The Detroit times., 1912-08-10
TURFMAH CORRIGAN,
. WON S2,OOO,OOO, NOW
CARRIES DINNER PAIL
,vwEv
Stormy Petrol of American
Turf, Busted at Last, Crushes
Stone for Living
HE DROVE HARNESS MACS
First Notable Turf Victory Was
at Initial American Derby,
1884, With Modesty
HE DROVE HARNESS MACS

From shirtsleeves 10 broadclolh and
back 10 overalls Is the story OF Ed.
Corrigan, stormy petrol OF the Ameri-
! can turf, who did more TO kill horse
racing than any man in this country.
The one time master of Haw.
thorne," who bred, owned and raced
hundreds OF thoroughbreds, owned an
immense breeding establishment and
four race tracks and raced the "1reen
jacket and white sash" in this coun-
try and England. now carries his din
/ ner In pail and works In a stone
crushing plant. in Kansas City He
is q bankrupt with unsecured liabill.
ties OF Sl0l,936
In the 25 years he raced horses,
Corrigan won about $1,000, 900 in
purses and stakes. He lived on the
best in the land and never questioned
the price. He was an arrogant, self
willed despot, a good friend, bat
| hard-hitting enemy.
Corrigan was born in Canada He
went TO Kansas City as a youth and
drove harness horses. He campa gned
the Monarch OF the Home Stretch
old Robert McGregor. sire OF Cresceus
2:02 IA. until he turned TO contract
!. state treasurer of Colorado. built rail-
roads. In Utah. Corrigan broke into
the horse racing game, peculiarly.
He rode a handsome saddle horse.
when superintendening some railroad
work. and was bantered into a race
by one OF the natives Corrigan lost
several hundred dollars when his
mare was beaten Determined 70 get
even" he commissioned a KentuclIian
TO buy a horse that could win at
half, three-quarters and mile Pearl
Jennings was the result. She reached
the construction camp yith. load OF
mules. In. telling about the race, Cor
rigan said:
THE mare won at each distance,
and | made Christians out of ali the
Mormons in that part Of Utah
His first notable turf victory was
the initial American Derby. at Wash
ington park, Chicago. in 1884, with
Modesty He took her east. and with
Freeland she won many classics.
Corrigan had a weakness for the
get OF Longfelow. He won the Ken
|>tucky Derby in 1890 with Riley, and
the same horse NDst the Metropolitan
handicap by nose in the historical
struggle with Tristan and Clarendon.
He built the Hawthorne track. Chi.
cago. In 1891. and precipitated the
turf war against John Condor and
George V. Hawkins, which ended in
the duel between Capt. Jim Brown
Of Texas and the police. in which
Brown was killed. but not before he
downed six or seven policemen. The
result was the death OF horse racing
In Illinois.
Corrigan then locked horns with
Z Tom Williams, president OF the Call.
fornia Jockey club. and Spreckles. the
sugar king. He built the Tanforan
track 10 fight Ingleside Aonther turf
war followed and with the usual re-
suit
Corrigan fought Bush and Johnson.
OF the Fair Grounds track, New Or
leans, and built City Park, which led
to another war and the end of racing
in New Orleans. Corrigan's last
track, was Elm Ridge. Kansas City,
completed just as racing. was killed
rf~ 4 va.
! AConey| Islanu zJockey 1luD, a.
result his entries were refused. He
went 10 England. but was not given
consideration and he returned bring
ing some good runners Corrigan
tried to regain his fortune with his
'horses. but fortune was against him
and he sought relief in bankruptcy.
More than once. in his stormy ca
reer. Ed. Corrigan looked down the
muzzle Of gun At meeting OF the
Western Turf congress- In Cincin-
natl. the late Col VI. Lewis Clark, or
Louisville, dreN gun TO Kill Cor
rigan.
Big Ed said "Td put that thing
away. Colonel, your hand trembles
so you'll shoot yourself in the foot.
When his back was against the
wall. his last dollar gone. Corrlgan
declared he was clad of It and that
he would start lie again, with MS