Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-04-27
THIRTY YEARS ago.
THE LANGFoRD-AsHLAND FoUR-MILE
RACE, IN 1860.
Some Exciting Turf Events-A Bit of
Legislative History-w. C. Fetch
shoots Chicken Thief.

A season of racing was inaugurated a
the Centerville course, near this city, OF
the oath of April, 1860. The first day was de
voted to two-in-three mile race between
Harry Peyton's Susie Hawkins and jim
Merritt's horse William Hood and NJ. Nor
rlson's mare Kate Mitchell. Susie Hawk
ms won in two straight heatz, distancinf
the others on the second mile. Time, 1:2i
-1:533. On the following day Nathan
Combs celebrated horse Billy Cheatham
then recently from Kentucky, was to run
two-mile and repeat race against E. s. La
throps mare Bonnie Belle. This was t.
be Cheatham's first race in California, ani
one of the mares admirers bet 5000 to $3O(
that she would win in two straight heats
Cheatham, of course, was the favorite, ow
ing to his Kentucky record. He readily
won the first heat, under pull, in BAH
and repeated in exactly the same time, no
having been crowded during the race.
While Phil. Smith, Sheriff Douglas o.
Yolo county and man named Kelly were
returning from the track that afternoon in
light buggy, and while descending the
gully near Suffers Fort, their vehicle was
upset and the horse ran against the pole OIL
a heavy wagon going in the opposite direc.
ton and was killed. The horse was Frank
Malone's 81 900 PAGER, Billy Duncan,
The great event of the meeting was the
four. mile-and.repeat race on the third day
between Nathan Coombs' horse Ashland
and E. s. Lathrop's horse Langford. Ash.
land was five years old, and by imported
Glencoe, out of Mary Bell by Sea Gull, and
Langford flour years) was by imported
Belmont, out of Liz Givens by inn
ported Langford. The histories of both
horses are too well known by turfmen to
warrant reorganization here. The day was
hot but for all that not less than five thou.
sand people were on hand to witness this,
the greatest race ever run in the State up to
that time. The stakes were 5000 side.
Ashland had, the preceding year. beaten
Owen Dale easily in four. mile race, and
was known to be horse of great bottom
hence he had the call in the betting, al
though Langford had, in the fall of that
year (1S59), beaten him in two-mile race
at Napa One bet of $3.50 to $3.50 was made
on Ashland, and the excitement ran high
as the horses came on the track. The judges
were George F. Thomas, on behalf OF
Lathrop; Jerome G. Davis for Coombs,
with Colonel A. ]. Ellis as the third and
disinterested Judge Colonel Gamble and
j. P. Rynders were timers. Wilbur Pierce
weighing 100 pounds) rode Langford, and
Johnny Williams Clio pounds) bestrode
the Napa favorite.
In the first Langford led all the way.
The first was made in 1:52, the second in
1:54, with Langford two lengths in the lead;
the third in 1:573, and the fourth in 2:004
Full time, 7:434.
After the first heat Langford had the call
at 500 to $40, but before IL was time to call
up the horses for the second heat Mr..
Coombs Withdrew his horse, deeming il
unwise to subject him to another punish
ing heat on such a hot day, with little or
no prospect for him to win. Those who
had laid such heavy odds on Ashland
were, however, clamorous for another heat,
claiming that Ashland would develop the
better staying qualities and win. But his
owner was obdurate, and the crowd left
the track greatly disappointed, and some
of them with lighter pockets than when
they went out.
So great was the interest taken in the
rate that the members of the Legislature
became excited over it, and when the SEN
ate met on the 25th Mr.. Wheeler moved
that that body adjourn at noon to enable
tue ucluUclS " dtlCDQ tnC ldCCS dad VIII
ness the great trial of equine speed. The
motion was carried by vote of % ayes to
10 noes and this is probably the only in
stance on record wherein a legislative body
adjourned for the express and acknowl-
edged purpose of attending horse-race.
When the noon hour arrived in the As
sembly. Mr.. Conness moved that an ad-
journmept be taken for the day, and it was
carried almost unanimously.
....The Assembly passed resolution
allowing So per day to the stenographic re-
porters of the daily press, in addition to
what they were paid by the papers employ
ing them. In an editorial On the subject
the UNION said: This we consider an
extraordinary proceeding, unprecedented
in legislative history. The moving cause
was desire to assist the Standard Ia DEM
ocra.ic orgaD) in paying its reporters. But
the reporters on the UNION were employed
for the session, and have been paid their full
weekly salaries, and we enter our protest
against any appropriation to pay them for
services for which they have been fully
compensated, as gross outrage upon us,
as well as upon the State. Reporting for
the UNION is an individual matter; we en-
ploy our own reporters, and do not thank
the Assembly for placing us in a
false and Illuminating position by offering
to pay reporters in our employ for work
which they have done for us. The sum APP
propriated is 81 ,552. This is just thesum of
which the Assembly proposes to rob the
people 10 help support partisan organ
that is not able to pay competent men to
compete with its rivals" The UNIONS re-
porters were Charles A. Sumner (since a
Congressman and w. NJ. Cutter (recently
a member of the Assembly from Yuba).
tho
finally defeated it, whereupon its reporters
laid down their pens and left the Assembly
chamber, for which act they were severely
scored by the paper.
......,..A good story was published at the
expense of ]. G. Doll. of Red Bluff, and
Jim Hawkins lwho had been. even at that
early period in the States history, Sergeant
alarms of the Senate, rs well as in later
years.. Doll. il appears, had $50 900 in
terest in q claim before the Legislature,
and in order to insure the passage of the
bill he was advised by xGovernor Latham
to see Jim Hawkins, who was the leading
lobbyist then at the Capital. Doll knew
only one Hawkins (Cyril), who was En-
rolling Clerk of the Senate, and went to
him and handed over $3.50 to secure his
valuable services in behalf OF the bill,
promising to double il if the claim should
De dllOWeu. Inc Sodbb AAi WINS OASA -
who knew no more about lobbying than
he did about preaching, pocketed the
money and went on in the discharge OF his
work, paying no attention to the bill what.
ever, although he felt greatly fiattered al
the compliment to his talents implied by
Dolls selection of him as a lobbyist. Jim
Hawkins, the real lobbyist, who did the
work. tried to get his namesake to divide
with him, after the bill had passed and he
learned what Doll had done with his
sack" but the astute young statesman re-
fused to disgorge nickel.
A somewhat sensational affair oc'
Cured on the night of April 2Sd. W: e.
Felch, who resided on Sixth street, De.
tween E and F, had been greatly annoyed
by the depredations of chicken thieves, and
had rugged bell in his bedroom. attached
to which was fine copper wire connecting
with a spring, the movement OF which, on
opening the door of the hen.house, would
ring the bell. About 4 o'clock on the
morning mentioned he was aroused by the
ringing of the bell, and picking up q shot.
gun loaded with large bird-shot shipped
out the front door OF his mouse ana clept
around to the rear. Seeing the form OF g
man within the chicken house he turned
loose the contents of his gun in that direc-
ton. There was yell OF pain, ana Mr;
Fetch. satisfied he had shot thief, called
q neighbor, and they found Chinaraan
lying on the ground groaning and took
him to the city prison. He had oeen snot
in the back. The next morning the
-L;.Lar th;of u.s found hanging in his