The Dawson journal., 1885-04-16
ssO.Ooo ON AQUARTER RACE.
Georgia and South Carolina Pltted
Against Each Other in the Fastest
Times Ever Made In the United
States.

good horses in your days. We
would like to know if you have ov-
er seen much racing when you
were dealing in horses2 said q
reporter of the Athens Banner
Watchman day or two ago.
81 have seen the fastest quarter
race that was run In the United
States. | can't exactly call to
mind the year the race was run,
but it was years before the war.
The race was between the Stam-
per mare and a horse owned by a
man named Jones from South
Carolina. It was Georgia against
South Carolina, and each State
backed its horse for what they were
worth. The race was run in Au-
gusta and large crowds gathered
there from each State to see the
race and place there money. Mr..
Stamper was from Talbot county,
and to show what confidence he
had in his mare he went to the
bank of Columbus and mortgaged
thirty negroes and his plantation
for money to back his flyer. The
night before the race there was a
large crowd gathered in the old
United States Hotel and each man
was ready to back. his
horse. Mr.. .Stamper walk through
the = hotel with rather common
looking clothes on, and the South
Carolinians, who were better
dressed, laughed at the old man
and rather made fun Of him. He
saw that the boys were making
fun of him, and he pulled out an
old greasy pocket-book and said,
Il will bet 81, 900 that there will
be money offered on the Stamper
mare tomorrow that will not be
taken by the South Carolina par
ty." This bet was Immediately
taken, as the South Carolina
crowd thought that they we're able
to cover all the money offered.
The betting then commenced in
earnest, Mr.. Stamper taking every
bet offered. The South Carolina
party got out of money and COM
menced betting their watches and
chains. Mr.. Stamper would put
up 500 against gold watch and
chain. The next day the crowd
gathered on the race-traek, the
South Carolina boys had replen-
ished their pockets, and Mr.Stam-
per still continued to take all that
was offered. He got up on a box
and drew out $1,000 from his
pockets, ADD says will bet
$4,000 that the Stamper mare
viii beat the South Carolina
horse" This amount could not
be covered, and Mr.. Stamper took
down the $1,000 put up the night
before that there would be money
offered and not taken by the South
Carolina party. The race was run,
and the Stamper mare came out
ahead about thirty feet, and | ney-
er have before or since seen such
excitement. Men were wild over
their success, and others were
looking desperate over their de-
feat. One young fellow from
South Carolina, who had Just
come in possession of bis patrimo-
ny, lost it all and laid down on the
ground and cried like q child. Mr..
EStanper was loaded down With
money, and he had at least a hun
dred watches and wateh-chains
around his neck. II bet on the
Stamper mare" said Uncle Dick,
"and had to loan the balance of
the.crowd that went from Athens
money to get back home on, as
they had backed the South Caro-
lima horse.
After the race was over, the
owner of the South Carolina horse
went to Mr., Stamper and asked
him to price his mare, and ne
gro boy, Josh, the rider, and he
would buy them. Mr.. Stamper told
him that he was getting old, and
expected to quit racing, and if he
would give him $4,000 that he
could have the mare and her rider
The South Carolinian gave
him the money, and Stamper left
for home about $4,000 ahead.
have seen some fast quarter races
since that time, but I never saw {
man who had such anhoundec
confidence in the speed of hi
horse as MIR. Stamper had. III
seemed to know that she woulC