The sun., 1888-04-22
THE GREAT DEXTER DEAD.
MIR. BONNER's FAMOUS TR0TTHR
YIELDS TO OLD AGE


A Horse that Made All tho Trstsius Rec
erds OF His Geueratien. and Was U.s.
disputed Kins Of the Turf for Years.
The world-famous trotting horse Dexter,
who twenty years ago was known as The King
OF the Turf" died at 3 o'clock yesterday morn
ing OF old age in the stables OF his owner.
Robert Bonner, IL West Fifty-Gfth street.
Dexter was 80 years old this month, and for
year past had not been in harness, but had
taken his ease in the stable OF Mr.. Bonner, who
regarded nothing as too good for him. Mr..
Bonner sent the body to Tarrytown yesterday
to be buried on choice spot on his farm thero.
HE was too good a horse to send TO the bone
yard" said Mr.. Bonner last night. 80 I had
him put on a truck, covered up, and taken up
to my farm"
When asked whether he should erect o mon.
ument to Dexter. Mr.. Bonner said that he drew
the line at tombstones. so far as horses wsro
concerned
MIR. Bonner bought Dexter at Buffalo In Au-
gust. 1867, after having seen him trot mile
in the then phenomenal time Of 2:l7k. Mr..
Bonner paid $4,000 for the horse, and would
never sell him, although he could repeatedly
have done so on advantageous terms. Mr.. Bon.
ner recalled with some enjoyment one OF lin.
cidents connected with his purchase Of Dexter.
when bought him." said he. II sent the
following telegram from Buffalo to an old and
valued friend of mine in New York: I sAw
Nj CARA Falls this morning for the first time
and then came down here to see that other
wonder, Dexior. when he trotted n mile in 2:17K.
Inasmuch asl could not buy the Falls. thousAt
would do the next bost thing. and 30 pur-
chased the he horse. lie will 20 into my stables
MIR. Bonner added that OF course the achisyS-
ments OF Dexter did not seem 80 remarkable
compnred with those Of the trotters q The
great improvements have been made in all the
paraphernalia 9f the tr9ttine track. There
a 81 II science d aoa
than Dexter because she had better blood:
Hambletonlan out Of a little black mare by
american star, and she was ont Of Sharks
color, with tour white legs and n blaze IN his
face. He was fifteen hands and one inch high.
SF for nS nshof r. ffsp @ n na the h
eanta! obIiauo @ shon San and good legs - and and
" ae ws oTaeSe eaeS oy Of
IN In June ,S, Of , lsS2 The late George Alley
"is ssS up oasnas
TO have n look at Dexter Of whom he had
heard GOOD reports. The colt had not been
einsted Mr. Alley who bought him for 500 and
had h;. him sent down to New Rochelle. There he
iiYr Tor two months: MI Alley e June drove
Wills % drivi"g RI Heo one day with With T friend s psa'er
sniea nnseting M thew the was3n and tnrSwing is
diatcly ser, him to Hiram. Woodruff: who. after
q short training. trottel him u trial to wagon
A week nttorward lie trotted 4 mile In. hRr-
ness in 2:Sl i. This was n prodi iaiouS perform:
the last t halves V th"se niles " as fast at as the irss
he WAS set down MS II horse possessed Of un-
usual endurance. soon after this hS fell lame.
r ber Of Ti that Year G M Aey Al arsse him Ia double
harness with ths mare Baby, Bell. In nthespdps
nor ana e Hiram
S for ns n Ct q I I ' ste Ct ns sseSs ass
entries !nd four Charters including Dexter,
stonewali Jackson OF New York: fast fast bay
@ie fR heas IN 5rGHn n 6asss EsnSh ha Weodsn
heat. at once took the lead with him, Dexter
won the first heat easily IN 233, snd the others
r m aa6 fhe bsntsr Hbes e
ing, but it was soon discovered that Dexter had
lots OF horse sense. so the muZZle was 70.
In the third contest, which occurred June 3.
self and had to be withdrawn, He had been
backed at five to one Alter this he was let
n 9n TOR S SSGgs band 1 ara and t,oste
him in 2:2o Three weeks after this, IN The
presence OF Sheppard +. Knapp and Mr. Alley.
Woodruff had so high an opinion OF him that
during tho winter he matched him to tr9t three
Hartford, who had beat Shark with ease after
Dexter hurt hi imseli. and who was then thought
To- to be inyipcible; Tho stake was s2,oO9 side.
1865. although DeXters owner was very much
qqverse to going into it, because stopewall
fast and lasting. June &c turned out to be very
wet, and the course looked like a miniatgrs
ponelnent Dan Mace rode Jackson and Muir
ny g sas DshsE m The the
most most dis,sncs ia s:62% The The bettins wss 100
M S% fIH' by in s Ss
third III ed IL s"" and was fresh as daisy when
he os so sent st1to9sn 1865 Dexter and Gen. Butler
trotted under the saddle mile heats three In
tSe for s2ooS Dexter ySn easily II three
lfet Not long after his fT Eph snedcker BET 10
$1,000 that Dexter could not beat 2:19. MI.
aSy S tSef o4s T DHs q Ss
allowed three trials. The betting WAS 70 |.
Hs fS '%t IS 5Sass i H;a RsSy ST;
Dexter. When be got, the word Murphy
steadied him nicely. and he went TO the quarter
In 81 seconds. tho hall was made In lO6h, and
tho milo in 2.lSS.
In the spring Of 1866 Mr.. Alley decided to soil
Union course TO ba auctioned on. John Nor
rssey made the .nrst bid. Offering 81 900. which
Sas H"Hh n to Sr IT, % vhs At b.s s Rsy Rs
1856, Dexter trottnd for u purse Of $3.50
against George NJ Patchen, Jr., and Roll Gold
Dexter won easily in 2;274. 2;29, and 2:25. On
Aug. IL, at the same place, Dexter beat this
time under saddle for a purse Of $500. He
won in 2:;2l ., 2:2G, and 2:ls.
~ D"Htcr's camp9iEn for 1867 opened Nay 10, A.
Mnid for $4,000 in 2:2Sss. 2;3!. and 2:2s. Dex-
ter had been matched to trot against Ethan
Allen and running mate Charlotte f. In double
q. The team pnid forfeit, Charlotte +. having
strained n tcndon. An immense crowd was Hs-
sembod on the course, and new match for
f5uO side was made with Brown George as
Ethan Aliens running mate; The team won
July 10, a, Island Park Course, Albany, Dexter
trotted against Brown George and running
mate, and won In 2;22; 2:2Oh and 2:20h.
Bonner and air. Fawcett, Dexter was driven By