The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-08-28
The Sheep Awards at New Orleans.

The Sheep Awards NJ New OrleahS'
We print below the second install
ment of Mr.. j. p. Rays reply to the
OHIO breeders letter on the above
topic:
ERRORS IN MIR. PURvIs' PAPER.
Mr.. Purvis is made to say, every
dollar in money premiums that went to
Vermont went to Ii. G.. Burwell or his
brother" Mr.. G. IL. Smith, Bridport,
VT, won I'd on ran over n year and
under two. "~Pennsylvania showed in
two classes and got one fourth premi-
UNI, and withdrew from the show, see
ING that merit had nothing to do with
placing the awards" This refers to
MIR. Robert Perrine's and l.. A. Rus
sells exhibits. Mr.. Perrine won Sd on
rams two years and over, and Sd
on rams one year and under two. MIR.
Russelrs, in Silesian and Saxony class
es, won I'd on rams two-years-old and
over, I'd on ram over one year and I'M
der two, % on ram lamb, I'd on ewes
one year and under two, 1st and I'd on
eve lambs. Mr.. Perrine withdrew for
what reason? If he will give the pub
lie the same reason he gave me at New
Orleans | will be content.
In speaking of the premiums won by
the Ohio exhibitors, Mr.. Purvis says:
"Do you think they got these premi-
ums merely because they happened to
be the best sheep in the show? Not at
all. They were given because Ohio
made the largest exhibit, and some
thing must be done to give all appear
ance of fairness to the thing. The fact
that the premiums given the Ohio
sheep were not, in the opinion of good
Judges, placed on the best animals sup
port this conclusion. Ohio got sweep.
stakes on ram any age, but it is very
probable that if exact justice had been
done the premium would have been
given to a yearling ram exhibited by j.
r. Il f. Stickney, of Vermont. And |
believe a majority of the Ohio breeders
would have been satisfied if this had
been done. But the programme had
been made out, and it was necessary to
stick to it, or the well-laid plans of Mr..
Burwell and his pet John Z. Ray
might have miscarried."
Now what cal these parties possibly
mean by the above declaration? If
language has a meaning it must be
this: That the plans of Burwell and
Ray contemplated the giving of a few
premiums to the Ohio men SO as to COW
er their real designs, and disarm the
exhibitors until the scheme had been
successful. If this was their plan, is it
a supposable case that they would en-
trust its execution to Mr.. Robinson the
nominee of the Ohio men, and Mr.. Tay-
lor, the umpire whom they helped to
elect? as every man in the show-ring
must have known that | had no part in
the above awards except both the others
were the awards of my associates. In
view of this well-known fact, was it
not clearly the intent OF Mr.. Purvis and
his seven sponsors at this point to mis-
lead and deceive the public? And
having thus publicly conceded that the
sweepstakes premium, as best ram OF
any age, belonged to another, will the
owners of said ram always mention
said fact in connection with him, and
will they return the premium money
(the thirty pieces of silver), the al
legged price of "chicanery and trickery?
And if by any possibility the Stickney
ram should become the property of any
of these OHIO parties will they kindly
mention the fact in The &Ocbmdn.
After speaking of the meeting of eX-
ulDllOIS W OOuoulJ dDOub JuuSC5, VII
Purvis is made to say that "Mlr. Bur-
well left the hall. In two minutes or
less Burwell and Ray arm-in-arm were
seer making a Decline for the govern
ment building. The meeting hen adj
journed and a few minutes terward
Mr.. Ray announced to some of the ex-
hibitors that he was going home; that
he would not act as umpire; he came
4hnro hn CnfI IN INDIA thn cham nnI
if he could not do so was going home"
Now, which is true, that | went to
the government building with Mr.. Bur
well, or that | was seen by some of the
exhibitors a few minutes after? The
fact is, | did not go to the government
building with Mr.. Bnrwell, neither did
l leave the immediate vicinity of the
sheep barn until late that afternoon.
and did not see Mr.. Burwell again unit.
evening. AT this point | will state thai
Mr.. Burwell never intimated to me in
any way that he was in favor of, OF
that he would consent to my Judging
the Merinos alone. The talk about thii
matter by interested parties, so far as
know, was done mainly by Messrs
Blue and Giddings. Mr.. Spivey may
also have spoken to me about the mat
ter, but L do not recall any Others
among the exhibitors, and having beer
appointed by the management, anC
while / was willing to take any position
they should assign me, and having beer
informed that | had been elected
judge at the meeting OF exhibitors,
did not feel called upon to take the pc
sition of umpire simply to please Mr.
Giddings.
And still again, Mr.. Purvis is made
to say "Burwell and Ray go off into
flock by themselves and organize a new
Register. Ray buys his rams of Bur
well. Burwell takes his sheep to New
Orleans, and by methods known tt
himself gets Ray on the committee
Ray gives Burwell all the premiums h,