Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-04-03
THE RUGGLEs HULL FIGHr.
An Old Time Massachusetts scnsntfos

An Ola I1me MhSsRehNSetts ScUsntaOn.
Paris Bowers writes: I" la the north
crn part of the county Of Worcester,
State of Massachusetts,, aud nestled
among the rugged hills OF that part Of
the State, lies tho town of Hardwick,
famous now foriron foundries and fur
naces, but once famous for being the
residence of Col. Ruggles, the rickest
man then known in the county. The
Colonel was a great sportsman, owned
the best blood horses in the county,
and otter bet large sums of money on
their speed, and was almost always the
winner. He owned the best stock OF
cattle OF amy man In the State: all im-
ported blood, OF course. Among these
was bull Of gigantic proportions and
great beauty. l3s Is
The Colonel often viewed him with
admiration, and finally curious idea
came into his mind, which was nothing
more or less than getting up il bull
fight. A curious idea, for those puri-
tanical days. lie put a notice in the
paper challenging any nan to fight
bulls with him, on bet of 800 The
challenge stood out in bold relief for
quite long time. AT last man from
Pomfret, in Connecticutt, took up the
bet, and 1t was arranged that the man
was to bring his animal to Hardwiek
for the fight. .ss
Connecticut was ut that time called
Blue Laws. The legend says that one
Saturday in the month June, about
the middle of the day. Blue Laws, af-
companied by his bull, appeared before
the stately mansion Of Col. Ruggles.--
He was courteousfy received and kind
ly entertained by the gallent Colonel,
and long before bed time it was ar
ranged that the fight was to come of
on Monday at 10 O'clock. Two or three
servants, mounted on fleet chargers,
spread the news far and wide before 10
o'clock that night. The Colonel had
some misgivings as to the probable re-
suit of the coming encounter of the an
imalS He soon discovered that Blue
Law was the heavier of the two, and
In equally good condition. Whether
Blue Laws slept well that Saturday
night was not known. but it wasasccr-
tanned that the Colonel was restless.
The next day was the Sabbath aud
in accordance with the custom of those
times; every person must go to church,
for those were puritanical times. Blue
Laws was prepared and brought Sc
cond suit for the occasion. The Col
onel and his accomplished wife, with
his friend from abroad, walked 10 the
church, for the colonefs princely man
sa;1 saom was n. near ~ "a, "a. hooh .,. soi9ne,
,e.sheu ni'hseii siGh ana s.ayen Nh. -.
non.e = Wiz iauy n"seies anu piuc
IN. WI. , " .nuien
ne 'olonc'. Iol oiiee s.uopeu ~ ~
~. " I.. llca,less saia. pelore ny n,s'.
LIZ s - uo. 9 9s i .na ~.
.ha,, ."o o.s s.ls. oas ,u.o .ad h;i. a1u au ~,
lnem nght Today whie ne armed
WIN pltcn-iork cou,a assls. nis pun,
anu = = ne .ouM wnip Diue Ia" 'o,uay
ne Mo9!u ne iikei! .osao !, !. to-iilorfow.
aocsrans|, us soon as ,be coast Was
eseaI, ~ nc ict tne pui,s togethet.
hc lhiuriateu ahiiiais gaAeo uh rssii
y.nsu lol '1oinrn'' .,s 'n'. .hsn eios.u ~
ucau:s hsn. ane coionel was sooh
evnsllceu Una. hiue woniu wiz a''s' nc
plunseu .''c .ihes VI 'le IoIA sisoIuus-
Z ih.o ms iauhches: put !. o,iiy n.s'ue
'ne ehIaseu ahlhiai hei. TUG iiaruel
.. ias' Diue ran 'he eoionei pun iil:o s.:p
= nes4 s4ingT ann na ~ sr Ins vary ano oIoNe nis
He had st;Ira i;r;n .,,a,''. IIo 49,
al f,,r;onsis, ~, ~ nain;,.r s.i.'s ~.
for life thronoh iha smoi, aa,a 80 ~ -, -
the house1 mt had nat ,ins ~ MI IL
The cnlnmeI was Aee, nf fant ,t n ia 49,, rsa,h :.
cd The kitchen door and ar,t ins;5a hn,
eonId un, shn+ !, TEa ano,s',1, ~ s.s
blood was too naar Ua .nrna5 ;nfn
the narlor bot had nn, ,;mn ~ s'.nt Nm
the door. Hc c,y,ssed Il ana rsae,,aa
the entry Icadinu fo IL. chamber In
making "a manv shorr fnrms ~ xr.,,ss -
ed fine hnll ;m:, tina .snnn.b J.. shs.
the door. : - '''
The hui fnr ~ ,i,s, t;n,, f,,p,1 ,,;,,
setf in one of tho r;chos, snm,,s,,nSi
ronms in Va,s Enasnd IIaraI ,.,s !!
one OF Inc richest Rr,sse,s ca,,,s,s III
thc co,,rtry ,hat ..,st f5o andbara'
was ,nirror that s,most I ras.h I al 1,rorn @
ono f,onrfo tha n,har a,,a Il, ,i.,,st t.,a s,,'
The biill stood . tew n,o,nsn,s ~ o,,der
inc where ha was t;it ,,,r,;n9, ,,,,,,, n
anI facins thsn;,ror. 'ha M disesv us !
anothar h,Ill ba ,,,ao, a,l,';,,, ~ !,
an ;,sfant tba, t,as,,,;g,,i ,a;,s.S,. ,,..a
dashed imta nnnaraa ,;na. o y w. W.
cnlon.i Ma 60 an,sr,. ,har 'he -, - 4
his rife came rnnaa 10 the w;o.,aw
ana shot tha M, JaaS ~ a. ,a,ir s'r"
III S;cd har5 ana ~ Ne Az ae.th H. s,,,s,
ola he nn,lni tha ,.a,na, n ;n,..n.anI s,,a
misshanen milo aud ,yahhlsa !, An
over, from s;de ,o s;Je !" hlnoa rha
colonaj Went ~, sta;ss o,,a az. ~,
self IN ,he haJ and s;,an,i,.' I ,a;s.I ' s,.,!
'iio apP'oaIns S,o1.
ha;na anar IaS, I IN p.i - J % piv'.E
o'e,s ."us nuss1ee INV piue