The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-07-13
fHB PRINCE OF STARTERS.
RENININENGES az THE LtTE
JAMES o. CtIDw EII.


To rHs EptruR ~ TnE SvS-SV After watt
nx som. tim. Tor more than q brief mortuary
Despatch from Saratoga regarding the late
Jane. D Caldwell. and after having been
approached by several prominent hor-"tnen
Who knew my friendship Tor tho once famous
starter Of running horses With suggestions
regarding a not too extensive sketch OF AVS
life, I venture to send You thr ACCOMPANYING
Mr. Caldwell Vas a striking PERSONALITY IN
more ways than one, and most ~ u" horse
men dating from fifteen years aso were In
Ssre-s~d IN him Had the subject hereof
died ten years ago the racing world would
have been quite considerably stirred TO
back another s.mi-d-cade and there would
have been columns written about him. when
nov hts passing l.. by Journalism. hardly
noticed
lie was NJ one time the most famous starter
of horses ia this country, aud, ny To the be-
aiming of the new reg me Of III. barrier
and the prominent suCC->s OF MIR Fitzgerald.
the primo. Of starters filed columns OF
On. daily pal-,rs Without wishing In the
ieas' 20 d.rosat. Mr. fitsg-rsld'- skill aud
veil earned fame. | venture To say that the
latter gentleman would admit, htst' that
Caldwellis skill With the red nag alone was
never surpassed. and. further. that his own
pe~decessor Was also one VI the first To accept
Sk~ barr-r theory. caldwell taking the Aus
tralian machine about the time that lac had
become passs with the Jockey club racing
authorities
Caldwell's Official connection with racing
Wa entirely an accident. Ills father was u
learned and highly respected Western clergy
N n. who failed to interest IA" son ia the life
ofpiety. that Of the sport presenting greater
attractions. While -till calloN. the yOunsst-r
became intimate with ttotting %turfn"n. aud
at one time followed th- Southern meeting
and fairs with a small string Previous TO
this. even. and during the earlier part OF
the interstate -s~'--ion contention h- tie
voted his talents to the Inspection OF mules
for the Governm-at. The man Who later
took him on and started him IN the business
for which he hecame famous that Of starter
and out OF which h. became for "a time
quite wealthy old MI" kng"insn was
also NJ the same time IN the mule business.
the founder % Brighton Beach engaging
IN IN. sam. a. a contractor for ~. ,ov-rn-
ment, There was no connection between
them, however. at this time. and neither
knew Of th. existence Of the other 'aId-
wells trotiing- horse business was, as IN"
ethics OF the harness turf Was ~eNerNwhere
then. more or les OF the shady Kind. NAt-.
his only ION. a~ftcrward we'll known a. a
starter. Was his driver, ana. the latter being
himself the authority. many a good thing
vAs brought on through methods, that SNsrer
Caldwell himself heartily disapptov"d OF
later and Will" operating OF VI" running
turf lie later exchanged ~" tro't"r- Tor
the runners. and II was Oh one OF hiS southern
tours With To. latter that he picked up the
lad then "a little mi~ussi hoothlNck who
became. after hi- adoption by caldwell. N"
famous Jockey. Johnny caldwell. who more
than once stood At the head n N" profession
In this country. gaining rs "'nir"nc" through
native ability and ia" tuition Of hs i">t"r-
father and foster brother -Gat".' the latter
having few sup.riors IN The art oi horse truin-
ing and conditioning
tartaI ont lg saving that tHllN ell :
orNci.l connection with IN" turf came about
purely by accidrnt ~" made his nrst ap-
pearance AZ rish'ou beach IL III" summer
Of iss?. coming from Saratoga With = string
Of on. old crab. nobody IN th">" IHtf>
knowing anything about him or Ms OUTFIT
forget the nam" of the nag that represented
the Cald~cl hops and fortunes 'ho>" dav>.
md 4, does not matter Tie animal. though
unknown. had IN" sift OF galloping To a de-
gre. unsusprct"d. outclnssins IN" av"rns"
bsachComhiug cattle of tho-" ancient days
Caldwell Wa then mi~"rlhlV Isor. NOR" a
long and rather in.l"gaut linen buster. and.
a fact that need no. hc repeated with any
thought n tho disgr1c.ful In connection
Herewith actually slept m tn" boN stall
with his siusl" "quiu" 'harg" IN" daN
after his arrival he entered ~, hors" In -
race
The ethics of IA" beach racing sTort 'hoS"
days would hardly have figured among ~"
tlkN fNbfulNNNf~ w |'A'AA ~ ''A i"' f'
IT. presiding genius an "~N-faro bank dealer
from Memphis Who r"loic-d IN IN" I'M" 81
col stone III" founder OF IN" track, IN"
hts two brothers then and later, ws~ a
constant hacker Of hor-es. and Their" W"r"
,ure things plenty. II one onlv knew how TO
&c, aboard right A. a matter Of fact, such
n state Of thing Ws- admitted. aud few peopl"
cared about ". th. whnlr Ht of winning on
the turf then consisting IN fndlhs out what
horse wa meant iu ~ rae" ana in avoiding
tho other well remember one day that
season. vhil" the quality OF The running NN-
b-ing criticised, hearins old bhl remark
over ~" track thi~ season. ttrr" nav" been
The answer cam. back pat and straight
-N"e and 4 thor. have been "t'N. YOU
weI" IN forty-uln" ot them Yourself Ill.
The founder took no ur"i'" anu 'inihN
gave a s-ml-u~-"nttug laugh. |
The race 10 Wtirn ,tldN"ll entered ~ OLD
mag Was on" OF iho~" -,lfr ,li's~ q ht'Hfr'
hook. line md 'ink"r, for a kt'trG ,nd 20 stout |
one. y regular hntiu" fN"fl hor-e hAi
been taken. car" Of rN'"ltins that oNu'i
By Caldwell "" Vas overlooked. no ac-
count taken of rim Tn" result "as nn eve |
SsldweIrs uas It fag fall vent out, made |
all - own running ind Won hN hhH u hoch
The judi i,ry and the n-so't'tlon N"rr, |
not do To l.t al the wealth fu' ~ rick ~" lost
!, t'nt way %" att"I = ntld .%Hs,iI sry
g." crowd to s.-ti .ulIt", and io"N "N''rd-
inclv rttv" aud v's", tuldw"ll~ nag was
alNlN NV WI W N"A W" - /
was given a.. rae" Tie next day ialdwell |
took ~. r~i ftg starter wn- born /
Year after. when caldwell wore diamonds |
and had 70 TIC bank trcour', "" discussed |
IT'S nnatf our r"lHtiou~f ~ Na- su'u ~ To |
warrant semI-Doutd"uV-s tie sail that |
he know beforehand a." fuSti" conditions |
Of tie race PARTY looking Tor imin"- |
dilute results. ~. SIT "WfiHb ! was NOT |
would have aptror'ard old man lil and
would have set him nght wn- looking |
furfh.r dong |
Probably u Wa luck instead of pr"-ci"no", |
IN spit. OF the remark Of ~" recipient Of
Hnsfsutou- Of the LADY with Ia" Cards OF |
tho day- but juldN ell knew enough to /
utilins what cam" along "a opIortun"iN. aud
became PAYS ma IVA VI the fortunes OF tn"
house Of Ingsnan from that tam" on, after /
the death Of the founder, and uttil the Board
Of Control first and Ia" JOCKEY Club alter, |
and President Walbauin. finally, r.quir-d |
his SERVICES There never wa a tsft"r card
inysnted or found, a. ions a. b" "rmitcd
Gns~lf 10 lat With an "y" In" that ot an |
kls and a ner vr-duick hess that corr-rpohd"d
and responded. no man Nas ever hi- superior |
IN the task of getting away two-~'or" OF
timid young creatures lined up With nothing |
but fowsan'- hcelmark across IN" track
10 guide the anxious and di~obsdi"nt rid"r~
IL was the old style aud all OF tn" adNo"nt">
Of the new one will agree With what ! have
Just said.
i have noticed tina, the successful starter
L. 1870 Il