Evening journal., 1915-07-13
New News Of Yesterday
The Governor Who Would
Not Ride on Horseback
BY Holland.

II was the custom from the time
the colony of Connecticut became
State for the governor-elect upon in
aueuration day to ride a gayly-capari-
soned horse. escorted by a mounted
troop and followed by the State
militia. to the Statehouse, after parad-
ing through the principal streets
one year at Hartford and an alternate
year at New Haven. for these two
cities we're for many years the capt
tails Of the State.
When the late Charles r. lngersoll,
OF New Haven. was being inaugurated
as governor. he told the committee on
arrangements that Il might make such
display as deemed best and he would
cheerfuly yield. but there was one
thing-,s6pich he wanted 10 have the
.1bsF is ie understand and that was
gouae9 would not ride on horseback.
Washamittce might convey him in
eee-,.vn carriage, TO which we're. AZ
tnched as many pairs of horses as II
thought worth while. and he would
receive the tributes Of the people
from his place in the carriage, hut he
would not ride horseback, for the sim
Die reason that he could not. lie did
not know how, and he was sure that
he would make sorry figure II he
made the attempt Gov lngersols
wish was. Of course, respected, and
he set a precedent which from that
time had been followed.
II so happened that a few weeks
after Gov. Ingersolls inauguration
spent an afternoon with Judge Learn
ed Hebard, of Lebanon. Conn, Judge
Hehard was the administrator upon
the estates Of the distinguished Trum-
bun family. one of whom was the ori-
Einal brother Jonathan" His home
town Of Lebanon had been the birth
place Of six men who became gov
ernors. four ofNConnecticut and two
Of other States. Samuel J. Tilden
governor of New York, would ais,
have been a native Of Lebanon ha,
his parents not moved from that tow
to New York State shortly beforl
Tilden's birth.
I mentioned TO Judge Hehard III
fact that Gov. lngersoll had refused &
ride on horseback and instead ha
occupied a seat In an open cGrriag
drawn by four horses upon his in
auguration day. and added that IN
reason for this change, as stated b
Gov lneersoll, was his inability
ride a horse and his fear that h
would. make a sorry appearance " h
attempted 10 do so.
"lngersoll was quite right sal
Hebard. "No man ought
ride a horse. al least in publ
parade, unless he has been traine
from early manhood or youth 10 d
that Gov. William A. Buckingham
who was a native OF this town, an
whom / knew when he was still
young man here. was commonly n
garded as the most graceful hors'
man who ever rode in an inauguratio
procession. He was a man OF yer
graceful movements, and that chal
scteristic was particularly noticeabl
when he was riding a horse in eac
one Of FIVE inaugural professions. "a
he was governor Of the State iy
times
Il knew. and some Of Gov. Bucl
ingham's earlier friends knew as wei
how he acquired such perfect horse
manship. When / was a yong MAJ
and he also, ! often saw him al tn
head OF a little troop, of which
was the commanding officer. He wa
wonderfully skilful in handling
horse, and I remember one occasic
when he drove his horse throup
an open doorway and into fror
room and fired a pistol up N
chimney without dismountine. He ",
regarded then as the finest horsem.
of the State, and II was this ear
training which made it possible +
him so gracefully TO reveal his abui
es a horseman."
Copyright, 1915. by r. ]. Edwarl
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
The Founder of a Great Americ
Hospital"