Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-10-07
SMUGGLER AND
- THE MAID =
ny TOM j. NICHOLL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THE following story which will re-
/ cali memories of the historic
contest which took place at Cleveland,
O., in 1876 between Goldsmith Maid
and Smuggler is now for the first time
put in print.
AS will be remembered by those IA
miliar with racing history, the battle
between the horses named, and 9TH
ers, was an event which stirred sport
ing circles and followers Of the turf
from Maine to California It was in
deed a battle royal and was to decide
the supremacy between the Maid and
other aspirants. For weeks before
the event everybody was talking
horse, and the knowing ones who had
money to bet were giving big odds
that the Maid would be victorious.
However, there was one foxy indi-
vidual who didn't see it in that light
after seeing Snuggler warm up. This
mans name was Maurice Fitzgerald.
According to his own statement, he
was a true descendant of the Ger
aldine family" one of the ancient kings
of Ireland
Maurice was witty and well-known
character about town, ever ready with
an answer. He was an iron-worker
by occupation, a peanut vender by
profession and an all-rOund sport by
birth. At the first sign of cold weather
he would retire to his winter resi-
dence, as he called it, the county
poorhouse, staying there until "the
roses doomed again."
The following story was told by
himself on the day after the event.
Meeting him On the street, I said:
Good morning, Maurice, were you at
the race?''
Good mornin, Tomus, you can bet
your iuVly loife I was there, an I
haven't got throo wonderin' how it all
happened. Shure it sames just loike a
dhrame if it wasn't FIR this roll iv col
latheral I have in me partaloon pock-
cts; but even now have to pinch me-
self to see If I'm awake, an I'm all
day tryin' to foind out what's tn mat
ter wild me-
You know last fall whin I shook
tn dust off me colossus an whit
over to me winter residence at Cafl-
field. had just thirteen dollars and
fifty cints in collateral. an as soon
as I sthruck tn house handed it
over to tn, .superintindint an tould
him to put it in tn safety vault until
/ called for it. An that would be
win tn sun shona on both sides iv
tn ditch an Wiin could kick me
dinner off an apple tree.
well, Tomus, put in tn long win
ter months niver missin' a meal or
payin' a clint, an at the same tonne
keepin' in touch wild tn shports by
perusin' tn newspapers, an win
read about tn match between tn
Smuggler an tn Maid I fully deter
mined to see that race or die in tn
attemp
$50 tn day before tn race I axed
tn head guy FIR to hand over me COL
latheral, as I was about to emigrate
to tn city. He axed me why I was
goin' to lave. tould him I had bust
ness iv Importance to transac' an
must go. So hoofed it over tn noine
sAOAAOSs QA ia IA OF FAe%NO L Oh uSh w o0
Lug Moor's, where they were sellin'
pools on tn race; an pom me wuurd,
Tomus, II there was one shport in tn
house there was thousand.
But tt didn't take me very long to
cast me optics on tn dead game lads.
There was Bill Tod, George Tod, Bill
Hitchcock, Lug Moor, Gale Wick an
tn rest iv tn shports all buyin' pools
on their favorite, tn Maid
"'Good evenin' to We, shports,' seq
I. You all seem to be enjoyin' your
selves-well, that's roight-have a
good tonne while you live, FIR you'll
be long tonne dead
vivid that George Tod came up to
me an said:
"'Are you going to the race, Maui
riceT
/. 81 wo'lld Joke TO-. seq