The St. Louis Republic., 1903-05-24
HERM|s'S SALE MADE
IN five MINUTES
"Name Your Price" Said E. r.
Thomas to Owner L. V.
Bell.
AND 100000 WAS PAID.
Quickest Deal on Record Caused
the Great Thoroughbred TO
Change Hands-Story of
the Novel Transaction.
AND 100000 WAS PAID.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
| New York, May 3.-Mr. E. R. Thomas
| who has just bought the great race horse
Hermis from L. V. Bell. for SCI, COO. is the
son OF the late General Sam Thomas. who
recently startled the racing community b,
! announcing that he had $4,000 to inves
In thoroughbreds. He proved that his state
, ment was not idle boast by purchasing the
race horses Oratas for $4,000. Puius for $50.
COO, Vagary for 5000, Auto for $500 and
Tardarm for $4,000
Hermis's new owner made his adven;
on the turf this season. He announced his
debut by saying that he would race horses
as diversion from the cares of business
His intimate friends state however that
his wife's love for coed thoroughbred was
the real incentive for this young bankers
desire to emulate the turf success Of men
like W. c. Whitney and August Belmont
Mrs. Thomas was a Miss Lee, of Ken
lucky. Like most women from the Blue
Grass region she believes that horse racing
is the greatest sport on earth. 1t was he,
expressed wish that her husband purchase
several high-class thoroughbreds that
! caused him to go on the turf and paw biz
prices for horses.
The sale of Hermis was consummated at
Morris Park on Saturday during the run
ming of the races. L V. Bell, who was in.
terviewed by a reporter yesterday, told
how the transfer of the great horse was
made He said:
I was sitting n my box looking at the
contests when Mr.. Thomas came along.
After the usual greetings he said: Have
you any horses for sale?
Il replied. All of my horses are for
sale II any man Is willing to pay my
price,
"Mr. Thomas said. want one-Herm:s
will you sell him? Name your figure
Il named an amount and Mr.. Thomas ac-
cepted it instantly. The sale was consum-
mated inside of FIVE minutes"
VIII you tell how much you received for
Hermis?' the reporter asked.
NO" was the reply. II would much
rather that Mr.. Thomas divulge that mart
of the sale"
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas were at Morris
Park yesterday and saw Hermis work a
mile in LAY. In charge of James McCor-
mick. the trainer who developed Hermis
from an ordinary colt into the champion of
last season. the great chestnut racing ma
chine worked a mile galIop in satisfactory
stsie. He was under a hard pull all the
snesa ne aed was a very anxious to show his top
James Mccormick will continue To train
HermlS until after the Suburban Handler
~ was oscioed yesterday to reserve Hernis
lor tne Dig Coney Island classic and he
VIII start In that great race III he is alive
and well. '0 40 oii'e
,nnr1ss, mermis was assigned top weight in all the
weight ranged from lS2 pounds down to ~;
d his trainer thought he was unfairly treated
IN IN tnis respect. and that the colt had little
races except where he met his rivals on an
scuai basis Because of his harsh treat
ment by Handicapper Vosburgh. L. V. Bell
figure. ''''t' d d hish
Hermfs is chestnut colt, years old. bv
mp. Hermence-Katy of the West. Last
He was unpIaced once-in the thick mud
At Washington Park, Chicago, during The
struggle for the American Derby. He Won
MS last nine races
L. V. Bell. at the suggestion of his train
er, j. Mccormick, bought Hermis last sea
son at Saratoga from II. NJ ZeIgier for sls
never beaten. ,'e was
Hermis is entered in all the valuable
stakes in the East. At one time E. E.
saathers at ss.ss who purchased Mcchesney. the
anxious to match McChesney against Her
mis- for $4,000 side. but since the defeat
OF Big Mac" in the Montgomery Handi-
on the subject.
An idea of Hermis's great quality may be
cleaned from the following opinion ex-
W '.dssSt NtSDuTS, lEe OIllclal
handicapper for the Jockey Club. He said
to a reporter:
Hermis is great horse-tfle best 3-year-
old of last season. He was the horse of the
year. never regarded him favorably until
he had won the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.
In the First Special at Gravesend the public
with Articulate. Advance Guard. Blues.
Gunfire and Sombrero. After he had won
the Ocean View and Jerome Stakes every-
body said: There Is first-class race horse
among at las -