New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-11
WORK OF THE TROTTERS.
TIE REINSTATEMENT OF NELSON
PROSPECTS OF THE MAINE STALLION FOR TIE
cuAMpIoSsHIP-IMPRo IN

tr seoco,on is probaby the most important lho'ue"'
u, the last week as regards harness 'ac"5'
story OF how this phenOmally fast hofse OIeu Vi
Questionable stock In a remote part OF ew-Ehs"'"'
oa lie own way 10 n prominent place the first sea
ION no was regularly campa -ned, has been frequeh'H
,old hut some incidents 81 |; are Deserving o' "e
ton lust now. {. IL. Nelson, an AMBITIOUS i'i'ie' "
Watervllle Maine, had been giving most OF MS ~
tentlon to breeding tOt:ers. his ist eoou ',ro"
vben he rot the bay stallion. Young Rolfe from W. T.
Dalch. then a prominent turfman OF Boston "heh
yornc RoIfe had been short time In the stud he WIS
trained and sold 10 John Shepard. OF Boston, MS t''
career being confined TO 1884, when he got reco'u "
o .ol Ia nj Springfield Mass. early In ecp'e"'o'r
Soon afterward this promising frotter fell dead on o
track at Mystic Park his un'iIneN emu o'"s'"e "
stir among urfmcn II seems as II the iesao, Vi
sensation were handed down TO the greatest OF his ee
for the colt foaled at Watervle. Two years oe'oie
Young Rolfe died. and called Neson, In honor Oh n'
breeder WINS destined to much more not0rety thah Ills
Giro Doinc a natural trotter. Nelson took RindIy ~
training and when he was threc years ola co"iu o'
30 on n half-mile track. lie was SHOWN NJ '"e
fairs OF 1885, but did not have more tah Iocai rep
utation I'LL he came ont In 1850. ana compe'eu "' o'
oral ponts of the Grand Circuit. lie had previously
taken record OF 81 IA in his hveyearoid Iori ~
the New. England Breeders Meeting at Boston, where
no had received no special preparation and the expe-
rIenced horsemen who him thei" noticed 'hat III
possessed the elements OF n record breaker.
Inst why the mercnral Maine breeder. who was 'he
lucky possessor of much speed, did not bring out HIS
namesake earlier Is hard to understand i'r "l'n ~
ptIt.cdced" pedigree TO aid him. Nelson commanded
only small fee and secured no patronage "oI'" "'"
,ioning outside OF his state. Possibly however,
q was the better policy wait TIL the stallion was
seven wears old before "cutng him loose" for win
his great length OF body and pure gait, an earlier
effort at high rate OF speed might have broken MN
down.
Coming ont OF the stud in June 1882 Nelson was
trained ot Boston and Hartford, but his first publc
appearance was on hafn.ile track at Lancaster
~ H. July 8. where he won easiv the best time being
~ ID Previous to this the big bay horse had
shown a much more rapid clip In his work at Charter
oak Park so that turfmen. Mt least. were not sur
prlsed when over Mystic Park, about the mludic Oh
july Nelson stepped three rapid miles Increasing 'he
clip each time. I'LL he mai' the third IN 10 -
This made him strong favorlte for 5000 STAKE NJ
Buffalo at the second meeting OF the Grand circuit
where he trotted a first and third heat each In 2i3
Nth such ease that his reputation became ma
tionaI and the predictions OF his sanguine owner thht
he would dethrone Maud :. herself, were no longer
laughed at Content 10 rest on Ills Builalo iAurcS
tbe volube Yankee breeder up his trotter 80 far
as racing was concerned for three weeks feserVing
him for the Charter Oak Stake at Hartford which FOL
lowed the meeting at Poughkecpsie. Here came thc
first reverse OF the season. not because Nelson was
through the neglect 10 keep him In race FORM now
that the affair has become rather ancient history IL
has leaked out that the first Of the hob-n0biing win
Frank L. Noble owner Of Acryon, began at Hartford.
and the turf gossps agree that the gray stallion "ouu
not have won there had Geneva :. and Jack NOT been
so dangerous that there was nothing clse 10 do.
Nelson. too high in ncsh. and short Of stf work.
grew more tired with every heat. finishing fourth In
the last one, which Alcryon trottcd In "9 H. more
than five seconds slower than the FIRST which the
New England crack had landed with plenty 10 spare
II was almost a month later before Nelson scored
up again. and this time It was for the lalch Stallion
stake Of O0OO at Beacon Park. Boston. IL" outcome
Of which has caused discussion and trouble than
any one affair In the history OF trottng. September
% was the date the un'av0rbe weather causing sew
eral postponements. The track was heavy even on
the memorable Monday afternoon. when the five young
slrcs that declared 10 start met on the lannon's Oh
course nj Allston 4 few miles from Tho Hub proper
The betting all in Nelson's favor, and three heats
in 2:1s1-2, . IL IA and Q ls "a gave him The
coveted victory. 50 near his home. Alcryon finished
second for two heats and unsteady In the third
that he came near being dlsianced There was little
comment on his failure as bis owner, noble. had
backed the gray horse. who was popularity supposed
TO be blind but was really only affected In one eve.
David Bonner OF Tho judge, was rather more su'-
pcious than his associates, but the assurance oi
George g. Robens the driver OF Acryon. that his IN
structlons to WIN satisfied him, and the stake
was divided as the horses finished.
When a few days later Frank Noble boosted that
Nelson had got the glory. but he had the money!. 10
George W. Archer. OF Rochester another Of the judges.
accompanying II with the statement that dram Tor
So 900 had been given 10 victory for the New
England horse. the machinery Of the National Trong
Association was put In motion and before long all the
persons implicated. with the two stations, were under
suspension. There Is little doubt that clean breast
made BY either or both Of the principals wond have
secured much more favor from the officials % that body
than anything else, but Nelson and Noble chose 10
go into court with an injunction, the former again
accepting advice from the Michigan turfInen that only
made matters an r being unable 20 start on
National tracks during 1850. G. II. Nelson decided TO
do what might have saved him year before. and mndc
halfway sort OF confession. In which he shielded him
self behind undiscovered friend. who. ia his anxiety
70 have the horse Nelson win, had agreed TO pay
Noble n Alcryon did not try TO beat the bay stallion.
This admission brought swift sentence Of expulsion on
the two Nelson's and later. when the legal proceedings
started by Noble had been disposed Of be and Mcryon
were similarly treated Willie the driver ohcns not
further punished he went before the Board Of Re
view last December when II met here. and declared his
innocence Of any collision fraud.
Meantime the Nelson's had been taking advantage
Of the American Association tracks, aud In $50 started
In some eight exhibitions lowering the trOttcr's record
to 2:lo3A. md reducing III, marx for half mile
tracks 10 = 10 IA at BanGo', before going West.
After the expulsion they also debarred from
grounds 81 the American Association. I'LL ID. 6. Bcaman
president Of that organization. issued his famous poc
nation from Denver granting Nelson and his horse
the right use the tracks under his jurisdiction This
stirred up strife that made the breach between the
National and American associations wider Than "vrr.
volumes Of matter being published In The turf papers
defending and attacking such an action. Improving
the opportunity OF this special indulgence Nelson and
his horse made another campaign In the West during
1891 where they succeeded In making a Tie with Arr
ton for the stallion championship by II mile In . 10
nj Grand Rapids THIS honor soon lost when the
grandson Of George WilhcS placed the figure at
90 Ia and In The match With his rival from MINNIE
at Grand Rapids early IN October proved the better
racchorse 10y defeating lin after Nelson got the first
heat In . -. Up to February last. the National
Association was prohibited b. Its own laws from