Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-12-06
"REMINISCENCES OF THOs. EWING.
His Excellence in Athletic Sports.

His Excellence in Athletic Sports.
A correspondent of the Ohio State
Journal writes
"I was born in the old village oi
! Franklinton, which was the seat o1
Justice for Franklin county until 1926
| or '26. In my boyhood T was a fre
quent attendant in the old Court House
was often gathered the best legal tai
ent of the state.
g I well recollect the first time saw
| Thomas Ewing, then young lawyer,
not yethaving much business or max
/ ing much Of mark [ was struck
| with his large head, and generally
massive and muscular, but rather awk-
ward build. It was summer-t time. and
the court had adjourned early in the
afternoon. Several of the lawyers re
mained, and the conversation turned
upon athletic exercises and feats OF
strength. Among those present was
Joe Mcdowell, brother Of Abram and
| John.
He declared that he was so swift OF
foot that he had never been beaten in a
race of one hundred yards, and he be-
| lieved he could not be beaten, and Of
fered to bet ten dollars he could beat
any one in the crowd. Finally Orris
Parrish took him up, and they went
out on the green. It was not yet de
termined who was to be McDowelfs IS
competitor but when the ground was
measured of, Mr.. Ewing, who had ta-
ken but little part in the conversation,
and whose demeanor had been very
modest and retiring, offered himself to
run the race, and to the surprise of all
for none supposed he could run
Judges and shareholders were appoint
ed, and Twill never forget the CLEAN of
Ewing's eye or his air of resolution as
he stripped off coat, vest and shoes,
and took his place. The word go was
given, and the young athletes sprang
off with an even start; soon,
however, Ewing began to gain and
came to the winning post well ahead of
Mcdowell, who was so chagrined at the
result that he began to find excuses,
and said he had tripped and stumbled
or otherwise he would have won.
Ewing smiled and said: We'll, if you
are not satisfied let US try again. They
did run again, and Mcdowell was
beaten worse than before. Other
sports and trials were made. Standing
jumps, running jumps, shouldering
stones, throwing the axe and the maui,
in all which Mr.. Ewing proved his SUI
periority, and finally the high jump
over a stretched string was tried Mr..
Ewing made no attempt at this, until
Mr. Mcdowell, who proved the best,
challenged him to beat that. Ewing
| replied, Well, let us see your best.
and when Mcdowell was done, Ewing
put the string four inches higher, and,
stepping back few feet, came at il
with curious sidelong swing and mo-
ton, and over he went amid the cheers
of the cre wd.
'ESone twenty years ago, when serv-
ing on the City School Board with Viii
liam Long, we were one evening wait
ing for quorum when our conversation
ranged over some of the men and incl
dents of our early settlement. Said
Mr.. Long, It was, [ think, somewhere
about 1914, when I was chunk of g
boy, that my father sent me in search
of some horses that had strayed away
We were then living in Ross county,
and | had gone up into the eastern
edge of Pickaway, looking in the rich
range of that region for the missing
| horses, when crossing one OF the natur
al grassy prairies and listening for the
sound of the horses bell, which was
familiar to me, found coW-bel In my
path which fastened to my body anc
amused myself with its clatter as I went
Il vvoIS 8
man coming in direction that would
soon intercept my path. As we ap
preached [ noticed he was dressed IN &
hunting shirt and buckskin breeches,
and intently reading book. AS we
met he stopped suddenly, and thrust
ing the book into the bosom of his
shirt, he said abruptly, "Where die
you get that bell 2" / found it bach
here "Weu," !" said he, 1t is my bel
and mean to have it," / replied, i
you are stronger than l am you car
get it. He Immediately seized mt
with hug like bear and attempted
to crush me down. I was strong, act
i've and wiry far beyond my looks, ane
after a severe tussle he suddenly let m'
go, and breaking into a hearty laugh
! Sd1u, iOu are IL DGlpCI LhclI olIcli Il WIZ
you for; what is your name?' re
piled, my name is William Long-wha
is your name? 'sTom Ewing is m.
name, !" was the reply
He inquired the way to the Sciot'
salt-works, and after few minutes
conversation we parted, he pulling ou
his book and reading, and rejoicing
IN the clatter of my eow-bell. Our mex
meeting was in the Court House IL
Franklinton years afterward, where
had been summoned as a juror.
Il mention these incidents now,
trust, without impropriety, for I be
lieve it was the early physical training
which Mr.. Ewing received that enabled
him not only to compete successfully
in all athletic sports, but gave him ais
that capacity of endurance that hi
great brain power required. We al
know what an intellectual giant he be
came, and that in his death Ohio ha
lost her foremost man, one whose mem
DRY she will cherish and delight t.
honor hereafter, when the mists an
prejudices OF parties and of polite
shall have cleared away"