Omaha daily bee., 1885-04-21
A GREAT. THURMAN DEAD.
Dan Mace, The Famous Driver Of
Famous Horses, Breaches His Last,
Sketch of a Stirring Life Which En-
bodies the History of the
American Turf.
Chicago Tribune Special.

Chicago Tribune Special.
NEw YORK, April 19.-The life of Dan
Mace, the famous driver, was to-day brought
seventh street. For over q year he had been
suffering from Bright's disease, and for weeks
past his death had been daily expected. Two
weeks ago he returned from Hot Springs
where he had been in search of health,
and from then until he died he was confined to
his bed. Dan Walton, the old companion
who has watched with him throughout his
sickness, was with him when he died. A
number of old friends of the turf called this
evening to express their sympathy with the
bereaved family.
Dan Mace was born at Cambridge, Mass.
May %, 1884, and his father, after whom he
was named was a horseman before him. The
senior Dan Mace was the proprietor Of a liv.
cry stable In Boston, and little Oar used to
ride running races under his instruction and
that of a man named Cosgrove, who was q
noted trainer of the day.
When a boy young Dan went to live with
Elijah Simmons, Of Albany, who had a string
Q race-horses that were trained by Benjamin
Reed. In the seasons of--1S43-44 he rodenear.
ly all of his races for him. After two years
he returned to his native place. Thencefor-
ward he handled nothing but ~trotters, He
remained in Boston until 1856, when he re-
moved to Providence. His next place of res
idence was this city. He came here in 1862
and located on the old Fashion track.
Among the most noted horses he handled
in his early days were Kate Miller, Mary
Taylor, Touch.Me. Not, Old Bones, a PAGER;
Duchess. Meddlesome, Tom Hyer, Dentist,
Lady Westley, Albany Girl, Fashion, Little
Romp, Tobey, Saltpetre, Soulouque, Provi.
dence Boy, North Star, Cyclops, Lady Boyle,
Bay Star, Farmer Boy. Pilot. Chicago Jack,
Tom Benton, Euclid, Lady Sherman, Lady
Litch6eld, Black Dave, a PAGER, and a ruu.
ming horse called Gray Eagle. Mace had
driven over the old Cambridge course, the
Franklin riding park at Saugus. Mass. the
South End track, Boston; the Washington
Trotting Park OF Providence; the East Bos-
ton track, and the Centreville and Union
courses at Long Island. A great ~favorite
with Mace was Lady Litch6eld, who was first
brought into prominence in q match which
she trotted against q PAGER at the Cambridge
This was In 1880, The following year Mace
purchased the horse and trotted her at Wash
ington Trotting Park, Providence, beating a
French horse, Wade's horse Bungborer, and q
number of others.
The first trotting race for any considerable
amount of money in which Mace drove was in
May, 1856. Chicago Jack had bsen matched
eba'hoe Nho iuehihB VI |'Oo, Nv NlaSS
handled the former. He lost the first heat,
but won the remaining three. In 1867 he
drove Lady Sherman in several races for Mr.,
Parks, and then bought her in partnership
with a Mr.. Babcock and brought her to New
York, whore she won q race for {
500 prize at the Fashion course
against Suffolk, Memnon and Kitty
owned by Mace in 1856. Her great fea'
| while in his possession was the winning of
ten.mile race in harness at Washington Parl
in 29:l7.
Mace drove Ethan Allen in his famous rae,
with The Rose of Washington, which he won
the best time being 1886. He first HANDLED
Allen in 1858, when he was matched will
George NJ. Patchen, to trot over the Unior
Course at Long Island. Patchen was dis
tanced. Ethan was after wards matched
to trot against Dexter with a running mate
and he won in three heats, making the theI
unequaled time of 2:15. Aliens best recorc
in harness was 2:209. Mace owned the hors
at one time. In 1850 he had the b!aci
gelding Pilot in his care, and drove him i
made in September, 1859, in Providence, trot
ting against Miller's Damsel.
Among the horses handled by Mace fror
1863 to 1870 were Prince, John Morgan
Sorrel Dan, Pocahontas, Rhode Island, Kit!
Wink, Quaker, Fearnausht. Gen. Butler
Commodore Vanderbilt, Young Woful, Bill.
Bar. and Gray Mack. All of these horse
acquitted themselves with credit unde
his able management. Shark wa
trained by Mace, who first trotte
him against Frank Temple and VIC,
about So, 900. Pocahontas was driven to vic
tory against Lady Warren, Lady Hayes
Gen. Grant. Empress, Sorrel Dan, Leviathsr
Fannie Allen, and lib Woodward. In 1856
Pocahontas beat John Stewart three mil
heats under the saddle, her best time bein
2:3l4. In the spring of 1870 Mace bough
Lady Thorn for $50, 600. She was for years tn
acknowledged queen of the turf. In 1868 eh
beat nearly all the best horses on the turf, il
Guiding George Wilkes, Gen. Butler, an
Mountain Boy. She got her record down j
that year to z:205. Mace drove her In ISL
and won races from George Wilkes and Cole
smith Maid. Mace in the same year handle
= the Pounal mare (aftorward Lady Fisk, al
drove her two successful matches against ]
) S. Stokes Josephine.
For a few few years past Mace was NJ
very active as q turfman. Among his pril
, cipal races in latter yeers was hat of 1877
when he drove Hopeful to the latest WACO
8 record ever made. A year ago last SUNNI
t Macs drove Josephine, now owned by Dav
8 Stevenson, Jr,, at the Springfield race
against Romero, Overman and other Gel
brated ~trotters, winning in three heats al
making the last mile in 2:20. His final q
pearance as q driver was on the track
Fleet wood, last season, when he drove S
Julien. Mace leaves q widow. The funer
services will be held here next Tuesday, al
!. the remains will be buried in Boston,