New-York tribune., 1885-03-07
NEWS FROu 1HE SUBURBS.
GONE WHERE ALL GOOD HORSES GO.

GONE WHERE ALL GOOD HORSES GO.
pp.ru or "oLD TURK FIFTY YEARS OF EVENT
stfA FuL rQuISE EXISTENCE.
old Turk the venerable horse that has been an
object OF curiosity 10 staten Island people LOT many
wears died early yesterday morning. Oiu huIk
had lived for nearly two-scorc years at the kicl-
mond County Poor Farm. There rs not a person ilV-
ing who was either an Inmate Oh ins , horse
first went there 10 begin his long service. Oid
Turk had singular history. He first became known
on staten Island ahout 1872. when lie appeared on
thc old racccourse IN Ncw-DOrp Lane, and trotted
against a field of horses. among winch were ehliies
by Commodore Vanderbilt aud captain Jleoo H.
Vanderbilt Iurh proved the fastest IN the rhce
He soon had the name of being the fastest morse On
Staten Islaad lie had record during tIe i
forties." OF 80 good speed III lhose IA! ~ ri
Seabrght a rich lover oi hoTse1esh. VINO 9leu lclg
ago The horse also captured some Valuaoie pulses
on The o!d Fashion Course on Long Island lio was
we'll known 10 Hiram Woodruff. Charley roster
and Captain Rynders, 1t Is SAID III ;oho
lie WINS finally sold To the county TO do ODD JoDs
at ploughing on the farm or hauling provente' toI
M times could not lie cOaxed or beaten into work
| IIe would stand lor hours under = lash ahd never
moye AT the time Of his death the horse was ne,
eved. from records that were kopt of his age and
tho date his purchaSe, as shown by the DOCKS Oh
vears did The records of Richmond County cstab-
Iish that fact. Old Turk had MS repntatloh IN
scribed In the county archives a few years ago,
from proposition by one of the superntcnachts OF
the poor 10 sell the horse and buy more useful one
The proposition brought about protest from
several prominent politicians. among whom was ex'
| Comfy Treasurer James H. Robinson. The latter,
who ISL now wbie-haired but vigorous man,
nearly scventy-iye years old, went before The
supcrlntendcnts and offered 10 board and care ior
the old horse at his own expense. u was then De-
terinned to keep Odd Turk there all his days. Mr.
Robinson at his own expense, built hue stall f0I
Old Turk. =,
| When the fcrry-hoat WestGed blew up at her pier
i'm tins city, about twelve years ago. Old TURK WAS
standing on the bow OF the boat. and exactly over
whrr. the end of the boiler went ploughng through
| the wood work lie was kuockd forty ieet INTO the
mir and came down with the forward pilot house.
falling into the water. The hair was nj scalded OIL
his back. The horse swan around 10 the Battery,
which then had no sea wall but sloped down to the
| water. AMI walked ashore.
| During tine Rebellion. Old Turk was pressed into
service while large detachment oi troops was IN
camp on the Now -Dorp meadows, and hauIsd the
materials for the meals of hundreds OF men, lie was
| then a vigorous aud strong animal. lie was taken
ont of the stable night and driven on by de-
serter who got past the lines because the sentries
| thnught the rider the suffer- during tho last
| year Old Turk failed rapidly He lost all but
Two of his teeth. He lived on bo led food for many
| months HIS hair tail and name had turned from
| rich bay 10 skcn white. lie was believed To be
| ihe Oldest horse known. II is said that several
museums had offered TO buy him for exhibition as q
| curiosity.