192 The Trotting and the Pacing Horse 



for the times; and in 1878 the brother of 

 Dexter was returned to Long Island. Among 

 the trotters sired by Dictator while at Edge Hill 

 Farm were Jay-eye-see, 2.10; Phallas, 2.13I; and 

 Director, 2.17. In the summer of 1884 these 

 three were the sensation of the grand circuit. 

 Just before I left New York for Chicago Mr. 

 Durkee asked me to find a purchaser for Dic- 

 tator at $15,000. At the Buffalo meeting I was 

 staying with Mr. C. J. Hamlin, and when he 

 spoke of a stallion that could take the shine out 

 of Jerome Eddy, 2.i6|, then at the head of 

 his great rival, Jewett Farm, I suggested Dic- 

 tator, sire of the champion trotting gelding and 

 of the champion trotting stallion. Although 

 Dictator was then approaching the yellow leaf, 

 Mr. Hamlin authorized me to offer $20,000 for 

 him. I went to New York, but could not bring 

 Mr. Durkee to terms. He telegraphed, during 

 the negotiations, to Major H. C. McDowell of 

 Lexington, Kentucky, that I was trying to buy 

 the horse ; and McDowell took the next train for 

 New York. As soon as he arrived he called on 

 A. A. and David Bonner, and persuaded them 

 to join him in the purchase of the stallion at 

 $25,000. Whatever you may say of Mr. Durkee, 



