St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-23
POLLY WAS UTOPIA.
How Senator La Due Proved
His Claims Before the
Gar,
And Secured Four Medals for
Breeding a Wonderful
Trottep.
Strange Story Of a Minnesota
Horse That Took Europe
by Storm.
A Case in Which Red Tape
Prevented a Great Ia
justice.

by storm in the seasons OF 1883 and 1889
by an American-bred mare called Polly,
who carried everything before her at
one after another of the gay capitals OF
that continent. For reasons that will
appear later the breeding of this Won
derful horse was Shrouded in mystery
beyond the fact that she was an Amer
ican-bred horse. When, however. her
owner entered Polly for the inn
perial races at Moscow it became a
matter OF interest to ascertain the
breeder of the horse. Among the prizes
offered at this race were four handsome
gold medals of the value Of 500 each
offered by the government to the breeder
of the wonderful American trotter. The
driver Of Polly knew her breeder. but
as she had been registered under the
name Of Utopia be was about the only
man who did have the information.
This driver, a Mr.. Raymer, however,
started out to secure the medals tor
himself, writing the following letters to
Senator La Due, of Rock county:
WEIssENsEE, BERLIN. Germany, Aug. 81,
1SS9-Jay La Due. Luvcrne, Minn.-Dear Sir:
! see by the Uorseman that you are the
breeder of the mare called Polly. l believe
she trotted one race in America under the
name of Utodia. AS have had her III Rus
STA this season ana won q nulDDer OF medals
that will not be delivered until her breeding
is established, you will do me a favor by GER
tjfying that you bred her. / have driven this
mare three years and she is a good one for
this country, as she goes over all kinds Of
tracks and all distances Yours very truly
j. w. RAYMEE.
TO this Senator La Due returned an
answer giving as much information in
regard to the horse he had bred as ITO
pia as he had at hand; but it did not
help the driver in his pursuit of the
medals. He later sent another letter to
Mr.. La Due placing special emphasis
on securing Polly's pedigree. This let
ter follows:
VIENNA, Austria, Oct 5, 1SS9.-Jay La Due.
Luverne Minn.-Dear Sir: / am in Vienna
with Polly, which you call Utopia. L saw
record book this morning, and it corresponds
with your letter. l cannot commence 10 give
you Polly's races this year have trotted
her from three-quarters of q mile UP to five
mile heats, and lost very few races 1 think
/ have started her in about forty races this
year and won all but three or four. l have
lost but two races when all the starters went
away from the score and that was through
accidents. She has won over one hundred
thousand marks, and keeps Oil winning. /
have started her here in one week
In two races. The first was LEO
meters (leSS than ee-quarters of mile),
and The second $500 meters lover two miles,
She has trotted a mile out i'll 2::22 For four
miles, with driver and sulky weighing 800
Enell pounds she has a record of 10 .05,
at the rate of 2:3l4 10 the mile. Polly can
easily reduce the European record of 2:2Ge4,
made by Molly Wilkes. In two-mie race
recently she could have distanced Blue Bell.
Grandmont and Wild America. but pulled
her up and let her walk under the wire. The
Germans tried for time to rule me off, as |
was trouble TO them. MrMcDonald thought
something serious might occur, and told me
10 sell the mare after l returned from Rus
STA
have twelve very good horses in my sta
bic, but when am away from home l have
10 let my men drive them. / have three
yearold colt by Amber that is the second
best lnlander Tan European-bred horse with
American sire and damn in Europe, and
since have been here l purchased another
Iniander, two years old, that can trot i'll
three minutes. l can win plenty of money
with European-bred colts, as the stakes for
them are very numerous.
Please send me the mares pedigree as soon
as possible. Mr.. Mcdonald writes that he is
sure Polly could trot the smooth American
tracks i'll 2:l6, or shade faster. She has
never been on good track here. In one
race she beat 300. but was distanced for
bad break, and it was the only time she was
tagged since drove her. Running is ex
pensive business here, as the distance flags
are twenty-five yards apart, and if a horse
gallops past two of them he is diStanced.
Yours truly, j. w. RAYMER.
Senator La Due, in reply to this, sent
further information and requested a
statement of the races trOtted by Polly
under Raymer's driving, at the same
time writing to the British consul at
Moscow i'll regard to the matter, think
ing in this way to aid Mr.. Raymer in Sc
curing the medals. Judge of. his sur
prise when he received letter from
this consul informing him that the med
ais could be given to no one save the
breeder of the mare, who, before being
awarded them, would have to satisfy
the Russian government as to the truth
of his claims. This letter follows:
Moscow. Russia. Jan. II, 1S90-Nr Jay La
Due, Luverne, Minn.-Dear Sir: Your letter
of Oct. 20 has just reached me. | will inquire
into your claim. but must first point out TO
you that the four medals i'll question could
not i'll any case be awarded to the owner or
10 Raymer They are most distinctly the
property of the breeder, but even the latter
will only receive them when positive proof
that he is the breederis in my possession. A
mere statement that Utopia and Polly are one
and the same mare carries no conviction.
Are you aware that the medals are of gold
and worth $50?
In your answered. this state when Polly was
foaled. when the change of name took place
and where the said change was registered
Yours, etc, a. F. Ii. MEDHURsr,
British Vice Consul.
Mr.. La Due then set ont to trace Polly
from the time he disposed of her at
Rochester some four or five years be-
fore. In this he was successful, and
after procuring af1idavitS from a MIR.
Mcdonald, of Dublin, Ireland, as to her
change of name-thiS Mr.. Mcdonald
was the owner of the mare at the time
she won the medals at Moscow from
the driver. Raymer, and many others.
he sent all this information to the Brit
lsh consul. receiving in return the fol-
lowing letter:
Moscow, Russia March /, lS90-Jay La
Due, Luverne, Minn.-Dear Sir: Having re-
ceived satisfactory letters from Mr. McDon-
aid, of Dublin, Ireland. l shall now be able
10 hand you the medals awarded by the Rus
san government 10 the breeder of Poliy pro-
Vided you forward me at once a cheek OH
some good London banker for e. being com
mission to the government at the rale OF )
per cent on valuables worth $50 (as per fee
table on Move mber, 1887, part 4. No. 1917.
plus expenses for postage. insurance etc
A stamped account will be given YOU for
this amount. Further, l require YOU TO sign
and return TO me Form j inclosed herewith.
Also 10 make solemn declaration on oath
before justice of the peace, magistrate or
notary public, stating that you are the breeder
OF Polly, alias Utopia. Your signature must
lie witnessed by TWO men of good standing
and repute.
on receipt of the above the medals will be
sent you. Inform me to what town they
must be sent. / will send them by post and
request you W dChuOWIedRe tlle receipt OF
the same.
III conclusion, would add that You are
fortunate i'll receiving these medals, and /
have taken much trouble with this matter.
IL picture of Polly, if You have one would
be pleasing souvenir. Yours truly,
a. F. HASTINGS MEDHURsT
British Vice Consul
Mr.. La Due promptly complied with
the remaining requirements, and few
weeks later received the medals at his
home in Luverne. They are of solid
sold, handsomely designed, With in
scriptiOns in the language that is cur
rent in the realm ruled over by the de-
scendants of the Romanotfs. Senator
La Due has recently had Meyers, the
Jeweler, place these medals in hand
some case. and for a time they may be
seen IN the window of this store, to-
gether with picture of Polly as she
looked passing the grand stand at the
Vienna race track.