The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-14
Copyright. New York Musical Echo Co.. 1893.

stand the pitch up to which that motley
crowd had worked themselves. The
track was in an open field, devoid Of fence
or other screens, and no admission fee
was charged. 1t was regular free and
Ro-as- you-please affair, from which no.
body was barred. Thousands of men,
women and children, from hundreds OF
miles around, encircled the crude track
in sweltering, jostling, yelling, cursing
mob. Every man In that wild thron9
was armed with six-shooter; some even
carried two or more, and not few had
, rifles as we'll
A stand Of rough boards and logs had
been improvised for the judges who were
to officiate. The gold-dust purse had
been melted into solid lump, and was
suspended from ropes stretched across
the track from the judges stand to a post
opposite. Homes, stock, mining claims,
iewelry, guns, clothing and money were
staked on the result by frenzied men and
women who were on hand to see the race
Amid wild cheers and yells, the horses
at last get the start Ruffian at once
forged ahead and Chief few the track
and before he could be got under control
Ruffian had won the first heat. A yell
that fairly made the earth tremble fol-
lowed the announcement of the judges
decision, and a rush was made to lynch
the man who had started Chief, but he
AahdkNu W tSCdpG lIOul bl6 IlOO uIl-
harmed. 1t was estimated that in the
ueighborhood of 100000
CHANGED HANDS ON THE HEAT.
Encouraged by their first victory the
gamblers doubled their bets. and staked
everything they possessed on the second
heat. An even start was secured, and
when the horses passed the quarter
sire tch the two horses were neck and
neck. At the half Rufian, who was being
cruelty punished by his rider forged ahead
and gained a slight lead. Up to this
time Eugene Teats, who was riding Chief,
had given his horse free rein, but had
never once used the whip on him. Charley
Hamilton, typical desperate, who had
everything he owned staked on Chief,
stood at the back-stretch with q revolver
in each hand. Lay the whip on that
horse, - you" he shouted to Teats, "or
I'll drop you from the saddle"
Knowing that Hamilton would do as he
said, Teats now began to ply the whip
and drew blood at almost every blow.
Chief came in winner of the second heat,
fully 100 feet in the lead, in 1:12 it is
said
Wild and frenzied as the people had
been, the riot which followed the termi-
nation of the second heat was simply aw-
full. Revolvers were drawn, and men
fired wildly and Unfortunately into the
few the bullets, until the air rang with
the noise of the shots, yells, screams aud
oaths. Gold dust was scattered like so
much chat in the wild quarrel for bets,
and even the women joined in the mad
chorus of curses and yells.
The heat had proved too much for Ruff
fan and he was completely broken down,
and the gamblers and toughs, realizing
that they were beaten, became furious
with rage. Con Dram and Charles Suitz.
both of whom afterward became noted
prize fighters, stood at the foot of the
steps leading to the judges stand and
kept the crowd back until the official de-
cision could be made. Ruffian was un-
able to run any more, and Chief was or
dered on TO the track, and, after running
a half mile, was declared
WINNER OF THE RACE.
So greatly worked up were the losers
that il was found necessary, for the
safety of the judges, TO escort them back
to town under the protection of a force Of
armed men, volunteers from among the
winners.
Mounted on their ponies, with revolvers
and bowie knives drawn, the Greers, with
a party of friends, rode to where the big
golden brick was suspended, and cut the