Richland beacon., 1888-04-21
DIED A As PEDDLER'S HACK.
The Life and Death OF BridSewcH'
the Famous Jumping Horse.
From the NY. World

From the NY. WoTld.l
A broken-down old horse. attached to
a peddler's wagon. fell at the corner OF
Broadway and Houston street FRIDAY
evening. The efforts of the driver to
get him upon his feet sgain were IN
vain, and finally an agent ot the
S. p. G.. A. seeing that the horse was 10
great pain and dying, put thc animal
ont Of agony with shot from his
revolver. Thus ended the career of one
of the greatest jumping horses ever
bred in this country.
The horse was oorn of thoroughbred
stock on the ranch of Ben Cole, m
Deadwood, Oak, and was kept by HIM
for some fifteen years. Whom Cole
died he left him in his will 10 Emperor
Norton, the gambler, who at thai time
WIS regarded rs being the finest poker
player on the Pacific coast. Norton
christenel the animal Bridcweli and
took him to San Francisco. There Nor
ton met George Hicks, n wrestler, and a
corn doctor named Dick Brown. Brown,
Hicks, and Norton formed partner
ship, and, with the aid If Bridewell,
worked n swindling scheme throughout
the country that brought them thou
sands of dollars. 1; WAS played III this
way:
Brown nnd Hicks would 80 into the
barroom Of the mining camp or town
that they had selected as good spot
for their operations. and spend money
freely among the haiitues. After they
had been there for short time, Norton
would ride up outside on Bridcweil
and call for some refreshments to
he brought out to him. Hicks and
Brown would step 70 the door and
begin TO guy Norton upon the
iadcd and worn ont appearance of his
/ stecd, to which Norton would reply wills
an offer to bet any sum that the horse
could Jump over some particularly high
! fence III the neighborhood, ut the same
time selecting one. Hicks would I'M
mediateiy put up II quarter OF the SUM
named, Brown would follow with anoth-
er quarter, and then some unsIspectlng
miner in the crowd would be induced to
90 in with them andput up thcrest. The
money would be covered by Norton, and
much to the surprise of the spectators.
the apparently iaded beast would sail
gracefully over the fence and Then turn
ing would Jump back again. For sever
al wears the trio went abUrt California.
until the miners discovered their game,
and then the State got too hot to mold
them. Then they set out for Portland,
Ore, and on the way there their steamer
was wrecked in the Columbia River, AMI
The horse and his three owners barely
escaped with their lives.
They finally reached their destination,
and starting from Portland the old trick
was worked until Norton had won some
$4,000. At this juncture Brown stole
every cent of the JOINT earnings end fled,
leaving Norton and Hicks penniless.
Norton sold the horse to n gambler,
Carr, in Portland for 500, and prompt
ly lost every cent of it mt Carr's faro
tables. Carr sold the animal to Mont
somery Queens circus, and for somo
time he appeared in the ring Of that
combination in high jumping act. his
next owner was famous charlatai
called "King OF Pain, who bought him
in Oakland in 1881 and used him 10 draw
the chariot in which he daily appeared
After that Bridewell rapidly passed from
! owner to owner until an Albany horse
lenler bought him and sent hin
70 the Houston Street Railroad
,, Company, of this city, where for some
: time he drew bob tailed car. AT 'as
he was turned out rs useless and wr
taken by the peddlcr in the shafts o
whose wagon he died His record f.
|, high jumping has never, rs yet beel
beaten.