The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-20
JOHN R. GENTRY SOLD
Changes Hands Before the Largest Crowd
Ever Seen at a Horse Sale.
THE PACING KING BOUGHT FOR $4,000
TO the sound of Marital Music tho
champion Harness Horse OF the
World Was Led Forth Before
Thousands ofSpcctators-Lew G..
Tcwksbury tho Lucky bidder.

| New York, Nov. 19.-Before the larg-
est crowd ever seen ut n horse sale in
| this country, ana after u most sepsa-
| ;ional auction, John II. Gentry, the
champion hrose of the wrold, passed
into the hands of Lewis G. Tcwksbury.
| 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 en-
trance OF the Garden struck UP 'Hail to
the Chief" and Gentry was with dlhi-
Guilty brought through the crowd to the
front of the auctioneer's stand. The
whole section of the west side of the
Garden. boxes and reserved seats. were
as full as they could hold. while inside
the ring and on the miniature track
tho throng of people were pushing and
falling over each other in their efforts
to get glimpse of the pacing king.
rhirty-iive hundred was Il low estimate
of the number present.
When the horse was fairly in front
of Auctioncer Balm, of Lexington, Ky,
who sold him here last February. when
William Simpson was the purchaser at
$1,000. the band ceased playing. 1t was
not. however. until the assistance of the
POLICE was called that space was made
barely sufficient to allow the horse to
| move around
RAPID BIDDING.
a cheer went up from the crowd, and
in a few well chosen words the auction
eer called for bids for the champion har-
| ness horse OF the wrold, who had paced
the fastest three heats ever accomplish
ed-2:03A, 2:03M, 03A--had lowered the
harness record To 2:0lM, and to crown
his glory and indelbly stamp himself
lord and king of the turf. had covered
mile against time in 2:00L. Il second
| faster than any other horse ever ac-
complishcd the distance in harness.
Bids came in with such rapdity that
INV, oil.
OF @thcm. Four, six, eight ten and
eleven thousand dollars were offered
| from different parts of the house with
| scarcely breathing time between.
a DESPERATE BATTLE
But the real battle of bids was to
| come when the struggle narrowed down
to two-Lous w. WOrmser and Lewis
G.. Tewksbury, both New Workers. Mr..
Wormser came into the battle at $4,000.
his bid being delivered in a loud, clear
voice and the crowd applauded.
Promptly Mr.. Tcwksbury went $500 bet
ter. Thus the battle wagcd between
the two with scarcely moments hest
tation up TO $4,000, which was Tewks-
bury's bid.
Then there was pause. followed by
a round of handcIpping from the audi
once, who We're by this time worked up
into state OF excited admiration. The
applause greeted Wormser's Jump to
when the other came back AT him with
his favorite rise of $500.
There was another short pause and
Wormser shouted $4,000. being Il raise
OF a thousand dollars. No reply follow
cl for n moment, and the tension could
he felt. What is h!d?" asked Mir
Tewksbury.
nineteen thousand five hundred"
was the reply.
Then | raise it $500"
The aucti9neer turned to Mr.. Worm
ser eXpectantiy. There was no reply
and on the three" the auctioneer's
gaval fell.
JOINS ROBERT ].
The gallant son of Ashland Wilkes
and namewood, VINO stood like tho
thoroughbred he is. amid 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 a dangerous rival to the
king. who Will in future be his COM
radc.
With Gentry. Robert j. (2:01lh). ana
Mascot t2:0D, Mr.. Tewksbury has
stable OF phenomenal greatness.
DIED IN TIE STATION HOUSE.