Evening star., 1941-02-23

generations, but in no country has
it been more scientifically pursued
than in the United States and no
State has accomplished a higher
degree of perfection along this lne
than has Kentucky.
Two Great TrOtters.
Two of the greatest trotting horses
with whose names the writer was
familiar when he was still young
were Dexter and Maud S. The for
mer was a New York horse, and was
raised by Jonathan Hawkins near
/ Montgomery, in Orange County. In
1865 he was years old and was Is
hands 2 inches high, brown in color,
/ with four white feet and white stripe
on his face. He was sired by Rysdick
out of st. Mare.
In the race at Fashion Course,
Long Island, october 10, 1865, We are
/ told:
"E. v. w. Snedeker had wagered
| IS 900 to $1,000 that Dexter could not
trot a mile in 2 minutes and 19 sec
onds. He was allowed three trials, to
go as he pleased. There were be-
tween 5000 and 1000 persons pres
ent. The betting was largely against
the horse, many persons having Of
fered odds of 10 to l that he would
not make the required time.
Dexter went under saddle and
was ridden by John Murphy. The
horse won the match, trOtting the
mile at the first trial in 2 minutes
| 1875 seconds, and making the best
time on record. Flora Temples best
time was 2:19&. in harness, and But
Ter made 2:20 under saddle. Every
body was surprised at the time made.
All the old trotters had laughed at
the idea of q horse making 2:ie
| in October. Dexter went TO the
quarter in "a seconds, to the half
mile in 1861. The best judges
claim that if he had not broken be-
/ tween the half and the three
quarter poles he would have made
the mile in 2:16. He Is estimated
by his owner at S25 900 to $4,000"
| But it was not necessary in the
| good old horse -and-buggy days to
have race track to get up scrub
race, and one of the best stretches
/ in the District in the late 70s and
/ early 80s was along Florida avenue
| from where it intercepts Ninth
| street, to Twentieth street NV, for
it was during this period that this
/ thOroughfare, then known as
Boundary street, was nicely mscad-
/ amiZed and rolled rather smooth,
/ and the man with a fast trotter or
/ PAGER was just as reckless and
/ needed just as much watching as
the carless and inconsiderete auto
mobile driver does at present. How
ever, the difference then was that
only people of means had horses
and buggies, while now most any
one can own and drive a car.
Law Violations.
1t was then against the law "to
drive any horse, mare or gelding
in or on any street, avenue or alley
Of this city at a pace faster than
| a moderate trOt or gallop. or to
make any attempt or trial of speed
between two or more horses" If any
one was injured during a violation
of this law the driver was subject
to a fine of $40 and incarceration in
the workhouSe for not less than 80
nor more than 80 days.
One of the early violatorS Of this
| law was none other than President
U. S. Grant, whose love for speedy
horses is we'll known, and as the
writer recalls it this distinguished
gentleman was once arrested for at
tempting to break the record on
Florida avenue, when he was over
hauled by a Colored police officer
named William H. West. and taken
to the old second precinct on Sew
enth street above Florida avenue,
where, after establishing his iden-
tlty, he was released. AfterWard we
are told, the President highly COM
plimented the officer for doing his
duty.
A similar occasion involving this
President occurred when he was
taken to the station house by OFF,
Ger S. T. Crown, whose frequent
acts Of daring and bravery gained
for him the sobriquet of "Rarey
Crown" "Rarey" being the name of
a famous horse trainer who came to
this country in 1861, and demon
strated his ability to train vicious
horses in Niblo's Garden, New York.
Officer Crown was the father Of
William Stanley Crown and Frank
Bland Crown, both deceased. who
have number of descendants re-
siding in this city.
Another President who is said 10
have once been arrested here was
Franklin Pierce, who, while return
ing to the White House on horse
back from the home of William
Morgan, accidentally ran down the
wife Of Nathan Lewis, and a con-
stable named Stanley Edelin put the
President under arrest, but soon re-
leased him when he discovered who
his distinguished prisoner was.
The first building occupied by the
old second precinct, to which Gen.
Grant was escorted, was removed
when w street was extended from
Ninth street to Georgia avenue.
The second building occupied by
this precinct still stands adjoining
the site of the earlier building.
From Georgia avenue this precinct
was moved to its new home on q
street between Ninth and Tenth
streets, about 1882.