Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-19
Johnston 9:fO.

johnston y no.
Commodore Kittson, of st. Paul, having
purchased Johnston, the great PAGER, every
thing pertaining to his breeding and his
tory is both of interest and importance.
The following letter giving many interest
ing facts in regard to him is taken from
the Spirit Of the Times:
BERLIN, Wis, Nov. 81 take pleasure in
giving you particulars as to the breeding
and history of the now-famous pacing
gelding, Johnston, flor. Barney, from my
own personal knowledge, and the kind as
sistance of Messrs. James and Richard
Cary (owners OF the dam, and breeders of
Barney; Mr.. Joseph Bassett (owner of
Bashaw Golddust, his sire), and Mr.. J.V.
Swelling (owner of Ned Forrest, the sire
of Barney's damn, all residents of the city
of Berlin, Green Lake Co., Wis.
Johnston, bay gelding, foaled June 90,
1877, on The farm of the Gerry Brothers, in
Aurora, Waushara county, Wis, about six
miles north of Berlin; he was sired by
Bashaw Golddust, black or dark brown
stallion, owned by Joseph Bassett, of Ber-
lin, who still keeps him for service at his
stable in Berlin, Wis. Bashaw GoIddust
was by Billy Bashaw, owned by George
Cameron, of Oshkosh, and he was said to
be by Green's Bashaw; Bashaw Golddust's
dam was by Champion Golddust, bred by
Dorsey, of Kentucky, ond a half-brother of
Dorsey's GolddUst: her dam was running
mare pedigree unknown. Johnston's dam
is a dark chestnut mare, weighing about
900 lbs; she was sired by Ned Forrest, the
property off. V.Swetting, of this city. Her
ga III was by Steels Kentucky Hunter,
ow ned in Nepeuskin, Winnebago county,
Wi Ned Forrest was sired by Alexander's
Ed win Forrest, while he was the property
of Henry l.. Baker, Esq, of Clinton,
Oneida county, N. Y, and his dam was
sired by Young Sir Henry, owned by
Lathrop BrockWay, of Clinton. Young Sir
Henry was the grandson Of Henry, the
famoUs running connection of Eclipse
Edwin Forrest was red by Bay Kentucky
Hunter, be by old kentucky Hunter, all of
Oneida county, n. Y.
Johnston, while o colt following the
mare, was remarkable for the handy way
in which he would change from pacing to
trotting, or from trotting to pacing, no al
ways selecting ii e latter gait when requir
ing his greatest speed, aud at which gait
he showed the ability and disposition TO
keep up with other colts in the same pas
ture whom they we're running.
The fan after he was two years old he
was put into the hands of MIR. Joseph Bias
set, the owner of his sire, to break and
very soon began to exhibit remarkable
evidence of speed both in trotting and
pacing, going Mt either gait as desired by
his driver, but always changing to the pace
when urged to his greatest speed. Mr..
Bas5att continued to drive, train and de-
velop him until the fall of 1882, after the
horse was five years old. When three
years old it began to be whispered about
Berlin that Barney was a very swift
travelling colt, and in his four-year-
form he often showed on the Berlin half
mile track quarter in 80 seconds, and
the half-mile in 1:10. The same year he
showed, on the Oshkosh mile track, half
mile in 1:0G. At the same time he would
trot quarter of mile, on the Berlin
track IN 40 seconds.
In his five year. old form be was taken
by Mr.. Bassett to Chicago, where he show
ed a mile in 2:15 and a half mile in 1903,
after which Mr., G. A. Mather, of this city
purchased tHe entire interest IN the horse
of Messrs. Cary, no having the previous
year acquired one half interest in him.
Mr.. Mather took possession of the horse,
and during the winter of 1925, exercised
MN " tulkcI tpout the btTSSES OF D6FliA.
In the spring OF 1883 he was put into the
hands of the veteran trainer, Peter john
stou, and shortly after Mr.. Mather dis
posed of a half interest in The the horse to
MIR. Eb. Smith, OF Milwaukee, and his
name was changed from Barney to John
ston.
After his tour and wonderful perform
ances in Michigan. Mr.. Mather repur-
chased of Mr.. Smith his half interest, ard
became the sole owner of the horse, and in
the month of October, 1888, after most
tonishing exhibition of speed and bot
tom over muddy track, and on windy
day, on the Chicago course, Johnston was
sold to Commodore kittson, of st. Paul,
for $4,000.
The dam of Barney is still owned by
the Cary Brothers, and has three living
colts, full brothers of Johnston; one a two
year chestnut stallion, large and rangy,
now being handled by Joseph Bassett, a
trotter, aud showing indications of great
speed; one chestnut yearling of fine ap
pearance, and one bay sucking, follow
ing the mare, and perfect picture of
Barney, except not so much inclined to
pace, though little inclined in
that direction; the mare is again
to be in fosl. She was bred by Hiram
Horton, of Winnebago county, and when a
colt seemed destined to ill-luck, having
been hooked and nearly preached by a
COW, and meeting with several slight acct
dents. At three years of age she became
the property of Captain S. D. Woodwork,
and was put into the hands OF the writer to
be broken to harness. She then bid fair
to be very fast trotter, but series of
accidents occurring in the winter before,
and the fall after she wSs four years old,
so injured her hind legs as TO unfit her for
the turf, and, after several transfers, she
fell into the hands of Messrs. James and
Richard Cary, and they drove her for a
time in double team. The breaking of q
neck yoke, while driving from Aurora TO
Berlin, caused a runaway, from which she
came out with an uniointed leg. Since
then she has never been harnessed, and has
been used solely for breeding purposes.
She Is now seventeen years old, and in
good health.
As /. mas been asserted By some igno-
rant or malicious persons that Bsshaw
Golddsst is not the sire OF Johnston, and
the story has been inserted in the public
prints, deem it proper to insert the fol-
lowing affidavit to set the matter at rest: