New-York tribune., 1900-08-26
AN OLD TIME HORSEMAN
-s1D" D1cKERMAN THE SHARP TRADER
OF FLEwELL1N CORNERS,

was once so prominent a figure II this were
not so no author would think OF putting
David Harums into a novel, and if they did the
result would not be satisfactory to the pub
fishers Once in a while will come across
n type of the genuine old horseman Of the cross
roads, generally lying in the sun in front of
the nearest country grocery store, sizing up
with sleepy eyes every horse that passes, and
going over in his mind the busy happy days Of
twenty thirty and fifty years ago, when the
horse trader man of standing In the COM
munity. Still rarer is the old time horse
trader, who is yet in the business, who actu-
ally makes living out of sharp bargaining in |
horse flesh, without running the risk OF raising
the animals or keeping large stables
There is one of this latter class in Westchester
County not two hours ride from the City Hall.
and he is known among horsemen all over New
Jersey. Connecticut and Eastern New-York.
sid" Dickerman is the name he makes his
mark after. and would ever think of
calling him Sidney. He rents a little plot of
land at Fewellin Corners, where dusty country
roads from Sing Sing, Yorktown, Mount Kisco
and several other places meet. About half a |
mile westward is Croton Lake station where
those who have sold out to the old horseman
take Putnam Branch train of the New
York Central He has lived at this same
corner for the last twenty years. and every !
Sunday, winter summer, horses are traded !
and ''swopped" in the rOadways about his house. |
Out of the boot" money and occasional sales |
Dickerman has managed to make good living, |
and he is going to keep at it till he dies.
Horsemen farmers and Iiverymen for miles |
around come to sid" Dickerman when they |
have a horse which they want to get rid of or
to exchange for another animal. Sunday is |
the recognized day for business and from TWEEN |
ty to hundred and boys always to |
be found there before the afternoon is over. |
Last Sunday a slack day for some reason
or other, yet there seemed to be a crowd. The |
dangIed long legs from the top of a stone
fence the boys were riding the horses up and
down for inspection. and the women folks visit |
ing at the little house the hill Dickerman |
was there in all his glory. whip in hand putting
nags through their PAGES up and down the road
as though he had been boy OF fifteen. He |
looked at the horses which were for trade told
their ages without examining their mouths |
gave an itemiZed list of the diseases to which |
the various animals were subject pointed out |
with infinite discrimination any possible de- |
fects, and in the same breath told the kind of |
trade he would make.
OF course, being a true horse dealer his eyes |
were blind to defects in the horses he had to
offer in exchange, and he varied his ito boot |
demands if his opponent in the trade was in !
chned to beat him down He did not seem to |
get the worst of any of the bargains made al
though his long face and exhaustive Drofapitv
would hardly have indicated it, He kent the
crowd laughing with his droll jokes some of
which were told upon himself
sid Dickerman was born in Yorktown SIX
E-hVe or seventy years ago, and has traded
horses ever since he old enough to- Ha
started life as pedler OF tinware going all
over New-York State with a rickety wagon
and a more or less decrepit pair of horses
The nature of his business demanded constant
changing Of horses, and necessity made him u
Sharp bargainer. He knew all about horses
and was seldom fooled in the animals which he
look IN exchange. He usually drifted back to |
yorktown with a much better team than he |
mad when starting out. He finally quit the rim |
business and settled down to trading horses for |
living. He used to keep forty or fifty horses |
on hand all the time and when unable to coll
he was always willing to trade
To-day Dickerman shows his age His hair !
is gray and long, bushy. yellow white beard
falls down over his flannel shirt He wears
Knee boots, into the tops of which his tro,,sar
legs are carelessiy stuffed. and USUALLY has .
DIG quld Of tobacco in cheek His ewes ara
as Keen and sharp as ever. and horses stiu fear
MS glance They seem to realize that he knou,s
all their bad points and the most tricky animal
seldom tries to fool him
Every horseman in Westchester Couptv
knows some good story in which Dickern,ap f5e
ures- One Of the favorites has to do with =