Events in Career of Sir Joseph Hawley, Daily Racing Form, 1916-12-23

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EVENTS IN CAREER OF SIR JOSEPH HAWLEY. The return to the English turf of the noted colors of Sir Joseph Hawley, which will be carried by the horses of his nephew. General Lord Blythswood, has revived many interesting stories of the career of Sir Joseph, and it was full of incidents. In those days men bet in earnest, as one writer recalls. On the Derby won for Sir Joseph Hawley by Teddington, in 1851, Davis, the "leviathan" bookmaker, ass he was called, paid out over 100.000 sovereigns on the Monday after the race, besides having sent Mr. Charles Greville a check for 15,000 pounds the day after the race in order "to prevent gossip." Job Marson, who rode Teddington, had his share in the days luck, for Sir Joseph Hawley made him a present of 2,000 sovereigns, to which another 1.000 sovereigns were added by other fortunate backers of the sou of Orlando. A handsome present indeed for a jockey to receive, but surpassed by far when Sir Joseph Hawley presented the whole of the stake money 5,000 sovereigns to Wells after he had won the Derby on Blue Gown A sensational Derby that was. Three of the runners, Blue Gown. Green Sleeves and Rosicrueian, belonged to Sir Joseph Hawley, who declared to win with either Green Sleeves or Rosicrueian in preference to Blue Gown. But in spite of the declaration the betting returns were: 7 to 2 Blue Gown, 25 to 1 Green Sleeves. 30 to 1 Rosicrueian. Lady Elizabeth, 7 to 1, -was favorite, but, as we know, Blue Gown won. Then then; was the prosecution of Dr. Short-house for a libel published in The Sporting Times in 1809. Hot, indeed, was the libel. Here is a specimen: "Sir Joseph Scratchawley might, if he chose, get drunk every night out of a different cup won by the representatives of his stables: and yet his soul craves for something more. The noble ambition of carrying off a coveted prize, or of leading back to the scale the winner of the Blue Riband has already begun to pall upon his satiated feelings, and he casts a longing eye on the gate money, milk cars and the corpses of the boiled, the stiff, and the dead that taint the atmosphere of the ring." The libel was not written by Dr. Shortliouse, nor did lie know until too late that it had appeared in print, but he accepted full responsibility, with the result that he was fined fifty sovereigns and sent to prison as a first-class misdemeanant for three months. Dr. Shortliouse had meantime written a full and ample apology to Sir Joseph. This apology was written 011 "office" paper, headed with the "device," of the good old Sporting Times. When the apology was called for in court, counsel, instead of beginning to read the apology itself, said: "Here is the apology, High Toryism, High Churchism, High Farming und old port for ever. " But the uproarious laughter which followed the reading of this preface to the apology did not prevent the committal of the doctor. It should be added that Sir Joseph spared no effort to secure mitigation of the sentence passed on the editor of The Sporting Times, and it is pleasant to be able to add that, going to Epsom after his release, Dr. Shortliouse went up to Sir Joseph saying: "I admire you, sir; no man in England but yourself would have hud the courage to prosecute me. Let us shake hands." "Very pleased indeed to do so," replied the Baronet, and, as John Porter says, "they were good friends ever afterwards." John Porter was, by the way, barely twenty-five years of age when he became trainer for Sir Joseph Hawley in 1803.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1916122301/drf1916122301_1_8
Local Identifier: drf1916122301_1_8
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800