252 



H 1 S T E Y F H E R E F i; ],) CATTLE 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Cattle Frauds — Comparative Treatment in England and America 



(^ 157) Taking the general proposition 

 that the Shorthorns won the sweepstakes in 

 both 1879 and 1880, it would carry much weight 

 for the breed if none of the facts in connection 

 with it were known, but when the age and 

 breeding of the winning animal is made a mat- 

 ter of record it will modify very much the 

 credit to be given for this award. 



The sweepstakes steer at Chicago Fat Stock 

 Show for 1879 was shown as a three-year-old 

 thoroughbred Shorthorn and called "Nichols." 

 It appeared later from a statement from Mr. 

 J. W. Prescott, of North Middletown, Ky., in 

 the "National Live Stock Journal," that he was 

 the get of a bull without pedigree, or known 

 descent, costing $40 at eighteen months old and 

 out of a grade cow. The steer was sold October 

 3, '78, weighing 1,464 pounds, and said to be, 

 at that time, three years old. He was shown 

 in November, '79, as being dropped March 15, 

 '76, in the three-year-old class, weighing 2,060 

 pounds, as a thoroughbred Shorthorn. 



This steer won in three-year-old class of 

 thoroughbred Shorthorns, in the sweepstakes 

 ring for three-year-olds, the best of any breed, 

 and for the best beast in the show of any age or 

 breed, and the "National Live Stock Journal" 

 cup. 



In three-year-old classes he was not entitled 

 to show, and the question would turn upon his 

 merit, considering his age, as to whether he was 

 entitled to the awards as the best beast in the 

 show. As a three-year-old, he would be entitled 

 to the first place considering his maturity and 

 ripeness, but being a four-year-old he was not 

 entitled to the first place in either class. 



This Kentucky steer Nichols, shown at the 

 Fat Stock Show in 1879 as a thoroughbred 

 Shorthorn, three-year-old, taking the first prize 

 in his class, taking the sweepstakes prize for the 

 best three-year-old of any breed, and taking the 

 champion prize as the best beast in the show, 

 was shown in 1880 as a grade Shorthorn, four 

 years old (11158). 



So far as we are informed, these awards stand 

 without a challenge or question by the Illinois 

 State Board of Agriculture with the following 

 testimony on record : 



J. W. Prescott sold this steer to Mr. Daniel 



Nichols, October 3, 1878, weight, 1,464 lbs., 

 and as about two years and a half old. The 

 steer was bred "by Mrs. Mary E. Grimes, now 

 Mrs. Prescott. When Mr. Prescott told his wife 

 what age he had given, she then told him that 

 the steer was a three-year-old. (^ 159) 



On the show ground in 1880, Doctor Paaren 

 examined his mouth, with other parties, and 

 pronounced the steer, from such examination, 

 to be nearer six years old than five years old. 

 When he was exhibited as a three-year-old 

 thoroughbred he was called by the exhibitor a 

 "Young Mary," but when pressed to show his 

 pedigree, the breeders' certificate simply stated 

 that he was a thoroughbred, got by a Shorthorn 

 bull out of a "Seventeen cow." This breeder's 

 certificate was probably (\\ 160) from Mr. 

 Nichols, who never bred him at all, and the 

 statement that he was a "Young Mary'" steer 

 was made by Mr. Graves, the exhibitor of the 

 steer in 1879. 



This is substantially the record of the steer 

 as revealed by apparently reliable testimony. 

 On this record the steer had no right on the 

 show ground in 1879 or 1880, as we will en- 

 deavor to show. 



His first winning in 1879 was as a three- 

 year-old thoroughbred; he was a four-year-old 

 and a grade. 



His second winning was in the sweepstakes, 

 he being four years old, his competitor three 

 years old. He had no right in this class. 



His third winning was in the grand sweep- 

 stakes for best animal in the show. In this 

 class any age or breed had a right to show. Had 

 this steer been a three-year-old of his weight 

 and finish the award might have bffen properly 

 made, but being a four-year-old, weighing 2,060 

 pounds, the probabilities are that if shown at 

 his proper age he would not have won. But 

 having shown under a misrepresentation, as to 

 breeding and age, he had no right to his win- 

 nings of 1879. This being true, the first pre- 

 mium given to him as the best three-year-old 

 thoroughbred Shorthorn should have heen taken 

 from him and given to John B. Sherman for 

 "Eddie Morris," or to F. W. Hunt, for "Thad 

 Stevens," and the grand sweepstakes should 

 have been taken from him and placed on some 



