The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-06
BONNER'S HORSES.
Some of Country's
Best Trotters
Were His.
LIST OF FAST EQuINES.
Never Placed a Bet On
One of His
Animals.
LIST OF FAST EQuINEs.

In all his long business career in this
country, the late Robert Bonner was
recognized as man of versatile ge-
MUS, but in not one of the many things
he did, and did so well, did he fill so
much of the public eye and become uni
sally known as when he took up the role
of horseman.
This happened forty years ago, when
in 1858 his health began to suffer from
the continued strain of overwork.
You must take some outdoor exer-
else. some daily relaxation" said his
doctor. Can you drive horses, do you
| know anything about horses?"
NO" replied Mr.. Bonner, "I do not,
that is to say, know very little, but if
you think a daily drive behind a pair
of good trotters UP the road will be
beneficial, 1 will soon learn all that is
needed"
And with the intense earnestness
characteristic of the man, he kept his
word as to the learning part, and soon
became not only one of the most ex-
pert but one of the most unique and
picturesque figures among the horse
men of America.
Mr.. Bonner was Presbyterian of the
OiN pSuOOli anu d pllldI Vi the cnufcn,
but he from the first developed a keen
love for the trotter, and in an inter-
view about IL months ago, in which
he defended his large expenditures in
trotting stock, amounting to more than
six hundred thousand dollars, heIstated
that his contributions to his church far
exceeded that figure. He was a strong
personal friend of DIR. John Hall and
Henry Ward Beecher, and spent hours
IN to-,
lowing day found him equally at home,
and fully as enthusiastic discussing
pedigrees and performances with
Johnny" Murphy, Splan or Dobe
He seemed to have an equal facility
discussing a point of theological dog
ma as he. had in describing the anato-
my of the horses foot, of which he had
made an especial study. A regular at
tendant at church, Mr.. Bonner was at
the same time keen follower of the
trotting turf, taking a deep interest in
all the races he witnessed, especially
when the finishes We're close; and with
him it was always in regard to heat
| and race winners, How are they
bred?"
Though he owned at times all of the
past kings and queens of the trotting
turf, he had conscientious scruples
against racing them. At most they
only appeared at rare intervals for ex-
hibition purposes, without fee or re-
ward of any kind.
From horseman's standpoint, how
ever, Mr.. Bonner stood forth promi-
nently as the pioneer of amateur road
driving as healthful recreation
Long before the days of Com. Van
derbilt and the sealskin brigade, and
years before the civil war, Mr. Bonner
was driving his first pair, Lantern and
Light, up Third avenue, then a dirt
road, innocent of elevated railroads
and unshackled of the cable lines.
He believed and lived up to the be-
lief that the best horse that blood and
training could produce for the trotting
track was not too good for gentleman
| to drive on the road. His theory was
that if a horse that could trot in three
minutes was desirable, then a 2:3O
horse was even more so, and it was
| this idea, carried to it's logical conclu-
| sion, that induced Mr.. Bonner to sue
| cessively buy the champion kings and
queens of the harness turf.
| For three or four years previous tc
his purchase of Dexter, Mr.. Bonner
took his daily spin behind Flatbush
Maid and Lady Palmer, two mares that
he had made a splendid road team of
by sympathetic treatment and study
ling their peculiarities. This bond OF
sympathy between Mr.. Bonner and ev-
cry horse that he drove was a notable
feature. Even Dexter, the intractable
the horse that was going to run away
and kick everything to smithereens
and so on, was subdued by it.
1t was in 1867 when Dexter was pur-
chased for $35 900. The gelding had
been in Budd Doble's charge Doble
when he heard of the sale, said
"I'll have him back again in three
weeks. Mr.. Bonner can't drive that
horse on the road
But Mr.. Bonner did hive Dexter, and
made a most pleasant road horse OF
him. Six weeks after Doble's remark
he went to Mr.. Bonner and asked tc
j hnrrnM the hridla with which the La I.