The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-11-13
Number of trotters.
Magma Charta.

FOUNDER OF A GREAT FAMILY Incl
DENTS OF HIS CAREER ON THE TURF
AND IN THE STUD.
The noted stallion Magma Charta,
now the property of Len Dean, OF Cir
ard, Branch county, Mich, was foaled
May 10, 1853, at the stables of William
Voorhees,, Utica, Macomb Co.. Mich,
making him now in his thirty-frst year.
He was sired by Morgan Eagle, of
Tunbridge, Vt. and he by Woodbury.
Morgan, son of Justin Morgan; dam,
blood-like chestnut mare that was said
to have been brought from Kentucky,
but whose breeding cannot be traced.
In 1857 Magma was sold bv Mr.. Noor-
hees to Ezra Wright of Utica, Mich,
and in 1859 became the property of
Messrs. +. V. Smith, j. b. Crippen, IL.
g. Lewis and 5 M. Seely of Coldwa-
ter; who purchased him of Ezra
Wright for 81 800. AT the time of the
transfer SOM money was paid down
and notes given for the balance. A
prominent man of Coldwater, who has
since passed away, and was not at all
friendly with the purchasers, visited
he decided the notes were worthless.
In haste he visited the parties, made
known his surmises and settlement
was soon effected, Mr.. Wright accept-
ing large discount for cash, Any one
of the parties could have drawn his
personal check for many hundreds
more than the full amonnt. The horse
was put into immediate training. The
first driver, Pete Brown, handled him
but short time when Joe Bucklin
commenced working hun. John S.
Button, V. s., who is still in Coldwa-
ter enjoying a large practice, took
charge OF Magma in October, 1859, and
had the management of him the greater
part of the time for ten years. During
Mr.. Buttons absence in the late war, in
1868, Joe Buckhn again assumed
charge, and from the spring of this
year, dates Magna's first outbreak of
temper that has caused SO much trou-
BILE. ice was in the habit of abusing
the horse, furnishing him numerically
who, as Mr.. Button says was "gentle
as kitten" One day Joe took the
horse out and holding whip in his
right hand attempted to fix the bride.
Magma fearing another OF his beatings,
caught the keeper by the arm, dashed
him to the ground and was crushing
his life out when help arrived, and Joe
was rescued with pitchforks and clubs.
The maddened horse then rushed into
the yard, seized horse IN harness by
the neck and gave him fearful shak-
ing up, when long line attached to
the bride was caught by one of the
rescuers; Magma Immediately turned
on him, chasing him through door
leading to the yard. The gate. was
closed behind him, and Magma was a
prisoner OH the other side, furious and
covered with foam, the man still retain.
ing the line. Other lines were brought
and the horse secured and placed in the
stall. From this eventiul period he be.
came tiger, and was very unsafe to
handle. lie at one time took Dick
Hurst's vest OIL while attending him
and gave him a close call. Poor old
Bill Bush also received rough usage
and Frank Skeels, who afterwards be
came the owner, made the best time il
his life up stairs with Mays mouth
about two inches from his resting place
Frank remembers the incident very
clearly to this day. Mag would bite
and strike, but WAS never known t.
kick but once, So tar AS we are able tC
learn. While a three-year old he be
came noted for the ease with which I'M
der many disadvantages he won hi
races. AS a iour.y ear-old he won al
f his races against aged horses eXcep
when defeated by Ike Cook at the Ma
tional Horse Show at Chicago in 2:2S
At the same place he won the race to
four-y ear-olds in 1856, equalipg Ethan
Aliens time aud the fastest time of any
four-year-old. lie won the first prem
ium the same season in the tree-tor al
stallion race in the Unprecedented tim
of 233 l-2, SURPRISING by 2 l-2 second
the lime of any f ur-year-old horse
mare or gelding up to that date, and
: is claimed by horsemen who witnesse,