RECOLLECTIONS OF MEN AND HORSES 



In the summer of 1882 the country was aroused 

 by a series of stubbornly fought races between the 

 two great geldings Clingstone and Edwin Thorne. 

 The first of the exciting battles was fought at Cleve- 

 land in the latter part of July, and Clingstone won 

 by a narrow margin. At Utica the tables were 

 turned. Edwin Thorne won, and the enthusiastic 

 followers of Clingstone had lean pocketbooks. At 

 Poughkeepsie, in the latter part of August, Cling- 

 stone declined to start against Edwin Thorne, and 

 the chestnut had to face Santa Claus and Minnie R. 

 All of Dutchess County was at the Hudson River 

 Driving Park to see the race. I drove to the track 

 that morning from Thorndale, and knew how anx- 

 ious Mr. Thorne was to score a victory with his 

 horse in the county where he was bred and raised. 

 Every man on the farm was eager to attend the race 

 and risk some of his savings on the result. 



Orrin A. Hickok had Santa Claus in fine shape, 

 and Edwin Thorne, to the amazement of the crowd, 

 was beaten in comparatively slow time. It was 

 charged that the chestnut gelding had been pulled, 

 but John E. Turner bitterly denied it. When Mr. 

 Thorne saw him at Hartford the next week and 

 spoke to him about it he said : 



" Do you think that I would be mean enough to 

 come to your home and job your horse when you 

 were too sick to be present. If you do, I have only 

 this to say, that I want you to take your horse from 

 my stable." 



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