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

Them hot-blooded planters would shoot
as quick as a wink. In Charleston
once saw 81 negroes hung together on a
gallows, an 81 in one week. They had
planned to kill the white men an black
women an keep the white women for
themselves.
"Nearly sixty years ago | came to
New York" continued Mr. Walker, IAN
folks was goin' wild over American
Eclipse, horse that was never beat in
four-mile race. He was n sorrel, with
star. an near hind foot white, Is
hands an three inches high, an had
speed, bottom and strength. He was
foaled at Dosaris, Long Island, on May
25. 1914, and Gineral Nat Coles, his
owner, sold him to Cornelius Van Ranst
when he was five years old. Eclipse
beat Sea Gull, Flag of Truce, Heart of
Oak, Lady Lightfoot, Sir Walter, Black
eyed Susan, Fear Naught, Slow an
Easy, Duchess of Marlborough an Sir
Charles an Henry, the champion racers
of the South. In the first race agin Sir
Walter, the four miles was covered by
Eclipse in 7:54, and in the second he
done the first heat in 1853. In Novem-
Der 1922, he was matched agin Sir Wal
ter, Southern horse, but the owner OF
Sir Walter paid forfeit. Both the horses
ran one heat for u, 800 side, Eclipse
winnin' with ease, maxim the first mile
in 1:45. Then Col. Bill Johnson, of
Petersburg, Va, matched Henry agin
Eclipse for 500 side. That was
the greatest race between the North and
South. Over 80, 900 people went to the
course on Long Island to see the race.
Billy Crofts rode Eclipse i'll the first
heat, an Henry won it-the only heat
Eclipse ever lost. Sam Purdy mounted
Eclipse for the second heat. He was
dressed in red. The people cheered him
an he made Eclipse win the race easily.
| The Southerners were cleaned out OF
money by that race. Eclipses time was
| 1887 in the first heat, 7:49 in the second,
and S:24 in the third, so that he made
the twelve miles in 23:50-a great per-
formance. Henry carried 10S pounds
an Eclipse 126, but he never ran agin.
with Bertrand, horse from the South,
but Bertrand didn't show up. In my
opinion, no horse that ever lived could
beat Eclipse in long race. In 1924
the New York Jockey Club took Gineral
Lafayette to Harlem TO see Eclipse, an
they took four military companies along.
I brought Eclipse in front of the hotel,
| but the music of the band excited him.
Tue militia skedaddled when he jumped.
an when I put him in the stable Gineral
Laf' .yette made me go in the bar-room
an drink glass of wine with him. L
took charge of Henry in 1926 for DIR.
Livingstone, of New York, who had
bought him. Count Piper an Lance
were matched, an Sam Purdy took four
quarts of blood from Lance, SO that
Piper might have show to win. Piper
broke up on the home stretch, an Lance
happened to be near enough to win.
Lance an Ariel, brother an sister, was
both raised at Flatbush. Fashion an
Boston had a great race on the Union
Course, an Fashion beat the time made
by Henry and Eclipse. If | remember
right, Fashion covered the four miles in
1924. Billy Gibbon, of Chatham, n.
j., raised Fashion. fooled myself on
that colt. Billy Gibbone wanted me to
train the colt; but had seen Billy on
the track so long without winnin that |
refused, without seein' the colt. wish
I had taken his offer. But my days are
numbered. Younger men are startin'
the runnin' again. It's the onl y race
worth lookin' at.