Year: 1874

among the embers of the burned cabin |
do not know how it is now, but I know
that sixty years ago this was an awful snake
country But [ suppose that the snake,
like the bear, the panther, wolf, and In
dian, has retired before the approach of
civilization, and is now but seldom seem


HOW OLD HICKORY BROKE UP A RACE.


Many are the interesting scenes of Jack
sons life which his biographer has not
brought to light. When boy l saw him
scare and put to flight 10000 men, The
occasion was this Grey Hound, Ken
tucky house, had beaten Double Head, a
Tennessee horse, and they were afterward
matched for 1000 a side, to be run on
the Clover Bottom Course Ny uncle,
Josephus II. Conn, carried me on horse
back behind him to see the race He set
ME on the cedar fence and told me to re-
main until he returned There must have
been 10000 persons present Inever wit
messed such fierce betting between the States.
Money and negroes We're put up. \ large
pound was filled with horses and negroes bet
on the result Of this race The time had now
arrived for the competitors to appear on the
track. Iheard some loud talking, and looking
down the track saw for the time first Gen.
jackson riding slowly on gray horse, with
long pistols held in each hand [ think
they were as long as my arm, and had a
mouth that ground-squirrel could enter


In his wake followed my uncle, Conn,
Stoklcy Donelson, Patton Anderson, and
several others as fierce as bulldogs As
General Jackson led the van and approach
ed the judges stand, he was rapidly talk
ing and gesticulating. As he came by
me he said that he had irrefragable poof
that this was to be a jockey race that Gray
night before, which disqualified him for the
race, and that his rider was to receive $500
to throw i off, and by the eternal he would
shoot the first man who brought his horse
upon the track, that the peoples money
should not be stolen from them in this
manner. He talked necessarily, while the
spittlc rolled from his mouth and the fire
from his eye. have seen bears and
wolves put at bay, but he was certainly the
most ferocious looking animal that had
ever seen. His appearance and manner
struck terror into the hearts Of 10000 peO-
pie. If they felt as / did, every one ex-
pected to be slain. He announced to the
parties if they wanted some lead in their
hides, just bring their horses on tie track,
for by the eternal he would kill the first
man that attempted to do 50. There was
10 response to this challenge, and after
waiting some time, and they falling to ap-
pear, Gen. jackson said it was great mis-
take in the opinion Of some that he acted
hastily and without consideration. He
would give the scoundrels a fair trial and
to that end he would constitute a court to
investigate this matter who would hear the
proof and do justice to all parties There
upon he appointed Sheriff to keep order,
and five judges to hear the case. Procla-
nation was made that the court was open
and was ready to proceed to business, and
for the parties to appear and defend them
selves. Not appearing, Gen. Jackson in


troduced the witnesses proving the bribery
Of Grey Hound rider, who was to receive
$500 to throw off the race, having received
$3.50 in advance, aud that Grey Hound
had been turned into the fed the night
before. He again called on the parties to
appear and counteract the proof and vindi-
cate their innocence. They failed to ap-
pear. Gen. Jackson told the court that the
proof was closed, and for them to render
their judgement in the premises, which in
a few moments was done in accordance
with the facts proved. | was still on the
fence forming on line of the large pound
containing the property bet on the race.
Each man was anxious to get back his pro
perty. Gen Jackson waved his hand and
announced the decision, and said, ''Now
gentlemen, 90 calmly and in order and
each take his own property" When the
word was given the people came with a
with banners. They came bulging against
the fence, and in the struggle to get over
they knocked it down for hundreds of
yards ] was overturned, and was nearly
trampled to death Each man got his pro-
perty, and thus the fraudulent race was
broken up by an exhibition of the most ex-
traordinary outrage. He did that day
what it would have required 1000 armed
men to have effected. All this was effected
by the presence and action Of one man, and
without the drawing of one drop of blood.


GEN. JACKSON PROTECTION \ COURT.


| will give you another scene of Gen.
Jackson's life. Gen. jackson was the At
torney General for all middle Tennessee.
The two Kirkendalls were the great bullies
of that creek. They held that the sitting
of the court taking such jurisdiction in
vaded their dominions, and they went in a
bullying manner and dispersed the court
and ordered it never to meet again. Gen.
Jackson heard Of it, and attended the next
term, carrying upon his arm his saddle
bags, containing his long black bulldogs.
He placed his saddle-bags in a corner of
the house. The justices took the bench,
and the Sheriff proclaimed the court open.
The Kirkendalls appeared and ordered the
court to disperse. In the confusion and
terror Of the hour, the Sheriff failed to ar


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