1883-11-05yy

During a Saturday night in November, a number of Hamilton’s sporting fraternity gathered at a downtown hotel. One of their number had a sure fire get rich scheme which he wanted to promote.

A reporter from the Spectator was present and he shared the following account of what transpired:

“There is an individual in this city whose brain teems with ideas for the instant accumulation of am amount of money that would place him in the list of the millionaires of this continent. Up to date, his schemes have not proved successful, and yet he persists in believing that the ripe cherry does not hang too high for his reach. On Saturday night he arranged a meeting with a number of the sporting men in this city in one of the hotels, and breached a scheme, which was hailed with apparently unqualified delight by those who were to be enriched at the issue. A room was secured and a chair taken by the illustrious individual. Then the diabolical scheme was unfolded, and here it is : A company was to be formed and $3,000 capital raised at once. The originator of the dark deed was to pocket this sum of money, buy a ticket to Texas, and arrived there, he was to purchase 110 mustangs and bring them to Hamilton. Here they were to be thrown on the market, in the hopes that a confiding public would eagerly snatch the chance to buy a horse that could be ridden like the old-time velocipeds – with one’s feet paddling along the ground. The little animals were to be transported in two cars – and yes, they say sardine packers are cruel. The best part of the scheme was presented at the last – the agent was to have all his expenses paid, and secure one-seventh of the profits, and this without subscribing a cent to the enterprise.

“At this point in the proceedings, a man entered the room, drew a wheel from under his arm, threw a roll of bills on the table, and called play. The chairman could not find an ear in the assembly, and waxed impatient. No one would play, but wanted to see money change hands. The interruption was removed, and the schemer again became loquacious. A member of the assembly excited interest in the scheme by proposing to send an agent to Texas, empowered to lasso the first animal approaching in appearance to the mustang, and take the trail to Canada, meanwhile leading the captive. On the road, sympathizing mustangs would join their enslaved brother, and accompany him to the foreign land. By this means, probably, a thousand mustangs would be brought to Hamilton, and at a cost that a few newsboys could cover.

“Another member then drew a poker deck from his pocket, and made ready to deal. The attention of everyone in the room was drawn to the propsed game.

“Then a man rushed into the room and yelled that the Salvation Army and the police were fighting a big battle on the Market square, and the wounded were being carted off by the dozens. The room held but one occupant the next moment, and that lonely person was he who wanted to buy mustangs, and take one-seventh of the profits. The scheme busted. “¹

¹“Saturday Night Fun : A Meeting of a Number of Sports : With Designs on the Freedom of the Festive Mustang, Which Roams the Plains of Texas, and What Came of It’

Hamilton Spectator.    November 5, 1883