The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-20
PAGER GENTRY HIGH PRICED.
THE FLEET-FOOTED STALLION
brings $4,000 AT AUCTION.

Thirty-Five Hundred Persons in
Madison square Garden i'm Attend
ance on the Sale-The Battle Royal
For the Noble Animal Begins Mt
$4,000 when Louis WOrmser
Comes Into the Field Against Lew
is G. Tewksbury-The Latter the
Purchaser.
New York. Nov. 19-Before the largest
crowd ever seen at a horse sale in this
country, and after most sensational auc-
ton, John r. Gentry the champion harness
horse of the world, passed into the hands
of Lewis G. Tewksbury of this city for
$4,000 at Madison Square Garden tonight.
1t was $50 o'clock when the band, which
was stationed over the main entrance of
the garden, struck up Hail to the Chief"
and Gentry was with difficulty brought
through the crowd to the front of the auc-
tioneer's stand. The whole section of the
west side of the garden boxes and re-
served seats, were as full as they could
hold, while inside the ring and on the
miniature track, the throng of people were
pushing and falling over each other in their
efforts to get glimpse of the pacing king.
Thirty-five hundred was low estimate
Of the number present. When the horse
was fairly in front of Auctioneer Balm of
Lexington, KY, who sold him here last
February, when William Simpson was the
purchaser at $500, the band ceased play
ing. 1t was not however until the assist
ance of the police was called that space
was made barely sufficient to allow the
horse to move around. A cheer went up
from the crowd. and in a few well chosen
words, the auctioneer called for bids for
the champion harness horse of the world,
who had paced the fastest three heats ever
accomplished-2:O 3s4, 2:OSl, 2:0SA; had low
cred the harness record to 2:0112, and, to
crown his glory and indeliby stamp him
self lord and king of the turf, had covered
mile against time in 2:001a, a second
faster than any other horse ever accom-
plished the distance in harness.
Bids came in with such rapidity that
the auctioneer could scarcely keep track
of them. Four six, eight, ten and eleven
thousand dollars were offered from diff
ferent parts of the house with scarcely
breathing time between But the real
battle of bids was to come when the
struggle narrowed down to two-Louis
W. WormSer and Lewis q. TeWkSbury,
both New Workers. Mr.. Wormser came
into the battle at $4,000 his bid being de-
Iivered in a loud clear voice, and the
crowd appauded. Promptly Mr.. Tewks-
bury went $500 better. Thus the battle
waged between the two with scarcely a
moments hesitation up to $16,5OO, which
was Mr.. Tewksbury's bid. Then there
was pause, followed by round of hand
clapping from the audience, who were by
cd iY1fo CT 70 Of
ted admiration. The applause greeted
Mr.. Wormser's jump to $4,000. Scarcely
had it died away when the other came
back at him with his favorite rise of $500.
There was another short pause, and Mr..
Wormser shouted $19,500 being a raise of
| a 81, 900. No reply followed for moment,
and the tension could be felt.
what is bid?' asked MIR. Tewksbury.
Nineteen thousand five hundred dol
| lars was the reply.
''Then 1 raise it $780,
The auctioner turned to Mr.. Wormser
expectantly. There was no reply, and on
| the three the auctioneer's gavel fell
| The gallant son of Ashland Wilkes and
| Dame Wood who stood like the thorough
| bred that he is, the pressure of the crowd
and the strains of the band, became the
property of the owner of Robert j., the
only horse that had shown himself dam
gerous rival of the king, who will, in
| the future, be his comrade.
With Gentry, Robert j. (2:0110 and Mas
cot GOO Mr.. Tewksbury has a stable of
phenomenal greatness.