Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-22
THE BIOGRAPHY OF A MARE.
Mr.. Decker,s worthless Colt.

MI. Decker's Worthless Colt.
DECKERTOwN, N. j., Nov. 14.-In 1855 a ped
dler drove through this place with bony by
mare tied behind his wagon. He stopped at the
farm OF John b. Decker, three miles from Deck-
ertown. There he bartered his mare for a
horse, and under Mr.. Deckers care she turn11
out to be useful animal Her owner thought
so much of her that he determined to get colt
from her, sired by the best horse he could find
in the neighbOrhOod. Major EdSall, OF Goshen
Orange county, had horse that was a son OF
old Hambletonian, out of Amazonia, and was
thus direct descendant by both sire and dam
of imported Messenger. The Goshen horse was
known as Edsall's Hambletonian. In May, 1857,
the Decker mare gave birth to colt sired by
this horse This colt John B. Decker intended
to raise for use on his farm. 1t was mare.
and proved to be most ungoVernable piece of
horse-flesh. She was three years old before an
attempt was made to break her to harness. as
she was understood, nervous, and fretful II
was only by the most persistent effort that she
could be induced to undergo the restraints of
work on the farm. One day she was hitched to
pillow to fuTrow out corn. To the surprise OF
her owner she worked with will for half
day. Then she suddenly turned about in the
furrOw and started sn another direction. Upon
being forced back to her place, she lay dowa
and kicked herself loose from the ploy and RIA
OIL in the direction she had chosen. Once after
ward she drew stone drag for two or tn zee
hours and that was all the work she ever CO Id
be induced to do on the Decker flrn. She was
turned loose in the fields, and she ran at will,
the Plains.
In those days the running of horses was the
leading sport in Sussex county. There We're
race-cOurSeS at several places In the nsighbJr
hood OF DeckertOwn. and many "crack" run-
ners. 1t was a favoTite amusement OF Deck
er's worthless colt as the headStrong little
mare was called, to run round and rolod the
lot in which she might be confined, and the
speed which she shovel attracted the attention
of-certatn. young ''bloodS" in the ,ignsorh BOD.
Through Decker's hired man they managed to
1Iyp
to her owner. They took her on a course, and
one OF them rode her against celebrated local
running horse. The little mare entered into the
race with such zest that she almost distanced
her competitor. She remembered that race
and, during the three years that she remained
In Decker's possession afterward she was often
clandeSt1nely taken from her pasture to be en-
tered in a running race At such times she
made no resistance to being caught and mani
tested the greatest Impotence until she was on
the contesttng ground, when she entered into the
spirit of the sport as fully as did the spectators
This characteristic OF hers never failed to be
prominent with her whenever she appeared on
the turf In her subsequent long and remarkable
career. TO add to the annoying contrarness of
the mare on the farm, she was in the habit OF
making trip through the adjoining country
regardless OF fences, bitches, or streams, regu-
larry once month. She could jump any fence
On the farm. and If one of extraordinary height
was built around her Enclosure. she would kick
an opening in 1t somewhere. She would make
circuit eff eight or ten miles arc Ind, when out
on these journeys and every one knew the
worthless Decker mare;;'' and there were a few
persons who, knowing the blood that was in
the colt, believed that something might be
made OF her. Her owner. in spite Of her way
Wardness, was very fond of her, and was not
anxious to get rid of her. In November 1854
John Il: Decker, then OF Newburg, and Squire
IRON" Bingham, of the same place. were Specu-
latlng In poultry. They were travelling through
orange and Sussex counties buying up turkeys.
John II. Decker was brother-in-1aW of Judge
Fullerton, and nephew Of John B. Decker, the
owner Of the Decker mare. They arrived at the
Decker farm one afternoon. j. II. Decker was
one OF the best judges Of horse-flesh in the
rest of his uncles horses. He 'fell In love"
with her at once. He tried to give her close
Inspection, but, to use his own expression, he
Bingham staid all night at John b B. Decker i.
Next morning, at the breakfaSt-table, Decker
told his uncle that he would give him $3.50 for
ms mare. The old gentleman declined the offer.
Mrs. Decker was anxious that her husband
should sell the mare. and thought the nephew's
offer was a big bargain for a horse that had
never paid for the oats it consumed. Johnny
b." as he was familarly known, did not think
So Finally, his wife put the matter ON the
score Of relationship, and told her husband,
moreover, that, as his nephew was his name
sake, too, he ought to let him have the mare.
She said to the WOULD purchaser:
you have her."
So the nephew counted out $500 and the uncle
said 1t was a bargain, on condition that the
purchaser should catch the mare. After a long
struggle, the younger Decker succeeded in
driving the mare into the barn and in getting a
halter on her. She had not looked through a
collar In four years. When old Mr.. Decker saw
that he was to lose the mare he wanted to back
out: He offered to let his nephew take sister
of the mare, which he valued at 5000, In place of
her, but this was refused. Decker and Bing-
ham tied the Decker mare to the rear of their
wagon, and started back home with her and
ton OF turkeys. DeckerS father, the President
of the Orange County Creamery and MIX Asso-
CATION, lived at Denton, three miles beyond
Goshen. They stopped at his house for the
night. Next morning Bingham, Decker's part
ner IN the poultry trade, counted out $780, and
wanted half interest in the Decker mare
Decker said he intended her for Judge Fuller
ton and declined the offer.
sporting men as 'Jersey BILL" kept an inn at
hampton, near Denton. He knew the John B.
Decker mare, and hearing that the old man had
Decker and Bingham were, to see the mare.
Decker and Bingham was about ready to start
away. Tompk1ns offered Decker $3.50 for the
mare, which was refused. Mrs. Decker, mother
OF John H., a most estiinahe and pious lady.
was deeply grieved to know that her son had
bought racing horse" and she begged of him
OF the animal. Meanwhile, hired man was
showing the mares step in the lane in front OF
the house. TOmpkins raised his offer $40. Mrs
Dec Decker, with tears in her eyes, beseeched her
son TO dispose OF the horse. Her husband also
urged the sale. Finally, impatient with the pa
rental talk, young Decker accepted jersey
Bill oHer OF $500. IO1npk1nS drew a check for
the amount. Decker had some doubts as to the
validity OF the check, and, repentIng of his ac-
ceptance Of the offer, declined to take it, and
prepared to drive away with his mare There
upon his father took the check, wrote his own
name across the back. and said:
'.There. guess that will go now''
AS ms name was good for any amount at the
MlddletoWn bank, on Which the check was
drawn, his son could say no more. He pocketed
the check, and, chagrlned and dissatisfied drove
away. He felt that he had done something he
would always regret. Tompkins took the mare
to his hotel stable in Hampton. When Decker
ana Bingham reached Goshen, the former was
so heartily disguised with himself for parting
with the mare that he resolved to ret hey baci.
again II he could. He ordered his team put out
VIM. NJ. Graham was then president of the Mid
dletoWn bank. Decker went to the telegraph
Office in Goshen, and asked Of Graham By tele-
graph:
us Jersey Bills check good for S360?n
In few minutes the answer came back:
'No. 1t is good for $780,
Decker told Baldwin that he intended to 90
straight TO Hampton and take the mare out of
Jersey Bits stable. Baldwin was lawyer ana
told Decker that he had better not undertake
so unlawful proceeding. While they We're dis
cuSSlng the matter Decker received the follow
ing telegram from the Middletown bank:
Jersey Bill has made his check good.n
That put an end to all discussion, and Decker
knew that the mare was gone.
In the spring OF 1865 Decker met Alden Gold
smith ri trair No ,niI r,