Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-05-29
It WAS A MINT.
How People Were Victimized by
a Jockey.
PR0FITED BY REPEATED SALES
Horse Partially Paralyzed In His Hind
Quarters often Scld at a Good
Round Figure.

Fifty or more idle promenaders
formed crowd in the vicinity of
Twenty eighth street and Broadway.
and poked lot of fun at the driver of
an old gray horse that came from the
direction of Sixth avenue. one after
seated himself in front of down town
cable car. The steed looked as though
he needed rest badly and had made
up his mind to take it at all costs. The
angry jehu held out all sorts of induce.
ments to the animal to get ON his feet
again, but no, there he sat on his
launches, resting gracefully ON his
raised forefeet. The actors. who are
as thick as bees about a honey box at
this corner, cracked jokes on the per-
forming horse, and every one laughed
at the funny position in which the
animal rested. A man, who acted as
though he knew something about
horses. came along and took good
look at the old gray, who remained
seated.
Hello. DiokP' said the horseman,
Tor such he proved to be.
The old gray picked up his ears and
looked around.
Eyes, that's Upright Dick, sure
enough" said the horseman, as he
laughed at tho seated horse.
when first met Upright Dick, F."
said the horseman. ''he was brought
to my stable about year ago by n
man from the West. This fellow was
horse trader, and he came every day
to feed and care for the animal not
permitting any of my employees to look
after him. When he first brought
Dick to board the horse appeared to
have partial paralysis in his hindquar-
ters. When out exercising I noticed
he had a very bad habit, for horse, of
sitting down in his traces. After rest
ing his hind legs for a few minutes he
would get up and trot as nice as you
please. Dicks owner, | noticed, was
feeding the horse on carrots and lots
of soft stuff to puff him up and make
him sleek looking. l smelled game,
and requested the man from the West
to find new place to board his horse
I'll give you hundred out of it,
said the owner of Dick, who frankly
confessed he was about to work a
swindle on some unsuspecting horse
buyer.
81 couldn't see things that way, and
Dick, looking in fine form, was moved
down the street to another stable. I
kept my eye on him, though. every day.
One morning Dick was brought out on
show for gentleman whom l recog-
nized as a well-known merchant. Dick
acted just like a two-year-o that
morning. but l didn't see the owner of
the animal about After the horse
was shown to excellent advantage the
prospective buyer went off, accompanied
by one of the stablemeD, who, found,
was in the employ of Dicks owner.
The following day 1 learned just how
the new swindle was worked. 1t beats
anything l ever heard of before in the
horse line.
1.-THE owner of Dick had advertised
in the newspapers that gentleman
who had pulmonary trouble and had
been ordered to California by his ply
sicians would sell very fine carriage
horse at great sacrifice. The person
who called at the stable in anwser to
the advertisement found very lively
and handsome horse that acted like an
excellent roadster when exercised for
his benefit. The stableman said that
the owner of the animal was stopping
at hotel near by. He would send one
of his men to the hotel with the in
tended purchaser. Arrived at the hotel
the man from the West was found in a
dying condition, with hacking cough
and splitting blood. Common decency
would, of course. prevent any haggling
over the price of horse with an ap-
parently dying man. Dick generally
brought from $400 to 5000, but l knew
of one case where $3.50 was realized for
him. The dying owner of Dick would
between coughs tell of the animal s
many good points.
Il wouldn't sell that horse for ST.,
900 cash, sir, if l thought I had long
to live, the man from the West would
say as he spat up blood.
"a price was quickly named and
agreed ON and the money paid over.
Dicks new owner would then return
to the stable to take away his purchase.
Everything ran smoothly enough, for
four or five blocks, but all of sudden
Dick would develop weakness ir his
, hind legs. 1t ended in his sitting
down in the street, amid the laughs OF
, crowd that quickly gathered. Dick
forefeet remained in an upright posi-
tion and he presented comical enough
appearance. After about five minutes
rest Dick would get up and trot off
again. going several more blocks.
Dicks buyer would, of course, return
to the stable and the hotel to make the
0 usual objections. AS he couldn't ge
$ Dick back to the stable he would leave
some one to guard him.