St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-23
SPOKANE AGAIN.
Noah Armstrong; Montana
Phenomenon Captures the
American Derby Stakes.
Forty Thousand People Wit
ness the Grandest Race Ever
Run in America.
Poor Proctor Knott Leads Into
the Stretch and Then
FalterS.
Sorrento,the Pride of the Pa
eifie Coast. Loses by a
Length.
Montanans Bet Their Very
Boots on the Result and
Win Fortunes.
Sam Bryant Sheds Tears as
He Thinks of His Fallen
Idol.
Judges Make an Unfortunate
Mistake in Announcing
the Last Race.
Bookmakers Pay Bets on the
Wrong Horse and Must
Settle Again.

CHICAGO. June 22.-The medicine
man Of the Flathead tribe of Indians
leaves his tepee every morning as the
sun throws its first ray against the side
of the Rocky mountains and in the
erevices about the base of the big hills
seeks and gathers a small wildt1Ower,
from whose petals issues rare fra
GRANGE. The plant IS taken back into
camp, and dried, and from its leaves is
brewed a tea that is regarded infallible
in conquering all ills that attack the
Redskins or their ponies. From its con-
slant use the Flatheads have become
famous as examples Of manly strength
and health, and their ponies are the
tieetest and stoutest. Noah Armstrong;
horse farm lies in the Rocky mount
ain divide between the Columbia
and Missouri rivers in Montana.
close to the Indian reservation.
Two years ago Armstrong purchased at
The Meadows. near Carlinville, ILL.,, the
thoroughbred mare, Interpose, in foal
TO Hyder Ali, for $3.50. Armstrong
shipped the mare to his Montana farm,
ana there she dropped a puny colt.
Gen. Rewett. from whom Armstrong
bought the mare, declared that the best
thing to do would be to shoot the
youngster, as the weakling was so out
of proportion that it would not pay to
raise him. But Armstrong thought
differently. and saw the colt could be
made to drag plow, if nothing else.
The raw-bOned brute shifted the rare
air of the Rockies, and was fed the
wild flower of the Indians. He grew big
and lusty, his sides expanded. his limbs
became rock-strong, and turning into
his third year the Illinois outcast was a
thing OF equine beauty. He was named
Spokane, and without dreaming of turf
honors, modest Armstrong entered his
horse in several stake events. This
spring Spokane was shipped to Ken
lucky. and while the Southerns mar
veled at sight of him, their money was
entrusted to their own Proctor Knott,
whose fame was great. But
SPOKANE DEFEATED THE IDOL
in the classic Derby. a week afterward
the pair again met in the race for the
Ai6Ah clohCS. dllO dIu CpOhduc
chances were scofed at. But the great
Futurity winner once more fell before
the despised Montana entry. To-day at
Washington park the rivals for the third
time faced the flag together. and with
them journeyed FIVE other feet racers,
the very cream of the 147 horses origin
ally nominated for the greatest three
year-old prize-the American Derby.
Of no avail was the blue grass OF Ken
tucky on which Proctor Knott, Long
Dance and Retrieve had fed; to no pur-
pose had Once Again been carefully
nourished on famous Tennessee bran:
impure must have been the air in
CalifoTnia's glorious climate for Don
Jose and Sorrento. for Spokane,
cast from the prairies of Illinois. and
nursed to life by the dew of the Rock
les and the little wildfiower of the Flat
head medicine man, raced away from
them all, and became at once an equine
marvel. winner of triple event.
10000 people shouted in appreciation of
the performance, and nearly one mil
lion dollars changed hands on the re-
suit. The race was an exciting one be-
cause the tremendous crowd made it so.
There was hardly vacant foot of stand
ing room on the grounds, and not va
cant seat in the huge grand stand. The
track was in fair order, but not fast.
The betting, especially on the Ameri-
can Derby. was something tremendous.
1t was almost at the risk of life that the
bookmakers stands were to be reached,
the struggle in the betting ring beggar-
ing description. No great show was
made in the preliminary parade. in
which each of the contestants looked to
compete for the valuable stakes. Sor-
rento was first on the track with Taral
in the saddle. Then Proctor Knott,
with Fitzpatrick up, appeared, and was
followed by Long Dance. Barnes; Don
Jose, Winchell; Retrieve, l. Lewis,
and Once Again. Murphy. Last came
Spokane. whom Tom Kiley allowed to
lor Z past the cheering crowd to the
post. During the three breakaways
Proctor Knott broke away in front each
time, plainly showing that Bryant's
disappointment was to be the pace
maker. When the flag fell, Once
Again was in front, followed by Sor-
rento. Don Jose, Proctor Knott, Long
Dance, Retrieve and Spokane in the
order named. The "Dare-deviP i'm
mediately piled the whip, and Knott
shot ahead like a flash, Once Again
being taken back by Murphy. The
pace was fairly fast, and all seemed
content with their positions, which
down the stretch and past the stand