Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-06-18

puglllsm. That man was one oil the
most exemplary of law.abiding San Fran.
ciscans in '49. Those dreadful fists were
never used save to restore order"
The person alluded 10 in the above an
eodote is, we presume, Christopher Lilly,
the pugilist--popularly known as Chris.
Lilly. No doubt the description Of his
personal appearance as above given,
would. if mentioned in novel in connec-
iion with such feat, or given as a por-
trait of prize-fghter, be considered un-
natural, and violation of even possibil.
| ity. And yet, though it does not agree
entirely with reminiscence we happen
to have Of the personal appearance Of
this same Chris. Lilly,it is sufficiently
accurate, and making allowance for the
difference of eyes, no doubt faithful
description Of the prgilist as he appeared
to the writer. II was in a daguerreotype
room, somewhere about the year 1916 or
az, that we came upon the notorious
gladiator. He was small, slight, 1.-the,
and beautifully formed with an erect
carriage, u light and sprlnging step, a
fine head borne somewhat haughtily, and
a general appearance Of aristocratic high.
breeding, which the French would call
distingue His garb, which was that of
the conventional gentleman, and very
plain and tasteful, materially assisted his
impression. He wore black frock coat,
buitoned, which set off the small waist and
well-rounded chest to advantage. The
hands were small and gloved, the feet
slender and also small. He wore cap
which, Of course, prevented any observa-
ton of his forehead, but did not conceal
head of dark, crisped curls--the true
"lyacinth hair" Of the Greek. The face
was oval in form, pale, self-possessed and
calm; the eyes we're dark, soft, yet quick
and penetrant the norstrils sensitive !;
the lips thin, curved, and proud; the chin
round end firm; a slight moustache was
the only trace Of beard. The whole face
and figure were those of a noticeably
handsome man, and singularly enough
there was an air of almost feminine re.
lfinement about the entire person, mani.
/. tested not only in the graceful garb he
wore, but in his graceful and erect de.
meanor. A suggestion of efeminacy
which the smallness and elegance of the
figure conveyed, was strangely mixed
with sense that that slender frame was
compacted Of muscles and sinews like
tempered STEEL and that its possessor was
not person to brook aggression. We
we're looking at him with the pleased in
terest which handsome person always
inspires, not knowing who he was, when
Young man, connected with the estab-
4 lishment, whispered his name in our ear.
OF course, our interest was changed to
J amazemen; when We learned that this
slender gentleman before us with his gal
> liant and graceful bearing, was none 9th.
err than the notorious Chris. Lilly, who
as the writer in Putnam truly states, had
killed his man In one of the bloodiest and
! cruellest of all bloody and cruel prize
: fights.
Our own remembrance Of his appear.
/, ance differs slightly---chiefy in regard
TO the alledged pensiveness of air, which
{ we rather iemember as hauteur-fron
the account given in Putnam; but any
, person who has seen him can say
: which impression is nearest the truth
: Why man of his personal appearance
3 and seeming gentilily should have fellow
: SHIPPED with prize-fghters, and sought NJ
5 other distinction than that of a gladiator
Il is not permitted us to know. Nevel
{ were a mans profession and habits ap
? parenlIy more belied by his aspect an'
1 demeanor. We would give much 10 hay,
il known him, and known what manner o
o man he was. The horrid fact Of hi
2 prize lighting would seem 10 tell agains
2 him, and stamp him as low and bruta
: fellow and yet how much excellence o
/; character the incident above related dis
7, closes! II shows him gentle, patient. en-
e during, bearing insult and outrage with
d on, resentment, charitably counting hi
2 coarse assailant's .ugly manners as hi
}, misfortune" and only springing 70 actio
Y when his life was menanced then, wit
II rare magnanimity, and a forbearanc
l. which even in that hot moment was NJ
= exhausted, simply contentiug himself wit
d knocking his enemy down-staking hi
e unarmed fist against the red-ehances c
e the bowie.knife--and finally, after havin
hogged the fight out of the fierce bully
IS assisted him to his feet with the same lii
a tie lady.like hand which but few mir
! utes before had wrought the repeate
4 overthrow, a, the same time kindly an
quietly admonished him Of his folly !
addition to which, we read that in mi
q lawless and desperate community he Wa
J, an exemplary and lawabiding citizen, an
~ that 'those dreadful fists were never use
H
i. save 10 restore order,
is After all, perhaps he was net E 'ba
St fellow His prize-hgh,ihg and gamblini
1. which we Justly count e1eerable, wei
Of probably not execrable to him. sin col