St. Paul daily globe., 1890-11-10
CELEBRITIES OF THE TURF.
Great Men Who Devoted TheiI
Time To HonSn Raninn

CELEBRITIES OF THE TURF.
Great Men Who Devoted Their
Time to Horse Racing. 4
From time immemorial racing has
been the great national sport of the
Anglo-SaXon race, and in the annals of
the turf we find the names of men Illus
trlouS in all walks of life. Few men
occupied more conspicuous place
about the court and town for nearly
seventy years, during the reigns of tile
second and third Georges, than he whose
name has been handed down to us as
"Old O." the notorious and profiigate
Marquis of QueensbeIry. Like Wilmot,
earl of Rochester, he pursued pleasure
in every form, and with as much ardor
at eighty as at twenty. AT the de-
cease of his father in 1871 he be-
came earl of March, and in 174S in
herited his mothers earldOm of Rug
ben and her family estates. These rich
endowmentS of fortune and 4 handsome
person, of which he was especially care
ful. combined to invest the youthful
earl with no ordinary attractions, and
the ascendancy they acquired he re-
tanned for longer period than any of
his contemporaries. From his first APP
pearance in the fashionable world in the
year TAG to the moment he left 1t for
ever IN 1910, at the age of eighty-five.
he was always an object of comparative
notoriety. His first distinction he ac-
qulred on the turf, his knowledge of
which both in theory and practice
eQuaied that of the most ACCOMPLISHED
adopts of Newmarket. In all his princi-
pal matches he rode himself, and in that
line rivaled the best professional tai
ent. His famous match with the Duke
of Hamilton was long RENE mbered in
sporting annals. Each rode his own
horse, and all the notable supporters of
the turf were present at Newmarket 20
witness the race, which was won by
Lord March. Still more celebrated was
his wager with the famous Count
OTaatfe. During eonvival meeting
Lord March suggested that it was pos
sibie for carriage to be drawn with a
degree OF celebrity previously uneXam-
pied. Being desired to name his maxi
mum. he undertook, with choice of
ground and a certain period of training,
to draw carriage with four wheels not
less than ninety mics within the space
of one hour. Heavy bets were made
on the result. A vehicle was specially.
built, partly of wood and partly of
whalebone. with sliken harness. -Four
blood horses We're selected aud the
Newmarket course chosen. On
1850. large crowd was as
sembled, and excitement reached the
highest point, The feat was easily ac-
compliShed, and Lord March won big
stake. A yet more remarkable bet of
this eccentric nobleman was the under
taking to deliver written message to a
point fifty miles distant within the
hour. Heavy odds were laid against its
accomplishment. but circular course
having been laid out the duke posted
twenty four Stalwart cricketerS, had the
message placed in a cricket ball and
thrown from man to man, again easily
winning his wager. In private life he
was Still more notorious for his amours,
and there is still standing toward the
western end of PiccadiilY mansion, at
the bow window Of which the old sinr
her would sit and ogle and leer at the
ladies and servant maids as they tripped5
along toward the parks i'll their
gay dresses of century ago. He never
allowed his neck to be ensnared in the
marriage moose. and always declined to.
lead young lady. however much she
might have pleased his fancy. to the
matrimonial altar of st. Georges
church. Hanover square. A groom on
horseback, known as Jack Radford, al
ways stood under the window to carry
messages to any one he might have re-.
marked in the street. He kept physi-
clan in the house. and to insure atten-
ton to his health his terms were that he
should have so much per day while he
lived, but nothing at his death. He was.
little, sharp-looking man, very irrita-
bic, and Sworc like ten thousand troop
ers. In snort, his predominant feature
was to do whatever he liked, without
considering who was pleased or dis
pleased with it. He was eighty-six
when he died. The dukedom
passed to- the Duke of Buccleuch,
while the marquisate of Queens
Douglas, from whom the present Mar
gus of Queensberry is lineally de-
scended. No man ever sacrificed so
much time or so much property to his
love for sporting as the third Earl Of
Oxford. Among his experiments was a
determination to drive four red deer
stays in phaeton instead of horses,
and these he had reduced to perfect
discipline. But, unfortunately, driving
one day to Newmarket. their ears were
assailed with the music of pack of
hounds, which, soon after crossing the
road In their rear, struck scent breast
IIC uCCl tiL OIlCC OH. III
vain did his lordship exercise ali his
charloteering skill. They raced like a
whirlwind, the pack in eager pursuit.
Luckily the slags had been accustomed
to put up at the Ram" in Newmarket,
and for this hostelry these '.fiery-eyed
steeds" raced. The astonished hostlers
at once surrounded them, and being
quickly made aware OF the eircum-
stances of the case, rapidly bundled
stays, phaeton, his iordship and all into
barn, and had just time to close tho
doors when the pack rushed into the
yard. Lord OXford's zeal for coursing
| remained to the last. No day was too
| long, no weather too severe The
singularity of his appearance used to
| excite universal amusement. Mounted
| on stump of a piebaid pony-as broad
| broad as he was long--in a full dress
| suit of black, without coat and gloves,
| and with fierce cooked hat, he was a
| notable figure at most of the Norfolk
| courSing meetings. He was kind and
| generous to fault, and was equally
happy in entertaining prince or peas
ant. He died in pursuit of his favorite
| amusement, for in watching q match
which one of his greyhounds, Czarina,
| won. the excitement overcame him, he
| fell from his pony and shortly expired,
being succeeded in his title and states
| by his illustriouS uncle, Horace Wal
pole, fourth earl of Oxford.