St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-27

hanus hlgh when matured, and would welgn
in good flesh, 1900 lbs; big bone,
large head rough hips, good disposition, square
gated and could trot at best lin such hands he
was kept-no one ever handling him but the old
many in $3.50 to 1855. Was the founder of fam
lily of more than ordinary horses, and once in a
while trotter or PAGER. Never was known to
pace himself, but il was almost as natural for his
colts to pace, single foot or be mixed or double
gated, as to trot. Nothing was ever known as
to his breeding, further than that the old
man called him John Bull and said TO me many
times he was from family in Kentucky known
John Bull stock. He never sired any trotters
or PAGERS of note that know Of He was kept
here until 1852 or 1868; stood at a nominal price,
S. to $40; was shown at our fairs in small inte-
rior towns and driven on the road by his owner.
Then, in 1862 or 1863, he was taken TO a German
settlement in our county (Lee) known as Frank
lin Centre, where he was kept country stall
lion and on big coarse mares of our country pro-
duced many large horses of good action, sought
for by shippers and dealers for coach and express
horses. For some time he was still the property
of Kay and farmed out on shares TO German
named Michael Sife, and later, / think, was
owned by Sife until some twenty years ago.
When this horse must have been twenty or
twenty-five gears old he was taken TO California,
where he died two or three years ago His
daughters and granddaughter have nicked well
with sons of Mambriuo Chief, Green's BashaW,
Edwin Forrest, etc.
Should IT please you to send me such infor-
nation as you have to his breeding and
through such information L may be able to
trace the breeding of the grandshire of Johnston,
will take pleasure in SO doing, and will forward
any other information / may be able to procure.
w. S. SAMPLE.
vnder date of February IS, 1854, Mr.. Sample
wrote;)
| find that John Bull was bred by one of two
men, Judge James Buckner or Judge Alexander
hDfh for, ,apftr liz Nb-;-
tian, Co., Ky. He was foaled in 1855, and said
to have been sired by a son of imp. John Bull,
Vim. Kay, bought this colt at two years of age,
and showed him at the Christian county fair in
the fall of 1851, and took first premium, a silver
cup. He then brought him to keokuk, Nov, "a,
1857, and placed said cup in bank for safe keep
ing. The bank afterwards failed, and nothing
more was ever known of the premium cup.
got this information from Mrs. Henry Gebo, a
daughter of Kay, and one Orange Fields,
lcolored), cow driving here. Fields showed two
year-old colt in the same class with John Bull at
the above, and took second premium
W. 5. SAMPLE.
sin referring to Frank Forrester's work on
the horse, fad there was an imported horse
called John Bull. Idon' see as there can be
any doubt that the above chain of evidence is
perfect, and that Billy Bashaw was great grand
son of imp. John Bull, although il is claimed
that he sired by Green's Bashaw. Now if
Billy Bsshaw was out of Domed and Bartrand
mare, as claimed by Mr.. Anderson, and his
great grand sire was imp. John Bull, Johnston,
the fastest PAGER in the world must have q strong
infusion of thorough blood in his veins. Now
allow me to guess light here that he who matches
this flying horse, thinking that he will quit il
pinched, will be doomed to disappointment.
Billy Bashaw has left more speed in this vicinity
than any other horse living or dead. think the
ABOVE statements will explain where Johnston
gets his pacing gait, as John Bulls colts were
often PAGERS or double gated; also his thorough
bred characteristics, that every one notices
when they behold this grand horse, who as yet
has never met his equal. Commodore Kittson
may Justly feel proud of this king of the
turf. And now, in taking leave of this subject,
allow me TO pay slight tribute to Mr.. Joe Bas-
sett, of Berlin, the gentleman who, with untiring
perseverance, skill and gentle treatment, made
it possible with Mr.. Johnston, with his name
sabe to mark 2:10 on the blackboard, Don't
forget Bassett, for had he been preacher, in
stead OF ''Knight OF the Ribbons" Johnston
might have been hauling milk wagon or butch
er's cart to-day.
A. c. AUSTIN, Oshkosh, Wis,
Secretary of the Northern Agricultural and Me-
chanical Association.
Joe Bassett's dam was by Champion Golddust,
bred by Dorsey, of Kentucky, and half brother
10 Dorseys GOlddust, and her dam was q run
ming mare, pedigree unknown.
=
have escaped observation so long Is a mystery TO
ne. He is nearly sixteen hands nigh. beautiful
Day brown and shows great quality, having fac
large intelligent eye, with clean cut ear, slop-
ing shoulders. an arm which looks like iron,
such legs and feet one rarely sees; he is remark
ably deep through the heart and very largely
muscled over the loin, which gives him the Sp-
pearance of being slightly roach backed; in
standing behind him you are struck with his
muscular quarters, stiles, aud clean, strong
hooks, He has never been trained in his life,
yet can tTot quarter in 3s seconds, and a full
mile i'll 2 40. Ills strong, resolCte way of going
cannot but impress the behoider with the idea
of horse that should. be in the = 30 class OIL
better.
As Il has been asserted by some ignorant oil
malicious persons that BasAaw Goddnst is moi
the sire of Johnston, and the story has been in
serted in The public prints, deem it proper tC
insert the following affidavit to set the matter Al
rest:
STATE OF WISCONSIN,
COUNTY or GREEN LAKE,
Joseph Bassett, of Berlin. in said county, be
ing duly sworn, says that he had charge
Of the stallion, Bashaw Golddust, anC
stood him for mares in the city of Berlin, in the
year A. ID. 1876, that chestnut mare owned By
Messrs. James and Richard Cary was that veal
stinted to said horse, aud to the best of his in
formation and belief was not that year covered
by any other stallion; that from such services
the colt Barney (now Johnston) was foaled in the
month of June, A. ID. 1871.
JOSEPH BAssETT.
Subscribed and sworn to before me Nov. 5
1888.
L. $. j. VOLNEY SwETTISG,
Municipal Judge of the City and Town of Carey
James Cary and Richard Cary, owners of the
mare, make a corroborative affidavit. Yours,
j. T. WHITCoMB.
Johnston, while a colt following the mare, wa
remarkable for the handy way in which he would
| change from pacing 10 trottng, or from trotiin!
10 pacing. lie always selected the latter gai
when requiring his greatest speed, and ut which
gait he showed the ability and disposition t.
keep up with other colts in the same pastur,
| when they were running.
| The fall after he was two years old he was put
| into the hands of Mr.. Joseph Bassett, the owner
of his sire, to break. and very soon began to ex
libit remarkable evidence oi speed, both in trot-
/ ting and pacing, going At either gate desired
| by his driver, Dut always changing.to the pace
| when urged TO his greatest speed. MIr. Bassett
| continued to drive, train aud develop him unit
! the fall Of 1852. after the horse was five years
| Old. When three years old 1t began TO be wills
/ pered about Berlin that Barney was very swift
travelling colt, and in his fOur year old form he
often showed on Berlin half mile track q quartz
! IN thirty-two seconds. and the half mile in 10
| the same year he showed on the Oshkosh mil,
track, half mile in :06. At the same ii me b.
| WoulQ trDt quarter OF ml-e IN, on the beriil
| track, in forty seconds
With this evidence before us we see no reason
for doubling that Joe BaSsett will be recognized
MS the greatest sire of speed in the world.
We will also say that it is fortunate for tn
west that Joe Bassett tBashaw GOlddusi) hs
| been purchased by one of the very wealth
| stock breeders of the west; Mr.. II. ). Woodruff
proprietor of BucklejOn farm at GAINESVILLE. Wis
where he will in the future be found in tn
| aiud to perpetuate his name and family
and beget other Johustons. We will say further
that it is TO Joe Bassett, and not to JOHNSON
dam. that the breeder OF speed must give mos
credit. Joe Bassett is made up OF several crosse
well known to be speed producing. Joe Basset
| was rot hy Billie Bashaw Brown DickN and n