The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-26

HORSEMEN OF NOTE
A Brief Description Of Some Of the
Most Prominent Ones.
AS A RULE THEY ARE JOLLY
unostentatious. Generous. Well
Informed on Subjects Relating
to the Turf. They Are Con-
genial Companions.

Among the vast army of devotees to
the trotting sport there are thousands
who read with avidity each week the
accounts of the race meetings held on
the big tracks. fight the battles over
again during the evening chat at the
grocery or the village drug store, and
yet have never had the opportunity OF
visiting the circuit meetings in person
and witnessing the contests in which
they take such an absorbing interest.
1t has occurred to me that perhaps
these would enjoy a running common
tary and description of the personality
of some of the prominent owners. driv-
ers. managers. big betters. and others
who figure among the crowd, whose
names are as familiar as household
words to them, and yet would not be
recognized by them, IL they were met
face to face. and though the task is
hard one, yet, with the Horseman's
kind permission, will attempt II.
To begin with, there is the Hamlin
confederacy, that may be well given
the first place because of the promi-
hence of its stables. Cicero j. Hamlin,
the nestor of American trotting turf
men. is not, as is generally supposed,
a large man. On the contrary he Is
8 feet inches. His figure is slightly
stopped by the weight Of his rs years.
and his abundant hair and short
trimmed beard and mustache are
snowy white. His nose Is prominent,
his eyes deep set, small and bright
blue in color. His expression is kindly.
and his voice peculiarly soft and pleas
ant. He Is easily approached and,
when any one is talking to him, has a
- L. xxwttA ~
sionally giving the talker a keen look
out of his searching eyes. He very sell
dom loses his equanimity, except when
there is a very close finish between one
of his horses and another, when, with
his timing watch grasped tightly In one
hand, and the other pressing the near
est convenient object, he wiggles his
feet uneasily. and gives a deep breath
as the horses pass under the wire.
Harry Hamlin, unlike his father, is
stalwart young man, slightly over six
feet in height. deep chested. broad
shouldered. and with unusual physical
development. He has light hair and
blonde mustache. His eyes, shaded by
gold spectacles, are light blue. and his
long, prominent nose and full cheeks
are burned to a decided red through
constant exposure to the sun and
weather. He affects light clothes and
ing the racing season. He is more ex-
citable and impulsive than his father.
and resents the flood of suggestion,
comment and structures passed on the
big stable, so that until he knows that
a man is not a newspaper fiend in dis
guise, his manner is not cordial
Monroe Salisbury, another prominent
figure in harness circles, is probably
the best advertised man In the bust
Nd tc known
than the others. His striking person.
atty is familiar to thousands who
know no others on the track. A man
of about feet 10 inches, with a strong
face, deeply bronzed, with a heavy,
stiff, close trimmed, snowy mustache.
white hair and deep set dark eyes that
seem to pierce you through when he
looks at you. He is quite deaf. and al
ways raises his hand to his ear when
listening, although the jokers have
many stories to tell about his being
able to hear much better than he will
admit. He generally wears a sack
suit, and invariably a stiff derby hat,
and Is never seen in the grand stand
unless he has no horses starting that
day. He very seldom makes bet,
though a keen student of the game, as
a part of the business, and when he
goes up to a bookmaker and tells him
to give him IS down the slate. the
bookmaker knows that the "old man"
has caught him out of line and stands
to win no matter which horse comes in
first.
Maj. Philip p. Johnston, soldier, law
yer, judge. breeder and horseman, is
always a prominent figure on the big
circuit tracks which he may attend.
He is a man OF rather slight build.
with a clear dark complexion, coal
black hair. mustache and long mill
tary goatee. all thickly sprinkled with
gray and a black or dark brown eye
that beams expressively with the diff
ferent emotions that may influence
him. He is noted for his courteous and
suave manner to everyone, from the
president down to the ragged swipe
and few can realize that this Virginia
gentleman who meets you with such
genuine pleasure and parts from you
with such genuine regret. Is the one
who as president OF the National asso-
citation can deal out such stern JUS
tice; who. as judge. can sentence q
guilty offender with such calm severity
and who. as Stonewall Jackson's chiel
of staff. led many a desperate and
bloody charge against the union lines
Maj. III. c. Mcdowell. whose home
Ashland, in Lexington. KY. is tn,
Mecca Of all foreign visitors 10 oui
shores. Is a fellow townsman of Majol
Johnston's. but earned his rank ant
straps in the union army. He. like Ma
Jor Johnston, is noted for his extrem.
courtesy and perfect old-time cordiaiit,
of manner. The major is not general,
seen on any track but that OF tn
Kentucky breeders. OF which he Is tn,
president, but his is a personality tina
once seen is never forgotten. Tall
about feet inches. with a figure tina
must have been perfect in youth. an,
Is still straight and imposing Hi
black hair. mustache and short, point
ed beard. have but recently turne
white. and here and there is seen
black lock or two. His dark eyes, dee
set under bushy eyebrows. Away
have a kindly light, and no one Ia
ever seen him lose his equanimity. Tn
major used TO be one OF the best poke
players In the world. though he neve
sat down except with old friends, an
some of his sittings with Geners
Grant and other prominent parsonage
have become famous. One Of the bes
organizers and shrewdest managers /
country he has NOT nplU ma asa