The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-02-18
4 Wild Horse-Race.

The widest horse-race ever known in
this country took place on the Denver
track on September 10th, 1869. The
horses were Border Ruffian and Rocky
Mountain Chief; the purse $95. 900 in
gold. Rufian was backed by Tom Hunt,
his owner, and Jim Harrison, notorious
gamblers. Shortly before. Hunt had
murdered q prominent Mormon, and
after a brief trial he was condemned to
hang for his crime. The scaffold was
erected on the outskirts of Salt Lake,
near the overland road, and the MUIR
derer was to swing midst all the pomp
of legal execution. In the excitement
attending the preparations on the
morning of the expected hang
ing Harrison entered Ruffian's stable
unobserved and spirited the racer away.
Mounted on another horse and leading
Ruffian, Harrison rode to the gallows
unsuspected, slipped two six shooters
into Hunts hand, and before the Off
cials or multitude had recovered from
their surprise the outlaws were charging
down the Webber canyon trail at speed
which defied capture. One of a number
of parting rifle shots killed Harrison s
horse, and it became necessary for Ruff
fan to carry both men. The Mormons
pursued the desperadoes night and day,
but were powerless to overtake them, SO
wonderful was the speed and endurance
of the stolen bay. Not until 100 miles
had been covered did men or beast eat
or rest, and on the morning of the tenth
day they arrived at Denver 600 miles from
the Mormon capital. These facts once cir
culated Ruffian became the hero of the
hour.
In the Denver race the Greer boys,
who owned Chief. backed him. Thous-
ands of men hocked to the track. There
was long delay, but at last amid frepzied
cheers, the horses got a start, Ruffian
forging ahead from the start. Chief
flew the track, went over o steep embank-
ment, and before he could recover the
first heat was practically decided in Ruff
fans favor. A yell of disappointment
went up from the multitude and rush
was made to lynch the man who started
Chief. He succeeded in escaping the
mob unharmed, however. More than
800, 900 changed hands on the heat.
An even start was obtained in the Sec
ond heat, the two horses passing into
the quarter stretch neck and neck. At
the half pole Ruffian, in response to hard
whipping, slowly took the lead. All
this time Chief had been given q free
rein. but had been spared the lash.
Charles Hamilton, desperate, who had
all his earthly possessions staked on
Chief, stood at the back-streteh pole as
the horses approached, navy revolver
in either hand. s'Lay the whip to that
horse or I'll drop you from the saddle,
he shouted to Eugene Teats, Chiefs
rider, sighting both of his weapons.
Teats knew that Hamilton would keep
his word unless the order was obeyed,
and, although he was confident that
Chief would win the second heat with
out urging, he lost no time in applying
the whip. He drew blood at every
streke, and Chief went under the wire a
winner of the heat 100 feet in LAP.
Then commenced riot and turmoil
the like of which was never before or
since witnessed on race-conrse. Men
pulled their six-shooters and fired madly,
indiscriminately, and gold-dust, in the
quarrel of stakes, was scattered recklessly
in the sand. Ruffian was completely
broken down after this heat, and the
gamblers appreciating that they were
beaten, became frantic with rage. Con
Dram aud Charles Switz, who after
wards became noted prize fighters, stood
at the door to the stand and held the
mob at bay until the judges had giver
their decision. Chief was ordered OF
the track, and after making the hal
mile wire was declared winner of the
race. The judges had to be escorted
from the track to town by an armed es
cort composed of volunteers from the
winning side.
Mounted on broncho ponies, with pis
| tolls and bowie knives drawn, the Gree
brothers and party of friends made
their way to the Se5, 900 nugget and Gu
it to the ground 1t was loaded into
wagon and taken to town, "a guard accom-
panying the precious freight. Their
were large number of people stables
and shot in the melee, but fortunatel.
none died from their wounds. Tha
night Denver was one blazing revelry
one gorgeous orgie. The immense mug
get was cut up into smaller and NOR
commercial commodities. Teats wer
presented with $1,000 worth of these
The balance of the winnings wa
equally divided among the brothers, am
in less than forty FIVE hours they ha
| snIandered IL all