effected by the presence and action of oil
:, man, aud without the drawing of ol
% drop of blood. A certain knowledge tn
o. in one event streams of blood would ha
. flowed effected this great and wortl
cause.
nS ill., --c,,r 20 l{a