Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-01-09
A Great Race.

Did you ever hear OF the most re
marka5le race ever run in Wiscon
sin, or anywhere else. for that mat
ter = asked an old timer the other
day. No, Well, will tell you about
it, for saw il myself. In the sum
of 1874, with my uncle, | was making
a business trip TO what is now the
Oneida Reservation. A ST. Loui:
sportsman, Henry Stanton, was stop
ping there at the time, having been
taken sick while on hunting trip
and the Indians were taking care ol
him. Stanton one day witnessed
foot race by some of the young bucks,
and an idea struck him. Ii after
ward struck others 10 their sorrow
He had the bucks try their speed,
and soon was sending letters TO his
friends East and South. They were
confidential letters. but the answer,
promised him all the money he
needed. He then sent out notices to
the sporting fraternity that on n GER
tain day of that summer (lS44 he
would wager his pile that foot-race
of ten miles conld be made in ten
minutes 1t seemed preposterous
But few locomotives have ever made
such time.
stanton, however, knew what he
was about. With a trusted buck,
Peep Day, he engaged ten In
dians and put them on the trial, on
half mile straight stretch aud return,
the Indians to relieve each other at
the end of each mile. He had them
practice in secret at night. One day
'Peep-o-day' informed Stanton that a
stranger had offered him a bribe TO
let him see trial race. All right,
said Stanton, take his money and
let him see it,. But Staunton had
his men make poor time, and thus
deceived the briber.
The day OF the race arrived, and
with it about fifty of the sports OF st.
Louis, New York and other cities.
The betting ran high, with odds
against the feat being accomplished.
Among the party was a young man
named Desnoyers, from Detroit, on
his way to Green Bay, with 100000 in
money and accepted paper to pay
debts and contracts for furt. The
race was duly opened, rhe first young
buck making his mile in "a seconds,
just four seconds short. The next
young buck was about TO start when
a chief-'One Eye Gone,-grasped
him in his arms, and said he was his
son and the run would kill him.
Stanton ha.tily explained that in
their attire, with clouts like circus
riders and belt tightly strapped
over their stomashs, no harm could
be done them. But time was wasted
in the controversy. and the young
buck reached the stand with Stanton
thirty seconds behind.
The bettors against Stanton and
his crowd now began 10 laugh and
jeer, and freely offered 10 10 /. Stan
ton and his friends looked sad and
detected enough. But they took all
the bets offered just the same, and
rights here young Desnoyers lost his
head and put up $4,000 OF his money
against the making of the race on
time. 1t il said some $500, 600 changed
hands there and then. but | don't
know about that. The sum is proba-
bly, exaggerated, but it was large
enough. The race went on. The
third buck made his mile in fifty sec
onds This was kept about the same
until the ninth buck stepped TO the
front with a total gain Of five seconds.
The last buck must make up the ff-
teen seconds now lacking. He was a
tall, gaunt, wiry Indian, aud seemed
TO be all legs The bettors against
Stanton began to waver, and now
calls for even odds by Stanton and
his friends failed TO bring response.
The buck started on time. And such
strides From six to eight feet each,
and he went like whirlwind let
loose. He must make his mile In for
ty-five seconds or all was lost: II
was an exciting moment, but the
buck got there with both feet, and
had just two seconds TO spare. There
was no great excitement over the
result. The gamblers present were
accustomed TO winning and losing
large amounts. One st. Louis man,
however, did make n remark about
"A put up job and even drew Der.
niger and demanded his money re.
turned. Stanton raised his arm, and
the fifty or more bucks who stood
ar lii w NlAhFrH Vic iabF hlOPDth
their long blankets and stood calm
ly leaning on ugly looking guns
That settled IT, The race was over
The young racing bucks spent money
freely for a while, as did also the
chief who interfered with the race.
Young Desnoyers was never seen
again. either in Green Bay or Detroit
1t was said he went South TO redeem
his lost Thousands. 1t was the most
remarkable foot race ever held in ths
world, and were the newspapers oi
that day what they are now, columns
upon columns Of it's report wonlc
have followed As ii is. this is, be
Heve, the first time it has been if
print"
street-Csr Courtesy.
a sallow-fAeed woman, with q
Ii