Year: 1866

Particulars OF the Trot and It's Unfortunate


Termination-Arrest Of the Driver Of Cooley


aud Two Supposed ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ex-


citement Among the sporting Fraternity


CHICAGO, Sept. %, 1865


The race between Cooley and General Butler, which
came to sad end Saturday night is the allah
sorbng topic OF conversation to-day both in and out or
sporting circes The details OF the affair have only now
reached the public and render almost certain that the
terrible accident 10 the driver and OF Butler was
the result Of foul play upon the part OF Of Cooleys
friends


The attendance at the immense, thousands OF
people being present Very few bets taken on the
result OF the race those few for the most part being In
favor Of Cooley Before the first heat Cooley was
the favorite, twenty. ave to ten being offered. At
the close OF the second heat the betting was as
high hundred twenty-five in his favor;
but the result o the third heat, in which Butler
victorious, entirely changed the current and the same
odds were offered Butler Tho bets time ranged
from 229 to 81 Both horses In good condition,
Cooley appearing on tho track az sleek and glossy
as satin while Butler seemed To be equally fresh.


The first heat very closely contested. Butler
started length ahead but lost 1t at the middle stretch
but on the fourth turn they were even. On
entering the homestretch Butler slipped, and
Cooley went a nose ahead From that the
horses swept together evenly TO the middle OF the
Stretch when Blu Ter acan broke and To the distance
post losing scarcely ANYTHING, however. Butler came
squarely then, when Cooley made spurt and came
In under the wire a neck ahead Time, 2:3sk


In The second heat Butler badly beaten, owing TO
his continually breaking, and Cooley came in fifteen
lengths ahead Tine, 2:37h Al the close OF this heat
the friends OF Butler dissatisfied with hs handing


change OF drivers demanded, and finally his owner
took the reins The change was an advantageous
one, and Butler IN the third heat fully
twenty lengths ahead Time 2:32. By this tImc the
excitement OF the crowd growing intense, Il be-
apparent that the fortunes OF the day chang
ing ia favor OF Batter under his driver six false
time. Nearly half an hour was consumed III
jockeying and swearing, and angry alteration
sprung up between the two drivers McKecver and Riley
Cheers aud Kisses went through the crowd aud
apprehensons felt that the would hZzle,
the shades OF evening coming down fast that il
difficult distinguish between the drivers NJ any dis
tance At last the horses were Oh. When within
two hundred yards of tho winning post Butler
made a sudden movement towards the inside track
coming in front OF Cooley, that tho wheel touched
the horses This gave Butler the advantage and
ne came in about half length ahead Time, 2:33K
deaienng tumuit ensned, and for time there
prospect OF great fight: but the track cleared for
the nth and last heat


II was now completely dark. Angry words were
heard between the drivers The crowd divided into two
parts being In favor OF postpoung the race, while
Others loudly demanded that Il should go on After
much delay and much NOISY quarreling which
threatened at times to culminatc In a
general disturbance, start was made, Butler
taking the lead by length Both horses
then seemed 10 vanish into the darkness IL was inn
possible TO follow them around the track the crowd
waited at the winning post with breathcss for
the result II a moment OF intense anxiety
Al length shout raised, and Cooley
came In under the wire Closely behind h,m came
Butler, without a driver and went coursing round
the track. The crowd gathered around the stand IN
wonder and astonishment TO learn the cause Again
Butler came around and dashed away without pause
third time he came swinging round the circle, when
blanket thrown him, and no passed into the
stable Quiet being restored the fact announced
from the judges stand that McKeever left dead rpon
the backsretch and n scene OF Wild excitement cnsued
Strange TO did not appear 10 be caused by the IN
elgence OF tho driver death but by disappointment at
the unsatisfactory result OF the contest decision
vociferously demanded OF the judges. they repeated
that McKecvcr killed and announced that the dcc
sion would be postponed which only elected loud calls
the part the crowd immediate decision Finally
all the bets declared OF and the crowd began
separate


II appears that Mckcever killed. but there Ia
little hope OF his recovery, his skull ~ broken
Riley the driver OF Cooley, stated that he had into
the fence the back track and that lac bad been sru
by the wheel OF the sulky He running little
before Cooley, when Of the wheels observed
TO jump up the drivers bead being the tine incline
toward that side Of the vehicle and little more was
seen Of him.


Riley Immediately arrested, and last night the
police arrested two mon, after most desperate
fight in the upper part Of the city, who arc
charged with fastening projecting board TO the fence,
which they knew would upset McKeever he bad the
inside track very the fence Tho sport
fiernty intensely excited over the affair." and ir
not improbable that more caamcs may result from this
unfortunate race.