The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-08
Bonnsr's First Driving Horse

A reporter for the New York Mail
and Express recently interviewed Dr.
Samuel Han Of New York. the old
friend and physician OF Robert Bon
ner, Of whom Dr. Hall said:
Il well remember the first driving
horse that Robert Bonner purchased.
To be more accurate. it was who
purchased the animal for Mr. Bonner.
] was his family physician during the
fifties. and one hot summer day met
him on Broadway. He had been 50
busily engaged with the New York
Ledger, which he purchased In 1851.
that had not seen him for some time.
When I met him / was actually
startled by the mans appearance. He
was Well-nigh unreeognizable. Dark
lines showed under his eyes and his
skin was pale and drawn like the skin
Of consumptive.
Bonner I cried. what have you
been doing to yourself? Here. come
into the shadow. You're IN an excel
lent condition to suffer a sunstroke.
Oh. there's nothing much the mat
ter. he answered. I'm simply worked
out, trying to make this paper Of mine
a 80. That's ALL
That's all!' said !. Well, that's
nearly enough to put you in your
grave. Here. jump into this omnibus
and get a breath Of air.
Can't do it. doctor! he replied.
I have an important engagement
which must be kept
Bonner ! persisted, gripping him
By the arm and detaining him, 'its
my duty to tell you that your are kill
Ing yourself. You must take rest
But in spite OF the most direful warn
ings and strongest pleas. the Scotch
Irish in him insisted on having its
own way. and he left me-not. how
ever, until had made him promise to
drive regularly in the country at least
once a week
ITO make sure that he would keep
his promise. I bought an excellent
roadster. which cost. / remember. $500.
and sent the animal to Mr.. Bonner.
Shortly afterward ! met him out driv-
Ing. His cheeks we're aglow. and on
recognizing me he pulled up along
side, and reaching his hand to me.
said in great enthusiasm: Doctor,
want to thank you. I never would
have known the JOY Of sitting behind
a good horse had it not been for you.
Two or three months later he
bought span Of iron-gray horses, for
which he paid 81 800.
From the time Of this purchase
until his death Mr.. Bonner was the
best-known strictly amateur horse
man In this country. To crafty his
taste for fast horses he purchased
some OF the most celebrated trotters
in the world but withdrew them from
the race course. Probably his greatest
horses we're Peerless, Dexter and Maud
s., marking ase h6Fst6'fay % 81 el6iihfs'
horses In this country.
"To my mind" continued the doc
tor, although Robert Bonner's pur'
chases were prompted for the mos
part By an honest, real love for thor
oughbred trotters, there Is no doub
that he was the shrewdest advertiser
Of his day. Whenever he bought
horse at a seemingly exorbitant figure
the Issue OF every prominent paper i
the country on the day following
would contain a description Of the New
York Ledger. The result was tina
for every dollar Mr Bonner gave {
horseman he received the amount
dozen times over IN return from tn
public. which was attracted 70 a ma
who had the unselhsh spirit and gen
eroslty to practically pension the idol
OF the turf hy buying the best Of theI
for use in his own buggy.