The Arizona champion. [volume] (Peach Springs, Mohave County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1883-1891, 1889-08-03
WEEKLY CHAMPION
HAnuls and Mike.

The following interesting memento
is from the columns of the Breeders
Gazette, and presents an illustration
of one case at least where brutal
intelligence was superior to mans:
After tho famous race in Chicago
in 1884, in which Hannis beat
Charlie Ford after the latter had
won two heats and the odds on him
were $1,000 to $50, there were some
friends Of Turner, living in Chicago,
who wanted to see the horse. They
were not race going folks. but had
read so much in the papers about
Hannis and his great victory that
they asked Turner toafford them an
opportunity to see the horse. The
gallant general replied that this
could easily be done If the party
would come to the Fort Wayne
depot ON certain afternoon, as the
horse was to be shipped to Cleveland
by express The day arrived aud
Turner came down from the track
to meet his friends and escort them
to the depot there to await the
arrival of Hannis and Mike, the
later having been given particular
instructions as to his own personal
appearance as well as that of the
horse. Turner bsen naturally anxi-
Gus that thu outfit. when it arrival
at the depot from the track, should
look well. Accordingly, when Turner
came to the depot with his friends
he talked considerably about Hannis
in answer to numerous questions,
and became SO interested that it WAS
not until nearly time for the train
to leave that he suddenly became
aware Of the fact that Hannis had
not arrived. There was not much
time to lose. The other horses be-
longing to the stable were already
in the car, and of course the train
would not wait. Turner began to
get anxious. He knew what vici-
Gus little devil Hsnnis was, and he
also recoliected to his horror that
Mike was a. times entirely too fond
of the flowing bowl. There were
plenty of saloons on the road from
the race track to the depot, and the
longer Turner waited the more ner,,
Gus he became, until finally he was
sweating freely enough to s;rape,
for in addition to his worry about
the horse, valued at $40, 1000, there
were horrible visions of Hannis
eating up school children and
doing other things in strict accord
ance with his nature. Just as the
strain was the most intense Turner
saw Hannis coming up Canal street
which was full of teaus, apparently
alone. There was certainly nobody
at his head, where the groom should
havs been, but an instant later
Turner saw the redoubtabie Mike,
drunk as lord, at the end of Hannis
long halter and in imminent danger
of being walked upon at every step
he took. And the curious part Of it
was that Hannis evidently knew
that it was Mike who needed the
leading; as he kept along with a
steady step, avoiding all the teams
and paying no attention to objects
that On any other occasion would
certainly have caused demonstra-
tion from his heels. Turner made
dive into the street, grabbed the
halter from Mike, who was evidently
enjoying being towed, so to speak,
to the depot, and hustled the horse
into tll1 car just before the train
started, the time being so limited
that the friends of the driver had
no time to see the horse. Turner
then relieved Mike from further re.
sponsibility in connection with
Hannis, but to this day he cannot
recall the sight Of the little stud
leading drunken man through the
crowded streets, without smile at
the fun of the incident and q sigh
of relief that the horse was smart
enough to know that he must not
cut up any tsntrums.
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