Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-28
GEN. BuFORO IN CHICAGO.
The Christian Turnman TaTlksa
Lutte Religion and Mach
Horse.
Chicago Hines, 9Sth.

The tall, broad and portly form Of
Gen. Abe Buford, the we'll known
Kentucky turiman, was e about the
halls and corridors of the Grand Pa
citc last night. Talking to a reporter
for the Times, the General said:
while | am a turtman, | am dead
down on pool selling. Ii is the pool
selling that hurts the races. | think
1t just as proper to run for the legally
offered stakes as to contend for any
other prize offered at a fair; but I
don't say that it is right to harness
the horses in sin by betting. In
England the Rev. Mr.. King, who at.
terward became an earl by Inheritance,
falling heir to a magnificent stud OF
horses, insisted upon running them,
and was permitted, after some discus
sion, TO remain in the church,
and the Queen, who is at
the head of the church,
sells a number of blooded colts from
her stables every year. | was one of
thirteen men in Woodford county
who voted for Douglas against Brock
inridge, but when it came to fight |
could not go back on my people. So
when | Joined the church | could not
60 back on the horse. My partiality
TO the horse comes by inheritance.
My family is traced back to the Duke
of Beaufort, a descendant of john of
Gaunt. The Duke of Beaufort. NV
paternal ancestor. was a great horse
man. His second son, who came to
America and settled in Virginia,
changed his name in disgust at the
division Of the property to Buford.
From him came all the Bufords OF
Kentucky. The Earl of Derby, who
founded the Derby races, married
Margaret Beaufort, a daughter of the
Duke of Beaufort. My brother was
also a turfman, and was the first man
who ever paid $4,000 for a horse"
In regard to his association withthe
the General said that, al
though he had run horses and bet
money all his life, he always believed
in the Lord Jesus Christ. The6re of
his younger days came into his eyes,
when he declared that, while he had
bet and won money, he had always
been square" He was always down
on pool selling and all other crooked
ness. He said that his wife had often
begged him to ;oin church; and he
would have done so, but he did not
want to part company with the horse.
There was a tremor in the old mans
voice as he stroked the back of one
Aand with the other aud said that he
wished he had joined the church be-
fore she died. HaviDg lost both wife
and child, he said he had little to do
or think about. and that his lectures
on the Church and Turf took up
puck time that might otherwise hang
heavily on his hands.
Have you won many large sums of
money at one time, General?"
II won the Kennel stake with In
in New York, which was
Sl0,250 in gold. Once with 900 |
won $1,000. Another time, with a
small sum, | won $4,000, and soon
after $4,000, aud l never lost more
than a few hundred at any time"
You are still breeding horses?"
YES, and those | raised are winning
money right along. Goodnight and
Little Phil are both making handsome
winnings. Since l began featuring
and got Old Marster' on my side, the
horses have been making better sue
cess"
The General has written a new leo
ture on the Church and Turf"
which he will deliver for the first
time at Hershey Hall this evening.
The speaker will be introduced by
Mayor Harrison, and will be accom-
on the platform by ex-G Govern.
or Hendricks, of Indiana, Colonel
Dow, of the Chicago Jockey Club, and
Judge Moore, of this city. The Gen.
enthusiasm has also prompted
him to start a paper in Louisville in
the interest of an honest turf.