105 



up a race and arranged that Gen. Rowett was to win it. 

 The men placed every cent they could raise upon Gen. 

 Rowett, because they believed he was the best. The owner 

 of Belle K. agreed to place Belle K., but he had not calcu- 

 lated on the honesty of Thorpe. The boy positively refused 

 to have anything to do with the scheme, and he went in and 

 won with his mount. " It broke us," said the gentleman who 

 relates the incident, " but it shows the boy was honest." 



Alex, and George Covington are two of the best boys 

 that ever sat in a saddle, and it will be a long time before 

 they are forgotten in the turf world. A nice little incident 

 is related of George Covington to show his thoughtfulness 

 and freedom from that peculiar disease commonly termed 

 "swelled head." George rode Strathmeath and won the 

 great American Derby with him. After the race, in which 

 thousands of dollars were won and by which Covington's 

 store was greatly added to, he split the kindling and made 

 the fire to heat the water for the purpose of cooling the 

 horse out. In England Alex, distinguished himself, and is 

 also a trainer and owner. 



John Spillman was a noted jockey of his day and was 

 very popular. He was killed in a fight in the East and a 

 great career was cut short. 



William Martin is now too heavy to ride, but only a few 

 years ago he stood among the best. He has always been 

 noted for his cool judgment and good generalship. In San 

 Francisco he scored his greatest triumphs and won thou- 

 sands of dollars. Unlike most jockeys, he saved his money 

 and is now comfortably fixed. 



Of course, the mighty James Todhunter Sloan must not 

 be forgotten. He came from a little town in Indiana. His 

 brother, Cash Sloan, was in St. Louis, riding, and Tod ran 

 away from his adopted parents and went to Missouri. 

 There his first engagement was as cook for Col. Johnson, 

 who owned Jim Douglas. Afterward he became an exercise 

 boy. After the hardest kind of a struggle he fought his way 

 up, and after a time he was considered good enough to ride 

 at the old Southside outlaw track. Then he branched out 

 and climbed to the highest pinnacle of pigskin fame. When 

 fortune smiled upon him and when he was worth thousands 

 he returned in truly regal style and made his foster parents 



