San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-03-09
A Wild Horse Race In the Rocky Noun
tain Region.

in this country took place on the Den
YER track OH September 10, 1868. The
horses were Border Rufiian and Rocky
Mountain Chief; the purse $4,000 in
gold. Ruiiian was backed by Tom
Hunt, his owner, and Jim Harrison,
notorious gamblers. Shortly before
Hunt had murdered a prominent Nor
mon, and after brief trial was con-
demned to hang for his crime. The
acaffold was erected on the outskirts OF
Salt Lake, near the overland road, and
the murderer was 10 swing midst all
the pomp of legal execution. In the
excitement attending the preparations
on the morning Of the expected hanging
Harrison entered Rufiian's stable I'M
observed and spirited the racer away.
Mounted on another horse and leading
Rufiiau, Harrison rode to the gallows
unexpected, slipped two six-shooters
into Hunts hands, and before the Off
Gals or the multitude had recovered
from their surprise, the outlaws were
charging down the Weber canyon trial
at II speed which defied capture. One
of n number of parting rifle shots
killed Harrison's horse, and 1t became
necessary for Rufan 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 one hundred miles had been
covered did man or beast eat and rest,
and on the morning OF the tenth day
they arrived at Denver, 600 miles from
the Mormon capital. These facts once
circulated, Rufiian became the hero OF
the hour. In the Denver race the
Greer boys, who owned Chief. backed
him. Thousands of men and women
fiocked to the track. There was long
delay, hut at ! st amidst frenzied
cheers, the horse got Il start, Rutiian
forging ahead from the stand. Chief
flew the track, went over u steep en-
bankment, and before he could recov-
err the first heat was practically decided
in Ruffian's lead. A yell of disappoint-
ment went up from the multitude and
rush was made to lynch the man who
started Chief. He succeeded in escap-
ing the mob however. More than SlOO-
900 changed hands, on that heat. An
even start was obtained in the second
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 free
rein, but had been spared the lash.
Charles Hamilton, desperate, who
had all his earthly possession staked on
Chief, stood at the back-stretch pole as
the horse approached, a revolver in
either hand. "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 bloed at every
stroke and Chief went under the wire
winner of the heat by 100 feet in l :42.
Then COMMENCED riot and turmoil, the
like of which was never before or since
witnessed on q race course. Men pulled
their six shooters and fired madly, in
discriminatory, and gold dust, in the
quarrel for stakes, was scatterd reck-
lessly in the sand. Ruffian was COM
ple tely broken down after this heat,
aud the gamblers, appre eating that they
we're beaten, became frantic with rage.
CAPTAIN Dram and Charles Switz, who
afterwards became noted prize fighter,
stood at the door to the stand and held
tae mob at bay until the judges had
given their decision. Chief was ordered
on the track, and after making the half
mile wire was declared the winner of
the race. The judges had to be escort
ed from the track to the town by an
armed escort composed OF volunteers
from the winning side. Mounted on
bronco ponies, with pistols and bowie
knives. The Greer brothers and some
friends made their way to the $4,000
nugget and cut it to the ground. 1t
was loaded in a wagon and taken to
town, guard accompanying the pre-
cious freight. There was large num-
Der of people stabbed and shot in the
melee, but fortunately none died from
their wounds. That night Denver was
one blazing revelry, one gorgeous
orgie. The immense nugget was cut
mn into smaller and more commercial
commodities. Teats was presented
with $4,000 worth of these. The bal
ance of the winnings were equally
divided among the brothers. and in
less than forty-tive hours they had
it all.-DenUer Tribune.
Caught i'm His Own Trap.