, 1891-02-22
Points in the Career Of John B.
and Ben Ali Haggin.
MysteryAbOut the Former that
has Never Been Solved.
A Strange Pair Who Never
Talked About Themselves.

w OOu, auu Two cHlluTeu were tue TeSulI
of the uuion. His family are now on
board the Champagne. expected to arrive
in port by Monday next 1t Is thought
that the remains will be taken to Rancho
del Paso to be int rred where Mr.. Hag-
gin was born.
There is no family in this matter-of-
fact country Of ours 50 enveloped in mys-
terry as the HagRius. There is not an
element Of the picturesque lacking.
Enough romances have been written about
them to stock a circulating library, for
they never deny anything and never tell
anything. The writers have had a golden
chance and they have not neglected their
opportunities. 1t is known that Ben Ais
father wa born in Fayette county, KY,
from which locality he disappeared at
about the age of 10 years. But for the
events of succeeding years. IN which his
name and that of bis dead 500 became
household words, this disappearance may
not rave seemed mystsTious. But Mr.
HagRin has never been known TO publicly
vouchsafe any information as to his
whereabouts from the time he left Fay
ette county a poor boy until the present
day, when he stands one of the greatest
Western copper kings. a millionaire forty
time over, aud owner OF some of the most
famous race horses that ever looked
through a bride. If Ben Ali Haggin
ever knew his fathers earlier history or
the reason of hi. most unaccountable
name he kept TO the family traditions and
said nothing about it.
One of the most popular stories is that
on leaving Favelte county Mr.. Haggin
had shipped before the mast on a mer-
chairman, was shipwrecked, and rescued
by Algerian pirates. Sold into slavery,
young HaRRin became the property of a
certain pasba, who took a decided fancy
to his young Kentucky prisoner. This
pasha. alter beiriending him in many
ways, at last gave him the means which
he took TO California and used as the
groundwork Of the colossal fortune he ac-
cumulated. In remembrance Of this
benefactor, it is said. Mr.. j. b. Haggin
named his irst-born son Ben Ali.
1t was in the winter of lSS4-5 that Ben
Ali Haggin was first publicly known on
the turf circles. and for a time he alone
was publicly known, his father not having
appeared on the scene. ln the months
when snow and ice prevail aud winter
racing was then unknown. racing men
amused themselves by retailing the rumors
of a wonderful California horse to be
brought on from California to win the
great Withcrs stakes at Jerome park. As
a matter of fact Tyrant was bred in Ken
lucky, at Belle Meade, has sire being
Great Tom and his dam Moselle. But he
had grown and thriven, waxeG strong and
mighty. rumor had it, on the succulent
-1EII -. g T.1.r.xz.n - ,,b.ak A.
Rancho del Paso estate Is said to abound.
Many a commission found its way into
Eastern pool-rooms from the West, and
great was the interest shown in the
race when Tyrant appeared, ridden
by Duffy, wearing the blue and orange
Jacket ofterward destined to become so
famous. Tyrant's victory that day, his
subsequent successes and the ovation ten,
dered to Ben ALI Haggin are matters OF
history well within the recollection of those
who gathered that day in old Jerome !
grand stand and around the romantic
club house on the BLUR. A few years later
Ben ALI Haggin identified himself with
the new Brooklyn Jockey club then being
built at Gravesend. On the opening day
his was the most noticeable figure as he
busted himself attending to arrange
ments here and there. Later the Dryers
and Mr.. Haggin had a misunderstanding
aud the latter disposed Of hIs stock. From
being in close council the two racing es-
adjustments drifted further apart, But
public rupture did not come until in the
race for the Loullard stakes at Monmouth
Park when Salvador heat Longstreet and
the DIVERS bitterly denounced the action
of Salvatore stable companion, Kern, in
the race. The brothers declared he had
nravantad InnUatraat frnm wipninu hu in
reference, and iutimated the belief that
he had been started only for hat purpose.
In the spring of 1856 the Higgins ap-
peared in Kentucky with the strongest sta
BILE that had been seen in the west for manv
a year. 1t was known that they had two
Derby candidates in their st Ible-Dan
Fox, winner of the Junior Champion of
1885, aud Ben Ali, who had run some
good races as a 2-year-old in California
aud was named after Ben Ali HaRgin.
The public did not know which horse
would be started and the Haggins adopted
extraordinary measures to keep them from
knowing. Two watchers, with lanterns
and shotguns, patrolled the stables at
night and were relieved by armed guards
in the morning. All the horses were
ercised before daybreak, and they were
numbered instead OF being named, so that
even the stable boys themselves would not
know which horse it was that did good
work.
On Derby dav the Haggins drew $40,
900 out of one of the Louisville banks and
prepared to make a plunge on Ben Ali.
The public thought till the last moment
that Ban Fox was 10 be the stables repre-
sentative. and in the pooling at the Turf
Exchange the night before the race Ban
Fox was the hot favorite. There was,
therefore, every probability hat there
would be as good as 6 or 8 to | against
Ben All.
Unfortunately for the Higgins, how,
ever, Col, NJ. Lewis Clarke, president oil
the Jockey Club, and the bookmakers
we're in the midst of a big row. and when
MIR. Haggin and Ben Ali went ont to the
track, with their pockets stuffed with
money, there was not a hookmaker on the
grounds Mr.. Haggiu is a silent man and
his words are rare, but those who recall
his remarks in the betting ring that pleas
ant May afternoon will not deny that he
can talk forcibly when he wants to talk.
Before shutdown every horse in his
stable went in solemn procession across
the fields to where a train waited to take
them TO Latonia. A few weeks later
Hidalgo, another Of the Haggin string,
ran in the Latonia Cup and won it IN a
gallop. Fuller, on Irish Pat, claimed a
foul. however, and IRISH Pat was given
the race. The HaRgins. raging against
everything in Kentucky, left the state
and never raced there again.
When the great HaeRin stable first