Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-31
A UNIQUE FUNERAL.
The Famous Trottcr Ezra L. Buried With Great
honors at Bangor.

Bangor, Aug 30.-(SpeciaD. fu
neral, the most unique in the annals
of Maine race courses, marked the clos
ing event of the Eastern Maine State
Fair programme for 1896. Ezra L., in
many respects a most remarkable trot-
ter, expired in his stall at the fair
grounds. Friday morning. and, today,
was given burial such as few horses
We're ever accorded.
AT APO p. NJ. the funeral procession
moved from the stalls at the east of
the track. 1t was headed by the ia
nous stallion Nelson driven by its own
er C. II. Nelson of Waterville, who was
followed by Major W. T. Harding,
chief marshal of the fair. and his as
sistants on horseback. Behind them
them came the funeral car, a heavy
drag wagon upon which the corpse of
the dead campaigner rested. \ black
plush coffin with silver handles and a
silver plate engraved with the name of
the dead horse. its age and record. and
its pr0prietor'S name enclosed the re-
mains Beside the coffin We're seated
Thomas McAloon. owner of Ezra L.;
Undertaken Abel Hunt of Bangor and
Veterinary +. T. Murch. The ,funeral
car was followed by a line Of horse
which had figured in the races during
the fair
The funeral cavalcade marched
around the track and halted with the
catafalque opposite the judges stand
The bell was toled solemnly aud then
the procession moved off the track to
the south east corner of the Playground
where a deep. wide grave had been dug.
This was lined With evergreen and into
1t after much steaming and pushing
the coffin was lowered. When the
mound of earth was finished, lunches
OF beautiful flowers. which completely
covered it. We're put in place.
That was the closing act of the fair
and the last of Ezra L.. although its
owner Mr.. McAloon, win have an iron
fence constructed around the grave.
and a beautiful marble monument viii
soon be erected above it, Upon the
monument will be inscribed brief his
tory of Ezra L., which is as follows;
Ezra L.. roam gelding. tfoaled in 1879.
by Gideon. by Rysdyk's Hambetonian
10, dam, Kitty Pierce, by Dirigo. grand
dam. Lady franklin.
Ezra LIS. record was 221b, made at
Charter oak park, Hartford. CT. in
1889. The last quarter was made in
30i2 seconds. He won many races
against the crackerjacks of his time
and appeared in public for the last
time in 1885 at Maplewood park. Ban
gor. Since then Ezra l. has resided in
luxurious retirement
There was slim attendance at the
fair today, but the attractions We're
fully up TO the usual standard. Thu
races were unusually exciting and the
bail game was less yellow than some
others. The Midway retained its noisy
compOsure until late in the afternoon
when as if by magic the Gilded palaces
fell, the unWashed tents and their I'M
terrified tenants vanished and all was
still, save the rattle of the cars carry
ing the wild animals away, or the muf-
fed shout of the merrygo- round boss
as he boosted his bundled parapherna-
liza upon a dismasted hayrack
The cattle and horses Wended their
way to the depot, most of them bound
| for Lewiston, and the fair ground was
| tenantless. save a few of the associa
| ton employees who fingered there
echoinS the sweet. sad strains Of jun
| bled melody pushed through and
| through their Intellectual fibre by thu
| Midways long and forceful exhibi-
tons. The fair, all told, was a very
successful show.