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WHOLE TURF WORLD MOURNS Canada Loses Its Greatest Turfman in Death of J. E. Seagram. i History of the Man, as Turf Leader, Breeder, Owner and True Sportsman. WATERLOO, Out., August 20. The funeral of "Waterloos chief citizen ami benefactor took place this afternoon at 2 oclock, when the remains of the late Joseph E. Seagram,- Camillas greatest turfman anil lireeiler, were laid to rest in Mount Hope Cemetery. The services were lielil at St; Saviours Angelican Church, and were conducted by the rector, Rev. Mr. Harding, who delivered an eloquent sermon, after which the funeral cortege, followed by a large concourse of sorrowing relatives, friends and acquaintances, proceeded to tin: cemetery. The pallbearers were W. 1. Fraser, Toronto; Charles Warnerk, Gait; William Carthow anil Simon Bricker, Waterloo; J. M. Scully and Dr. Cline, Kitchener. Messages of condolence have been reaching here from all parts of the world, Mr. Seagram having been widely known wherever the thoroughbred and the sport of racing are known. Among the beautiful floral offerings which were evidence of the great esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held we7esiTcrosfr5lir"tlie",T!ct6r and congregation of St. Saviours Church, Waterloo; Ontario Jockey Club, a wreath; Canadian Racing Associations, wreath; Hamilton Jockey Club, wreath; Canadian Thoroughbred Ilorse Breeders Association, wreath; Waterloo Bowling Club, horseshoe; Floral chair from employes, red cross from 3 lira n Walker and son, Walkerville; wreath from farm employes, sheaf from W. P. Fraser, Toronto; harp from the Kuntz Brewing Company, Waterloo; sheaf from the Economical Fire Insurance Company, Kitchener; wreath from the Waterloo Musical Society, wreatli from the Kitchener and Waterloo Jiospitat and wreath from Tlios. T. Hauburn, Brampton. Among those from out of town were Col. I. W. Smith, Toronto; Henry Wright, Toronto, :ind George Haines, Owen Sound. BY FRANCIS NELSON. Known as Mr. Seagram was throughout Canaffa as our most extensive breeder and owner of thoroughbred horses, there was, nevertheless among a later generation largely a vague impression tiiat this was something in the way of business and entered on with an eye to its advertising value. Such an assumption was doubly misleading to those -who held it. It was wrong as to the fact, and involved an absolute misconception of the type of man t-oncerned. Mr. Seagram was, to use what is called an Irishism, a horseman before lie was a man at all. His interests in mans friend and servant goes back a long way. It was signified in a positive manner when lie was a boy at school. Still a minor, and his affairs in the hands of a guardian, he was so keen in Iiis interest that lie bought his first horse in conjunction with the late Francis Lowell of Gait, one of lie best known Ontario horsemen of a half century ago. Being a minor himself, and perhaps not anxious to be known at that age as the owner of race horses, his name did not appear in the .transaction, and entries were made in the name of "Mr. Lowell. Thus, instead of seizing on the Queens "Plate to exploit himself when established in business, Mr. Seagram was actually an owner for some aime before the year 1SG0, before the first Plate -mis run or thought of as a fixed event. He was si racing man for the love of it; for the pleasure of intellect .that the study of the history of the thoroughbred afforded him; for the satisfaction of seeing the working out of his breeding plans and operations in the winning of races by animals of his own -.production; for the inducement it held out to him 3n the way of the health accompanying outdoor pursuits; for the delights of meeting old friends and making new ones under congenial circumstonces. lie was a horseman and a racing man for the hundred things that make a turf career enjoyble, not for the sake of pecuniary profit, direct or indirect. He put his case not long ago in these words: "They destroyed my business, and now they are taking away my pleasure the breeding and racing of horses." AUTHORITY ON THOROUGHBRED HORSE. .Mr. Seagram was well equipped, too, for a leading position on the turf. A man of wide reading on. many subjects, versed in public affairs, strong in his convictions and generous in temperament, he had a capacity for clear thinking and sound Judgment that impressed all who sat at the same board with him. whether the board were concerned with affairs of business or siwrt. He gave to turf affairs the close attention tiiat he could not disassociate from his work in any field of his many activities. On the subject of the thoroughbred horse Jfew men in America were better informed or had Continued on second page. ; WHOLE TURF WORLD MOURNS Continued from first page. a more intelligent view of his breeding, his history and his place in the equine world. Not all of Mr. Seagram4s admirable qualities and qualifications were exposed to the great majority even of those who knew him. Indeed, few knew him intimately enough to have these things displayed for their enjoyment. Born though he was in Ontario, lie was a typical Englishman in the reti-. ccncc, insularity and solf-dcpreciation that caused him to appear as not possessing qualities that would have earned him the still greater appreciation of his friends and the public. He was really an able speaker in public, but as soon as he realized that he was interesting an audience he was constrained by his innate modesty to immediately cut short Ins discourse. Under an assumed gruff-ness of manner he concealed, not at all successfully, a consideration and a generosity of the highest caliber, and the bulk of his good and kind deeds will never be known, because he was embarrassed by any reference to them, and brushed them over as trifles. CANADIAN BREEDING INDUSTRY BENEFITED, The influence of the man and the establishment he maintained at Waterloo were for the incalculable benefit of the Canadian breeding industry, and products of the Waterloo Stud arc scattered all over the Dominion, from the western ranches to the maritime provinces. Horses of his breeding are winning races for other owners in the States, where his own colt, Doleful, second in this years Kings Plate, won two good races only a week ago. It was not uncommon for him to have a hundred, head of thoroiighbreds at the farm at one time, and the establishment was maintained on a scale seldom seen outside of England. The turf history of Mr. Seagram is the history of the Canadian turf during his years of activity. He won the Queens Plate first in 1S91, twenty-eight years ago, witli Victorious, having been second two years previous with Bonnie Ino to Colonist. "The Terror colt" was of old-fashioned Canadian blowl, but he was followed by two winners ODonohoo and Martello that were only foaled and raised here, Mr. Seagram having lcgun a few years before to strengthen his blood lines by the importation of good Enslish marcs. This policy he followed for a long period with great resultant benefit to the horse industry of the country. His unbroken string of successes for many years in the most coveted prizes of the Canadian turf was not the koutcome of luck. It was brought about by the intelligent application of his resources in producing more and better horses and engaging the best available training and riding talent. HIS SUCCESS IN THE KINGS PLATE. For eight successive years the black and yellow jacket of the master of Waterloo came home in front, and it was not till Butter Scotch won for the late Mr. Hendrie in 1S99 that the run was broken. It was renewed for the two following years, and the list was steadily added to in spite of occasional interruptions until, following Scis-mics victory in 1908 he was the thirteenth-there came a series of seven lean years. The fortune that had so long smiled had only frowns, and not only did the Seagram horses not win, but frequently failed to get even a second place. This was a great fall from the proud position of the past, but a "comeback" was due, and in 191G not only Mandarin, the winner, carried the Seagram. colors, but also did the two other placed horses Gala Water and Gala Day. The next year Belle Mahone scored the fifteenth and last victory for Mr. Seagram in the Plate. The Waterloo horses, of course, won many othpr races than the Plate, at home and abroad, as they raced both in New York and Chicago with great success before the increased number of tracks in Canada gave them a seasons opportunity at home. Other horses than Platers made the Canadian owners name respected here and abroad. Such animals as Saragossa, Morpheus, Inferno, Tactician, Satirist, Stonemason, Halfling, Bouquet, Marauder, Martyrdom, Havoc, Tragedian, Princess Flavia, Connoisseur, Objection and Joe Miller may hot have been great horses the truly great are few but they were frequent winners, and they certainly were great public favorites. Successful trainers, whose work will always be associated with the Seagram colors, were John K. Walker and the late Charles Boyle, while Harry Blaylock and Harry Lewis were two of the most noted riders in the Seagram livery for a long time. Mr. Seagram was president of the Ontario Jockey Club since 1900, succeeding the late Mr. William Hendrie, though lie had been on the board of the club from 1S98. He was chairman of the Canadian Racing Associations since the organization of that body, and he was an honorary member of "the most exclusive club in Europe," the English Jockey Club.
