Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-08
THE NELSON CASE.
Cause Of Nelson and Owner Being Ruled
on from Association Tracks.

Nrw YoRK, Dee. The New York
World says concerning the Nelson case
| The expulsion of the great Nelson anil
his owner and driver from the National
| Trotting association and the efforts made
in the courts aud before the trottiDg asso-
ciation to have them reinstaicd have at
tracted the attention of horsemen for more
than three years. II has proven 10 he IA
cause celebre in trotting annals. The ac-
ton of the board of review will
be discussed by the owners of trotters
throughout the United States.
Al the beginning Of the trotting season of
1891 Nelson was regarded as the most
prominent stallion in the trotting world.
lie was bred in Waterville, Me-, by G. II.
Nelson. He was foaled in 1889, by Young
Rolfe. dam Gretchen, by Gideon, second
dam by Vermont Blackhawk. His sire had
a record ofs22i IA, and dropped dead on
the track at Mystic Park, Boston. Young
Rolfe was by Tom Rolfe, whose dam was
the famous old PAGER Pocahontas, who
paced Il mile TO wagon in 2.l7 IL a. long
ago as 1855. Gideon was the best son of
Rysdyk's Hambletopan that ever stood in
Maine, and Gretchen produced, besides
Nelson. Susie owen, 2 20, aud the dam of
Aubine, 2.l9 ~, aud Medina, 2.22 81.
Nelson first started as 2-year-old in 1884
and won the race in 2.j0, 2.5l. When he
was three years old he began to attract at
tention by trotting mile III 2.2G 81. In
1887 he lowered this record TO 2.21 IL. but
two years latter he became q sensational
trotter. Al Buffalo, Aug. Z, he won great
race in 2.15, 2.17 II, 2.l5.
This feat made him 81 favorite for the
$40 900 purse for the 2,2O class ut Charter
Oak Park. Hartford. lie tro,tcd the first
heat in 2ii H., being driven by his owner.
Nelson was evidently pumped out, for
Alcyon won the next heats and the race.
This defeat was the real cause of all the
trouble that the famous stallion and his
owner got into. lie was engaged in stall
/ lion race at Boston n few weeks later. and
Alcyon was one of the contestants. The
owner of Nelson was afraid that his stallion
would be again defeated and that il would
| iniure him as a stock horse. lie entered
| into deal. paying the owner of Alcyon
| $1,000. the amount of first money in the
race, with the understanding that Nelson
should win He won in three straight heats.
the fastest being 2.l7 Ii.
| The owner of Alcyon pockcted S2500 as
second money. Mr.. Nelson evidently did
not think of the second money when he bar.
| gained to gise the owner of Aicyon $4,000
should Nelson win the race. The deal
netted Alcyon's owner $500. The friends
of Nelson have all along held that the stall
lion could bavc beaten Alcyon. They be-
| ieyed that he was not in good condition ut
Hartford and was not handled well when
defeated by Alcyon.
| In February, 1890, Nelson and his owner,
| c. II. Nelson, and Alcyon and his owner.
f. l.. Noble, were arraigned before the
board of review at Buffalo. The trotting
congress which gave the board of review
! its existence was also in ses-
| sion there mt the same time.
| Nelson and Noble secured an injunction re-
straining the board Of review from proceed
| ing in the case. The Congress, however,
took the matter into its own hands and ex.
| ,tellcd both men and horses. The injunc-
/ ton against the board of review was subsc-
quently dissolved and the board of review
issued an cdict early in 1891 cxpelIing Sel-
| son and bis owner. During 1880 Nelson
trotted on the tracks of the American Trot-
ting Associstion in the Western states
Oct 81. at Cambridge City, lad, he trotied
in 2.lo 81. lie has also irotted in 2.i0
but Allcrton wrested the championship from
him In 200 at Independence, la.
Nelson is very handsome bay horse
| about I6 hands high, with bold, resolutt
way Of going. yet he is very tractable and
easily managed.