The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-19
Tr araDs IKE 4 aowlsoE.
TAs Rs-srkssse Career se @. w. winis-
OF Tedepeuaeuer.

| Private adVtces from Independence, Ia, con
firm the rumor current in horse circles foi
some days past respecting the financial col.
| lapse Of G. w. Williams, the well-known horse
breeder, trainer, and track manager OF that
| town
| Last week Williams assigned his entire Dos
sessions. except his horses. TO satisfy mort
gage Of 100000. held BY one OF the local
banks. Everything goes kite track, breeding
farm. hotel. opera house. street railway. news
paper residence. and all-property represent
ing an outlay OF more than s25OOO0 Whether
Williams will remain In Independence as
lessee OF the property he surrenders OF will
now remove to one OF the great cities is as yet
uncertain. but Il may be safely predicted that
his present misfortune will not sufflce to keep
| him long turned under in the harness racing
world. Aud whatever may be his future the
story Of the rise and fall OF this remarkable
man will forever remain one OF the romantic
chapters In the history Of the trottinR horse.
II is now little more than Ave years since
Rreen-looking young countryman turned up
at one OF the small fairs in Iowa with two two
year-old colts that he had raised from pair OF
cast-on mares bought for $3.50 from II. l. Stout
OF Dubuque. The man was Williams. and the
colts we're Axtell and Allerton. After hard Ave.
heat contest for purse OF 500 Allerton won
his maiden race at the Keokuk fair, trotting
in 2:52 $50 and $40. Axtell crenteda Renu-
Inse sensation by distancinR field Of three
year olds and taking q record Of 2:31k In his
maiden race Before the close OF this cam
paign Of 1888 he had attracted the attention
q all horsepen By trotting his mile in
q two.year-old bred outside the state
Of California AlleTton's record stood at
Williams. who was without either experience
or reputation as reinsman. used Axtell I'M
sparinRly, and his radical methods OF train
Ing which were at varlance with all precedent.
called torth nothing but ridieule from horse
mer. however and siIoncsd criticism 10y max.
ing Axtell the sensation OF the season. Early
10 July the colt trotted IN 2;l5S, beating The
Snd a he f to. bm on a9nloS offers
and Ailerton, barely missed being in.
young man concluded to part with his won
derful colt when another favorable opportuni-
z Sn h the Of the
standing stallion record o. Maxey Cobb. 2:13A.
horsemen offered slC3.00O for the horse OF
the century" aud within Aye minutes the
highest price ever paid for horse up to that
Williams took his money and the colt that
he had left and went homo to Independence
the hero OF the hour. His success gave him
wonderful prestige is;ss and popularity and hall
to attarct him. He remained steadfastiy loyal
to the slow.goine; ,out-of. the, way Iowa VII
ly acquired fortune. This was his first great
mi n. nrs.rizod rov h,rr q, ,h,,, =, 1.
vested 5000; started a weekly paper de-
voted to trotting horse interests: bought .
style IN
establishment. and constructed the first kite
shaped rHee course in existence, His inapgu-
rivalled Grand Circuit events In Importance
and gave him new honors as n successful
pendous boom in trottinR horses at its height,
and 1t marked the turning point In Williamss
tested for aggresSted upward H Of oo coh
greater sum than had ever been offered at
any meeting in the history Of harness racing:
mare Nancy Hanks and Williams's now famous
Allerton. who had trained on with each sue
and he was reGarded as a match for the best
marc in training. This race served to attract
ssy g the sIi lite UraTie town More than Soo
persons witnessed the victory OF the, future
al h sp ~ the sss race sas
success Sies,n from eyery point 81 yeT; 1T. .,.
beaten the rival stallion Nelson. S:1D, in a
$1,000 free purse race at Grand Rapids, he
at Lexington. AS the time approached for
this contest the astute trainer OF the mare de-
indisposed. Many turim.n were OF the opin.
ion. however, that fear Of defeat was the true
reason for Dobe's declination and Allerton
defeated the great mare. The young horse
went on chipping points from his record until
time ever made by a stallion or by a ive-year-
old trotter. His unfiinching gameness. his
breeding made him the idol OF turfmen and
the most valuable trotting horse in the world. |
h Th Ssss Of %y
copper king. offered Sl25.O for Alerton.
Williams deiiberated for days. and then de-
clined to sell. This was his second costly
error
The bewilderlng success ofthe Ind epen dence |
races OF 1891 removed whatever, DOUBT. VII |
liams may have entertained touching the FEAST |
bility OF conducting metropolitan race meet |
May S,aon ~ iva anu tne
son two-weeks' meeting with 100000 Of |
Tered In purses and stakes; To aceommodate |
pendent on side-tracked Pullman cars and |
private residences about town. Williams |
which would bring credit to n city of 100 900 in |
habitantst and In constructing au electrlcstreet
during the spring Of is,a giving an unre.
corded blanket MORTGAGE on al ms pToperty-
notses e1eSpted-to secure SlooON OF TINS
aamount. This proved to be his third and fatal
blunder.
Misfortunes soon came upon him thick and
last Allerton. who babe fair to win an ,un-
preeedented sum on the turf, wrenched an |
ankle IN his first race and had to he retired |
it produced a series OF most brilliant harness
races, was but poorly attended, and the VEN
ture proved a financial failure. Then came the
slump in trottinR stock. which wthered values
until! they were less than before the boom OF
1881 4 Allerton's stud fee fell from 81 900
to 500, which meant a shrinkAge Of $50, 900
or more in the stations earning capacity,
Many Of the stakes which Williams opened
during the winter season for his summer
meeting Of 1898 failed TO MI and were de-
ciAred of for lack of entries. and the outlook
Tor the enterprising Independence man be-
came serious ii creditors took fright, and
TO make themselves secure they placed on
record their 100000 mortgage This move
created the impression that Williams was In
financial straits and would he unable 10 pay
his purses at the approaching August meet
ing which operated to Keep many horsemen
away The meeting was consequently an al
most total failure, but WI iams did not fail TO
discharge every obligation in cash, even at the
height OF the financial panic.
10 those who are best acquainted with the
man ana his affairs this latest move OF VIII
ilams Is not altogether a surprise. lie Was
mighty incenssd when the matter Of his mort
gage became known and Injured his credit,
claiming the holders had broken faith with
him BY placing 1t on record. II is said he
teen threatened to step down and out, leaving
me mortgasess with q Tace-tracE plant on
thsir hands. The assignment oi last week 10
nnuerstOod to have leen purely voluntary.