251

"Repeating my statement that our offer was
made in good faith, and affirming that the offer
remains good, providing the request contained in
this letter can be complied with. I beg to sign
myself, very truly yours, "NATE SALSBURY.

"P.S.--I inclose you herewith a copy of the
laws of the State of Illinois, governing matters
of this kind, so that you can see for yourself the
Humane Society is making no idle threats, but
as power under the law to greatly interfere
with your plans."

Humane Society Acts.

No official word having been received from
Chadron within a reasonable time, the Illinois
Humane Society thereupon undertook the charge
of the case, and asked the co-operation of certain
of its sister societies, in either its abatement
or its control. The Minneapolis Humane
Society immediately and adequately responded
and Messrs. Paul Fontaine, secretary, and W.W.
Tatro, chief agent, came to Chicago to assist.
Messrs. Fontaine and Tatro, who had had
come correspondence with Mr. Weir, were
when upon consultation detailed to meet
the cowboys and their committee at
Chadron, carrying a letter from the
Illinois Humane Society to them; and Officers
little and Williams were sent forward to the
Mississippi to arrange what should be necessary
its possible crossings. Two others officers of
the Illinois Humane Society were detailed to
Freeport and DeKalb in this State, and two
others to the city limits. It was determined
that no cruelty should be permitted
within this State or the State of Iowa,
which latter State the Sioux City
Humane Society actively assisted and Governor
Boles acceded to the petition of the Illinois Humane
Society, and issued instructions to all
peace officers of the State to see that the laws
against cruelty were enforced. Governor Altgeld,
of Illinois, on similar request issued a substantially
similar proclamation. We did not believe
it possible, not withstanding the foolish assertions
and published threats of an alleged cowboy
that any such amd race as was announced
would be attempted, but it was our duty to be
prepared for it, and we were prepared.

Carrying the greeting of the Illinois Humane
Society to the Chadron committee, Messrs.
Fontaine and Tatro found many sympathizing
friends there, and, as is usual, also found that
the devil was not quite so black as he had been
painted. The committee agreed that the Humane
Society should supervise the race, and, where
cruelty should be perceptible, interfere; and
further that its orders should be obeyed, and its
advice followed in the treatment of the animals,
so convinced were the cowboys of the fairness
and friendliness of the society.

The substantial control of cruelty in the race
being thus assured, the men started from Chadron
in company of the humane officers in the
late afternoon of the 13th of June, ten contestants
and nineteen horses; each man but one
riding one and leading another horse, according
to the rules of the race.

How They Were Watched.

To recount the details of the succeeding days
would be tedious, and as they are matters of
record in the Illinois and Minneapolis societies
offices, it will suffice to say that a careful watch
and examination of every arrival and departure
of every horse at and from all registering
stations from starting point to goal was
made; one officer seeing the last man leave the
one station, and another seeing the first arrive
at the next. One detail of the Illinois Humane
Society officers meeting the men at Dubuque
Ia., where the entered Illinois; another detail
was added, meeting them at Freeport, and still
another added at De Kalb, whence, it was assumed,
the race would present, if at all, its
cruelest features. Several cautions and warnings
were given by the officers from time to
time where any sign of overuse occurred; several
horses were, at various points, ordered out
of the race, and all directions were complied with
by the contestants with but one exception--
Stephens, who was afterward overhauled and
corrected.

Berry, the first rider, arrived at the Wild
West show grounds about half past 9 o'clock a.m.,
on the 27th of June, his horse tired, but
in good condition, having covered the whole distance
without a substitute. The president and
three officers of the Illinois and two of the
Minneapolis Humane societies were present. The
other riders appeared later, arriving at different
times, on the same day and on the two days succeeding,
28th and 29th. Stephens was the last to
arrive. All the horses were examined by the
Illinois and Minneapolis Humane societies
as they arrived, the Illinois society also having
two veterinary surgeons upon the ground to make
medical examinations, which were made in each
case, not only at the time but on the succeeding
days. Every assistance was rendered by
Colonels Cody and Salsbury to the Humane Society.
All the horses arrived in good condition,
and without evidence of any cruelty that would
be held to be a violation of the statutes. Resting
and feeding en route were done, as a rule,
between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and between 10
a.m. and 3 p.m; light feeding at
other times also. Stephens was reported
on the 2 h after the trace was
practically ended, as having been abusive to his
animal at DeKalb. Two officers of the Illinois
Humane Society were immediately detailed to
proceed to find him, and, if charges were found
to be true, to arrest and prosecute; but the
officers found him riding quietly in and without
any evidence of cruelty visible, the officers, unknown
to him, following him into the goal.

The officers report much ignorance on the part
of the so-called veterinary surgeons all along
the route, except at Sioux City and Iowa Falls,
in which places competent veterinaries were
found. Opinions were given by the charlatans
referred to of the condition of horses that were
discredited by our officers, and afterwards disapproved.
The observations and judgment of
many good horsemen were secured by the officers
throughout the journey. These notes tend
to show the care exercised by the officers.

Acknowledgment is made of the able and
wise services of Secretary Fontaine and Officer
Tatro of the Minneapolis society and of Officers
Little, Williams, Nolan, Dean, Sylvester, and
Snowden of the Illinois Humane Society. The
press of Chicago, and indeed the leading papers
of the country, have been particularly clear,
humane, and helpful; they have made the work
undertaken by the Illinois Humane Society a
compartively easy task. Thanks are due and
respectfully tendered to the Governors of Iowa
(Mr. Boles) and of Illinois (Mr. Altgeld) for
their timely official interpositions.

Finally the nation is to be congratulated upon
so universal and expression of execration of such
cruelty as was promsied at the beginning of this
madcap, foolish proposition of a 1,000-mile race
in mid-June over our hot prairies without a possible
result of the least vlaue, and upon its
prompt and unmistakable determination to repress
it; that was worth all it cost. And the
cowboys themselves thanked for their ready
and adequate response to the Humane Society's
appeal to them for fair play toward their faithful
horses and their cheerful acquiescence in and
obedience to the law. JOHN G. SHORTALL,

President American Humane Association
Chicago, July 1.

"Repeating my statement that our offer was made in good faith, and affirming that the offer remains good, providing the request contained in this letter can be complied with. I beg to sign myself, very truly yours, "NATE SALSBURY. "P.S.--I inclose you herewith a copy of the [?] of the State of Illinois, governing matter of this kind, so that you can see for yourself the Humane Society is making no idle threats, but as power under the law to greatly interfere with your plans."

Humane Society Acts.

No official word having been received from Chadron within a reasonable time, the Illinois Humane Society thereupon undertook the charge of the case, and asked the co-operation of certain of its sister societies, in either its abatement or its control. The Minneapolis Humane Society immediately and adequately responded and Messrs. Paul Fontaine, secretary, and W.W. [?], chief agent, came to Chicago to assist. [?] Fontaine and Tatro, who had had come correspondence with Mr. Weir, were when upon consultation detailed to meet the cowboys and their committee at Chadron, carrying a letter from the Illinois Humane Society to them; and Officers little and Williams were sent forward to the Mississippi to arrange what should be necessary its possible crossings. Two others officers of the Illinois Humane Society were detailed to Freeport and DeKalb in this State, and two others to the city limits. It was determined that no cruelty should be permitted within this State or the State of Iowa, which latter State the Sioux City Humane Society actively assisted and Governor Boles acceded to the petition of the Illinois Humane Society, and issued instructions to all peace officers of the State to see that the laws against cruelty were enforced. Governor Altgeld, of Illinois, on similar request issued a substantially similar proclamation. We did not believe it possible, not withstanding the foolish assertions and published threats of an alleged cowboy that any such amd race as was announced would be attempted, but it was our duty to be prepared for it, and we were prepared.

Carrying the greeting of the Illinois Humane Society to the Chadron committee, Messrs. Fontaine and Tatro found many sympathizing friends there, and, as is usual, also found out the devil was not quite so black as he had been painted. The committee agreed that the Humane Society should supervise the race, and, where cruelty should be perceptible, interfere; and further that its orders should be obeyed, and its advice followed in the treatment of the animals, so convinced were the cowboys of the fairness and friendliness of the society.

The substantial control of cruelty in the race being thus assured, the men started from Chadron in company of the humane officers in the late afternoon of the 13th of June, ten contestants and nineteen horses; each man but one riding one and leading another horse, according to the rules of the race.

How They Were Watched.

To recount the details of the succeeding days would be tedious, and as they are matters of record in the Illinois and Minneapolis societies offices, it will suffice to say that a careful watch and examination of every arrival and departure of every horse at and from all registering stations from starting point to goal was made; one officer seeing the last man leave the one station, and another seeing the first arrive at the next. One detail of the Illinois Humane Society officers meeting the men at Dubuque Ia., where the entered Illinois; another detail was added, meeting them at Freeport, and still another added at De Kalb, whence, it was assumed, the race would present, if at all, its cruelest features. Several cautions and warnings were given by the officers from time to time where any sign of overuse occurred; several horses were, at various points, ordered out of the race, and all directions were complied with by the contestants with but one exception--Stephens, who was afterward overhauled and corrected.

Berry, the first rider, arrived at the Wild West show grounds about half past 9 o'clock a.m., on the 27th of June, his horse tired, but in good condition, having covered the whole distance without a substitute. The president and three officers of the Illinois and two of the Minneapolis Humane societies were present. The other riders appeared later, arriving at different times, on the same day and on the two days succeeding, 28th and 29th. Stephens was the last to arrive. All the horses were examined by the Illinois and Minneapolis Humane societies as they arrived, the Illinois society also having two veterinary surgeons upon the gorund to make medical examinations, which were made in each case, not only at the time but on the succeeding days. Every assistance was rendered by Colonels Cody and Salsbury to the Humane Society. All the horses arrived in good condition, and without evidence of any cruelty hthat would be held to be a violation of the statutes. Resting and feeding en route were done, as a rule, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m; light feeding at other times also. Stephens was reported on the [?] after the trace was practically ended, as having been abusive to his animal at DeKalb. Two officers of the Illinois Humane Society were immediately detailed to proceed to find him, and, if charges were found to be true, to arrest and prosecute; but the officers found him riding quietly in and without any evidence of cruelty visible, the officers, unknown to him, following him into the goal.

The officers report much ignorance on the part of the so-called veterinary surgeons all along the route, except at Sioux City and Iowa Falls, in which places competent veterinaries were found. Opinions were given by the charlatans referred to of the condition of horses that were discredited by our officers, and afterwards disapproved. The observations and judgment of many good horsemen were secured by the officers throughout the journey. These ntoes tend to show the care exercised by the officers.

Acknowledgment is made of the able and wise services of Secretary Fontaine and Officer Tatro of the Minneapolis society and of Officers Little, Williams, Nolan, Dean, Sylvester, and Snowden of the Illinois Humane Society. The press of Chicago, and indeed the leading papers of the country, have been particularly clear, humane, and helpful; they have made the work undertaken by the Illinois Humane Society a compartively easy task. Thanks are due and respectfully tendered to the Governors of Iowa (Mr. Boles) and of Illinois (Mr. Altgeld) for their timely official interpositions.

Finally the nation is to be congratulated upon so universal and expression of execration of such cruelty as was promsied at the beginning of this madcap, foolish proposition of a 1,000-mile race in mid-June over our hot prairies without a possible result of the least vlaue, and upon its prompt and unmistakable determinationto repress it; that was worth all it cost. And the cowboys themselves thanked for their ready and adequate response to the Humane Society's appeal to them for fair play toward their faithful horses and their cheerful acquiescence in and obedience to the law. JOHN G. SHORTALL,

President American Humane Association Chicago, July 1.