The sun., 1902-12-28
GEN. JACKSON'S HORSE RACING
THE HERO or NEW ORLEANS
4 FAMOUS TERFMAN.
Attempts Made BY Him 10 Get q Horse TO
Beat Ilaynie's Maria. n speedy Mare
Finally Convinced That she Could
Beat ANY Animal In Gods Creation"

Beat ANY Animal In Gods Creation"
Peyton Of Gallatin. son OF the late Col
Bale Peyton, member of Congress. Min
ister To Chile and one Of the picturesque
national figures in te-belum days, was
in the city recently. and being in rem,-
niscent mood, told number Of interesting
stories Of his father and the latter's re-
lations with Gen. Andrew Jackson. He
brought out a side Of their political and
turf careers not recorded in the histories.
Col. Peyton, though a Whig, had borne a
conspicuous part in the Mexican War.
jackson was a Democrat but they were
good friends, drawn together probably
by their love Of a thoroughbred horse
Some Of Jackson's historians would
have it that he was a stern moralst. and
in one sense Of the word he was; but he
bred horses. trained. raced and bet on
them. and Tennessee tradition has il that
II was a race mare called Haynie's Maria,
unquestionaby one Of the greatest horses
that ever ran a four-mile heat, that kept
the old hero Of the Hermitage In financial
straits. SO far as his turf expenditures
went. for many years.
For a long period he was busy trying
to beat Maria, feat he never accom-
plished. and finally he became such an
enthusiastic admirer of her that he offered
To be a party TO wager Of $4,000 that
she could beat any animal in Gods whole
creation
In his latter years, in the early '7Os, Col.
Peyton wrote description of this famous
horse and few paragraphs from this letter
may be interesting. He said:
Haynes Maria was a most extraor-
dinary race nag al all distances, proba-
bly, not inferior to any which has appeared
In, Avpa Sirrx hsar Aax Sla. I,,<aft
by Bennett Goodrum Of Virginia, who
moved TO North Carolina with her. where
she was foaled in the spring Of 1908; from
there he removed to Tennessee. and in the
fall Of 1909 sold Maria to Capt. Jesse
Haynie OF Sumner county.
-She was by imported Diomed one Of
the last Of his get when 80 years Of age.
She was a dark chestnut. exactly Is hands
high. possessing great strength, muscular
power and symmetry; the perfect mod el
Of a racehorse.
Maria commenced her turf career at
g.. and ran at all distances from quarter
OF mile to four miles. without losing a
race or heat until she was years old
In the fall Of 1911 she ran a sweepstake
over the Nashville course. beating Gen.
Jackson's Decatur and others. This defeat
aroused the fire and combative spirit Of
Gen. jackson almost as much as did his
defeat by Mr.. Adams for the Presidency,
and he swore by the Eternal he would beat
her II horse could be found in the United
States able to do so. But, although the
Packenham, beat Adams and Clay, crushed
the monster bank under the heel Of his
military boot. he could not beat Maria
in the hands Of Uncle Berry
Uncle Berry Williams was a famous
trainer Of his day. Again in the fall Of
sweepstakes. four mile heats. beating
among other good horses Dungannon. in
which horse Gen. jackson was Interested.
Col. Peyton says that after this second
defeat Gen. jackson became terribly in
earnest. and before he gave up the effort
Carolina. Georgia and Kentucky He was
almost as clamorous for a horse as was
Richard in the battle of Bostworth Field.
He first wrote to Col. William X. johnson
to send him the best four-mile horse in
Virginia without regard to price. expressing
old Favorite. Col. johnson sent him at a
very high price the celebrated Pacolet,
by imported Citizen, who had greatly dis
tinguished himself as a four-miler in
Virginia.
In the fall of 1918 at Nashville. Maria
won a sweepstake, $1,000 entrance, $500
forfeit. four-mile heats, beating Pacolet
with great ease. two paying forfeit 1t was
said that Pacolet had received an injury
in one OF his fore ankles.
no DeneTdl DelnS anything out satlSneO
with the result, made a match on Pacolet
against Maria for 81 900 side, $500 forfeit.
four-mile heats, to come OF over the same
course in the fall Of 1914. but Pacolet being
still lame. he paid forfeit.
These repeated failures only made the
General more inhexible in his purpose,
and in conjunction with James jackson.
who then resided in the vicinity Of Nashville,
he sent to South Carolina and bought Tam
O'Shanter. a horse distinguished in that
State.
In the fall of 1914 Maria won over the
same course a club purse Of S275, two mile
heats. beating Tam O'Shanter and others.
A few days after, over the came course.
she won a propr. ors purse of $3.50, only
one starting against her.
About this time Gen. jackson sent TO
Georgia and purchased Of Col Alston
stump the Dealer, but for some cause
did not match him against Maria. The
General then sent to Kentucky and induced
Mr.. Dewett TO come to the Hermitage with
a nag reputed to be the swifte,t in the United
States. with view Of matching her against
Maria. Mr. Dewett trained his mare at
Clover B)ttom, near the Hermitage. Maria
beat his mare for 81 900 a side, dash of a
mile.
In the fall Of 1915, Gen. jackson and
Mr.. Dewett ran the same mare against
Maria, dash OF half mile for 81 500 a side,
$500 on the first quarter. $500 on the 900
yards, and $500 on the half mile, all Of which
bets were won by Maria--the last by 100
feet. This race was run at Nashville.
The next week, over the same course.
she won a match. 81. 900 side. rr'le heats,
made with Gen. jackson and Col Ed Ward,
betting the CClorels horse. West err L'pht
Soon after this race, says Col. Peyton,
she was again matched against her old
competitor, Dewetts mare, for 81 900
a side over the same course, Maria giving her
100 yards In dash Of two miles. Col.
Lynch Of Virginia had been induced to
come and bring his famous colored rider,
Dick TO ride Dewett's mare.
Before the last start. Uncle Berry directed
his rider (also coloredl to put the spurs to
Maria from the tap Of the drum. But. to
his amazement, they went OF at a moderate
gait. Dewett's mare in the lead. making
the first mile In exactly two minutes.
As they passed the stand Uncle Berry
again ordered his boy to 90 on. but the mare
continued at the same rate until after they
entered the backstretch, Maria still little
In the rear when the rider gave her he spurs
and she beat her competitor lsO yards.
making the last mile In one minute and forty
eight seconds. All who saw her race de-
clared she made the most extraordinary
display Of speed they ever witnessed.
When Uncle Berry demanded an explain
alton from mis- rider he learned that Dick,
who professed TO be a conjurer, or spirit
ualist, had frightened the boy by threat
sring him that u he attempted to pass