Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-09-29

a.
oldest living native American horse
Jockey and trainer. He is 50 years old.
He was born in Dover, near Boston, and
rode running horses in races over 20
years ago. His father, who was fa-
NOUS horse trainer, taught him to ride
as soon as he could sit in saddle. He
has blue eyes, regular features, gray
hair, mixed with a little brown, and
small but compact figure. His hands
are palsied. "Runnin' horses amt what
they was when was youngster," said
Mr.. Walker to q reporter, ''for they
amt got the bottom now to run three
an four mile heats o couple of times In
one afternoon. Seventy years ago horse
men wouldn't give much for horse
that couldn't stand two or three four
mile heats in a day. I'll never forget
the great four-mile race, best two IN
three, heats of four miles each, between
the North an South, which come OF at
Craigs Point, near Boston, in 1914. 1t
was blisterin' hot day, an clouds of
dust nearly hid the wagons and people
that crowded the road between Boston
an Cambridge. Thousands of people
crowded round the race course. The
South had matched Watch Eye, fine
bay horse, agin Sam Purdy's fast Little
John, rattln' runner. Rich planters
planters backed their horse with their
last dollar an then put up their slaves
agin the Northern men. A little darkey
boy in pink suit rode Little John an
a white boy was mounted on Watch Eye.
Folks cheered like mad when the horses
was brought out. Little John won the
first heat by a length, an he took the
second heat easy. The Northerners won
heaps of money. The next day Peace
maker, Revenge, and two other good
ones started in the three-mile race.
Arthur Hyde, of Boston, owned Peace
maker, an the New England folks put
their money on him. The New Workers
an Southerners backed Revenge, New
York horse, Sam Purdy wanted Mr..
HYDE to let the darkey who won with
Little John ride Peacemaker, but MIR.
Hyde said he had Yankee boy who
could ride. Twas little brown-haired,
blue-eyed lad then, an | had on a scar
let suit. In front of the judges stand
Mr.. Hyde lifted me into Peacemaker'
saddle, an the Boston folks cheered me
till they was hoarse; Peacemaker knowed
me, an I knowed what he could do,
cause had often rode him. Revenge
took the first and brown horse the Sc
cond heat. Then I let old Peacemaker
out, an I just slid right away from the
other horses, and won the next two heats
and the race. The Boston folks pulled
me from the saddle, carried me on their
shoulders, an men pitched gold and sill
yer pieces into my cap, an the women
kissed me. Sam Purdy an Mr.. Hyde
gave me nice presents, an all the news
papers spoke about me. was so hight
then that the men passed me over their
heads on the track like a feather
weighed only 81 pounds.
II rode lots of 600 yards, half-mile
an mile races after that" said Mr..
Walker, satisfied smile playing about
his thin lips, IAN I always won. With
Calkin's Indian Chief, a fine black horse,
Balkin's gray mare. They was both fast
ones, an the college students an citizens
made big bets. Then same fellers
bought Decatur, from Commodore De
catur, of New Jersey, an beat all Bos-
toms best horses. In 1916 The Pride OF
the South, a famous Baltimore pony,
was brought to Boston under another
name to beat Indian Chief, an Mr.. See
ley, a great trainer, who owned Ameri-
can Star, timed Indian Chief on the sly.
Then he an his friends backed the
Baltimore pony. The race was for $500
the horses to start on the score, the
dash being only a quarter of mile. L
rode Indian Chief, an when | saw Mr..
HARDWOOD, the starter, move his lips |
put the spurs to Indian Chief, who won
by half neck. In 1916 Little John was
bought by Mr., Warren, who took him
an 26 other runners to Halifax, where
he was to ship them to the West Indies
to run agin English horses. was hired
to ride Little John. The English
wouldn't let Americans take racing
horses to the West Indies, so Mr.. War
rem sold all the horses except Little
John and two others, which we shipped
to Kingston in the name of an English
firm. We was 81 days at sea, and got
to Kingston one day too late for the
races, but Mr.. Warren sold Little John
to Major McCrea, of the English Army,
and he beat every horse owned by the
other officers. / rode Cuban horses III
Havana for a while, an then went to
Charleston, s. c., where l rode for
planters at the races in New Orleans,
Savannah, Macon, Raleigh, an lots OF
other towns. The planters sent for me
from every part of the South, an made
a heap of money. At a great race meet
in in Concord, s. c., rode the winnin'
colts, overweights, in every race for four
days. I rode an aged horse, full weight,
for planter named Dingwell, who had