The morning call., 1890-11-16
RECOLLECTIONS OF
A BUSY LIFE.
Something About the Turf in the
Days of Long Ago.
The Sire of Ten Brock and of King Alfonso.
Taking Racing Stock to England to
Take Part in the Races.


knew for his learning and eoqnence When
l received warrant as cadet-his son got
one as midshipman, and their parting
when the son started for the naval depot
made an impression upon me never TO be
effaced. His last words were: "My son,
lose your life, but preserve your honor" l
accompanied General Root to @ Fourth of
July dinner. where the gentleman who sat
beside him gave as a toast, 'Fhe militia Of
our native State-may they never want"
repeating it many times, when General
Root assisted him by adding, ''Nor ever be
wanted"
AT the st. Louis State Fair General Grant
and l had premium stations. Mine. Phae-
ton, imported, took the first premium. He
was the sire of Ten Brock. and also of King
Alfonso who was the sire of FoXhall, who
won races unprecedented with his weight,
belonging to Mr.. James r. Keane, former
magnate of California, and very good man.
l also imported King Bann. the sire Of King
Thomas, and other noted horses.
En- route to England | bought pair of
driving horses in Louisville, matched them in
New York for $4,000, two mile heats; drove
myself, lost the first heat, won the two next
under the whip from pillar TO post without
break. Matched Prince. a thoroughbred.
one Of the pair, who could trot in 2:30,
against PAGER who could go in 2:17. for
$4,000. ten miles. The PAGER at the end of
five miles pulled up. In America the stand
ard of excellence is time; in Eng land it is
weight, and it took me many months to
acquire knowledge of what is called handi
Gaping, which is, to make horses equal
over the distance of ground they have to
run. Admiral Rous. son of the Earl of
Stradbroke, was 50 superior in this that lie
acted as senior steward to the Jockey Club
all the time l was in England, and made all
the handicaps. He was very civil and was
of great service in the information he gave.
When | attended the first Jockey Club din
ner. the Earl OF Derby, who was then Prime
Minister, proposed my health, and compli-
mented me upon my venture in bringing
horses OF the old Diomed blood to compete
with the later strain and eulogized Jackson.
Clay, Calhoun, Webster and other dstin-
gulshed Americans he had met when lie
visited this country as young man.
MATCH RACES.
After dinner Admiral Rous told me he had
many match races with the Earl OF Glasgow.
rich Scotch noblemaD. and that Lord
Derby had told him that Glasgow had said
he would make no more matches with him,
upon which he made bet that the next
night he would have one or more matches
with Glasgow, which he brought about in
this way. He commenced condoing with
Glasgow upon the trouble and expense he
had gone TO with his horses and the little
success he had had, from adheriag to his old
strain OF Scotch blood, saving he must sell
them all and introduce more fashionable
blood. Glasgow thanked him for his SYM
pathy and asked him if the Duke of Bedford
(whose horses Admiral tous controlled with
out fee or emolument, rs he did the handi-
Gaping from the love Of iD had any horses
who could beat his to name them, upon
which they made five matches. When my
horses got acclimated | had many races
with Lord Glasgow. He suffered con-
him to be very irritable. When he bought 4
horse named after his friend, General Peel. to
run for the 700 guineas, famous English
race in which had to meet him with horse
named Paris he made an appointment with
me and other acquaintance TO start from
the Newmarket Jockey Club rooms and
visit his stable at O'Clock. Arriving there,
a noted reporter from Bells Life asked per-
mission to see them also. Glasgow made no
reply. and the man followed in. when
mfschief-maker of the party said: Glasgow.
who is that MANI? Still no answer, and the
question was repeated. Glasgow replied:
1T Is that rascal. -" A few days
after at breakfast he read a letter he had
received from London solicitor, saying as
he had used opprobious epthets to his
client he would bring suit against him I'M
less he apo ogized. When someone asked
him what his reply was, he answered that he
had written to the solicitor that his client
was rascal and he was another.
Upon another occasion, when out with
the hounds near Glasgow he met High
land regiment and ordered the band-master
to stop the barbarous music of " his bare
legged savages," as they frightened his
hounds. The Colonel challenged him and
he had to apologize. In his matches he
never paid forfeit. When | ran Umpire
against Tom Bovine for $1,000 each, the
jockey of Tom Bovine had to pull him up
soon after the start, for fear he would fall
on account of his lameness.
JoCKEY-CLUB DINNERS.
When we met at Newmarket after Jockey
Club dinners he usually proposed matches
to me, but this was too good to last, so when
he did not invite me to run | called upon
him. He said. " Ten Broeck, my friend
Peel tells me if l continue to make matches
with you Will die a pauper.'" He died soon
after. leaving General Peel horses worth
$4,000, and George Payne, another friend,
$4,000.
About 1860 the Prince of Wales sent the
Earl OF Wilton to ask me IT, be presented.
Afterward he presented me to all his family.
Soon after. upon Derby day, he sent u
lord in waiting to show me the way to lunch
at o'clock. L found vacant chair left for
me near the Prince, who said to the guests
about forty ladies, princes and nobles):
''When l last met Ten Brock at lunch l
u.set quantity Of champagne over him."
Irepied that it was grateful; was very
hot and 1t was as good as shower BATH
Such nonchalant replies pleased his humor,
which is The only reason can assign for his
treating me as companion. few years
past, when he, attended by all the nobility
with the paraphernalia of their order,
opened very large hall, l attended and
took an obscure place in corner, with my
little son, a boy of 6. The Prince as he
passed observed me (as his eyes wander
everywhere) stopped the entire procession,
and came and shook hands, to the astonish-
ment of the multitude. He and Admiral
Rous being my sponsors introduced me
financially and socially.
BeiEg bewildercd by the noise of the ring
shouting "Will any gentleman back any
thing?" did not bet for six months. until
Davis, called 1.-THE Leviathan," proposed
two to one against favorite. which L ac-
cepted in hundreds. When he said he did
not know me l asked Admiral Rous to tell
Davis l was responsible, which he did
Soon after, Davis laid me bet of 100000
against a small sum that would not win the
Czarowitch and Cambridgeshre with Amer
lean horses that year. Soon after this the
poor fellow had a paralytic stroke, was put
into the Brighton Hospital and died, leaving
the Hospital Fund 100000.
THE "MoUNTAINEER."
Soon after, the money LENDER of the day,
known rs the "Mountalneer," because he
lived in Hill street. introduced himself and
his vocation. desiring my custom when 1
should require money. | said he was just in
time, as Iwanted it then, upon which 1 took
a check for $4,000 and bought three year
liDgs he owned for $4,000, giving my note
for the amount. payable in one year at 10
per cent, while he charged his countrymen
from 20 to 80 per cent.
When the Duke of Newcastle died,
his executor, paid the "Mountaineer's
debt of 100000, most of which came
from interest The same man had
match against my two-year-old FitZr0y, who
was favorite for the Derby. l had sold
him to an English friend for $4,000, as
wanted money. Told Fordham, my jockey,
he must not run after Lord Lncoln's horse,
who had most speed, but reach him up the hill
hundred yards from the finish, when he
passed him to take pull and net win more
than two feet, as l did not want the superb
ority OF the horse exposed. Going, as usual,
ON horseback to within 100 yards of the
start, could run in a line outside the course