The San Francisco call., 1896-11-20
JOHN R. GENTRY
CHANGES OWNERS
Auction Sale of the King
of the American
Turf.
Lewis G. Tewksbury Secures
the Famous PAGER by Bid
ding Up to $4,000
Other Racers of Less Note Are Also
Disposed Of at What Is Con.
sidered Fair Prices.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Nov. 19.-Before
the largest crowd ever seen at horse sale
in this country, and after a most sensa-
tional auction, John R. Gentry, the cham
pjon 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 $3.50 o'clock when the band which
was stationed over the main entrance of
the garden struck up ''Hall 10 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 reserved
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 stallion.
Twenty-Five thousand was a 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 Will
liam Simpson was the purchaser at $500,
however, until the police was called that
cDoSC was lHdQc, OdIclJ IOT tuG
horse to move around in.
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 has paced the
three fastest heats ever accom- plished--
2:03sl, 2:0314. 2:031<-has lowered the har-
ness record to 2:0lH and, to crown his
glory and indelibly stamp himself lord
and king of the turf, had covered mile
in 2:0015, 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 differ
ent parts of the house with scarcely
breathing time between. But the real
bids were to come when the struggle mar
rowed down to two-Louis w. Wormser
and Louis 6. Tewksbury, both New
Workers. Mr.. Wormser came into the
ring at $12, 900, his bid being delivered in
a loud clear voice, and the crowd ap-
plauded. Promptly Mr.. Tewksbury went
$500 better. Thus the battle waged be-
tween the two without moments hesita-
blry's bid. then there was pause followed
by a round of hand-clapping from the
audience, which had been worked up into
a state of excited admiration. The ap-
plause greeted Wormser's jump TO $16 600.
Scarcely had it died away when the other
combatant came at him with his favorite
rise CT $500. There was another short
pause and Wormser shouted &c., 800, being
a raise OF $1,000; no reply followed for
moment and the tension could be felt.
"What is bid 2" asked Mr. Tewksbury.
Nineteen thousand five hundred dol
lars" was the reply.
Then l raise il S400."
The .auctioneer turned to Mr.. Wormser
expectantly, but there was no reply, and
on the third call the auctioneer's gayel
fell The gallant son of Ashland Wilkes
and Dame Woodstock, like the thorough
bred he is, stood the pressure of the crowd
admirably.
With Gentry. Robert ] (2:OI1S) and
Mascot (2:04) Mr.. Tewksbury has stable
OF phenomenal greatness.
The, rest of the horses sold to-day
brought fairly good prices.
Janet (2:13s4), 1890, by Mikajan- Flight.
w. c. Harrington. Troy, N Y, $3.50.
Consl ned by Kalamazoo stock farm:
Alnona A. 1893, by Alcantara- Mona Nut.
wood, F. w. Post, New York, $50.
Election, 2:26H. 1891, by Ambassadors
CeleSte, Jacop hlolZ, Somervllle, n. Y.
$3.50.
Consigned by William Simpson. New
York: John K. Gentry. 2:00%. bay horse.
1889, bred by II. G. Toler, Wichita, Kans.'
by Ashland Wilkes, dam Norwood by
Wedgewood, Lewis G. Tewksbury, sic eOO.
Nutshell and Dick, the pair that won
honors at the late horse show, brought
total sum of $2175. A. L. Snowden of
Philadelphia got Dick at s1O25 and E. D.
0erenea of New York secured NutsheII q ,
$ll50.