The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-01

Main street and zephaniah a restau-
rant at the corner of Main and Foster
streets, under where now is J. H. Clarke
& Co.'S dry goods store.
This resort was patronized by horse
men and others of sporting proclivities.
William Spur was the youngest of the
brothers and he turned his attention
to horses and made his living by trad
ling. When William was a boy the mail
coaches ran over the Hartford turnpike
! through Charlton to Worcester. One
| day William started from Charlton
with a load of iron, driving four
horses. The stage overlook him and
tried to go by, but William, being a
| dead game sport, objected, and a race
ensued and was kept UP for IA miles
to Worcester.
Every little while piece of iron
would fall off the wagon. When young
Spur reached Worcester he had an
empty wagon, but he beat the mall
coach
To relate half of Bill spurr's horse
trades would fill a book Once when
Bill was in Providence he traded for a
rusty-looking bay horse that had lost
one eye. He started for home by way
of Woonsocket. He reached the race
track in that town just as a race was
about to be started. He drove into the
park and became silent looker-on.
The race fell through for some reason,
and the owner of one of the horses re-
marked that it was a pity that they
couldn't get a run for their money.
Thereupon Spur braced up and said:
Whats that, race? Why, I've got
one-eyed plug that can beat any
horse here for $780,"
"Oh, blarny," said the horse owner,
you amt got any money and besides
you're intoxicated
Well, said Spur. "Ill sell my horse
for $50, but he can beat your horse"
Finally a match was arranged, and
when Spur drove on to the track his
horse was such hard-looking beast
that there were shouts of derision. One
man called to Spur, bet you another
hundred you don't VIM"
All right" said Spur, and the
money was posted. Suffice it to say
Spur won hands down. The horse
came to Worcester and was the cele-
brated bay Stranger. that trotted
many races and was sold for a fabulous
sum to go to New York.
William Spur was boon companion
of George Wesson, Charlie Tourtelotte
and other sporting men, and to him
Worcester is indebted for many Of the
old time fast horses, such as Worcester
Boy, Car Wheel, Lady Langley and
others.
Spur used to tell a story of how
suffering man once got the best OF
him. His name was Bowers, and he
was from Charlton Depot. Bowers
came along with horse and offered to
trade. How old is he?" said Bill
Spur.
He's s-s-s seven, s-s-s-seven, s-s-s
seven years old"
Bowers suffered very badly and
Spur traded, knowing that the horse
was older than Bowers allowed.
Upon putting the horse in the stable.
1T was found that the animal could not
eat hay. One day Bowers came along,
and Spur said: "See here, Bowers, YOU
lied to me about that horse. Why, he's
q years old if he is a day, and you said
he was u
"N-n-n-o, l didn't" suffered Bowers.
Il s-s-s-said he was s-s-s-seven, $685.
seven, s-s-s-seven years old, and d-d-
don't three times seven make twenty
one?"
William Spur remained in Worcester
until the early sixties, when he was
stricken with consumption. He retired
to Charlton. where he died at the early
age of 46 years. He was tall, straight
and handsome, and was keen and
quick witted. Many an old time horse
man now living well remembers Bill
Spur.