The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-10-11

A "CROOK"-ED STORY ABOUT A GREAs-
ED Pic Hoto Cambria County Boy FdTed
at tie AhOOnd Fdir.-The following, furnish
ed for publication, tells tale (pig's tail)
of official Crook-edness which, if true. GER
tatnly disa-gredse with the generally accept
ed rules of fair play. even at county fair !:
About halfpast 4 O'Clock Friday afternoon,
Oct 4th all was excitement on the Blair county
fair grounds and here and there were to be seen
people rushing from different parts Of the enclOs
ure- and all Inclined to one centre, while vehicles
of nearly every description were hurrying out of
the way Of the excited crowd. Ladies and chill
there good sprinkling of the fair sex mixed
up with the moving mass. And, 10 E! what was
the cause Of all this uproar? Nothing more nor
less than pig race! Yes, shaved and CREASED
gruEter was TO be run Tor and the lucky individ-
ual that caught and held his pigshtp was to keep
him and receive So into the bargain as a premium.
After all was ready and the police and other
officials had succeeded In getting the crowd back
and ring formed around those who were to run
for the pig, (no one being allowed to run except
those who had left their names at the Judges
stand.) Mr.. Pig was let loose and all ran helter
skelter in hot pursuit. Alter several vain at
tempts by various parties to capture him, Frank
Crook, of Barr township, caught and held the
porker Then there were cries OF Foul play -
Let him go :" but Franks partner was behind
him and exclaimed. Hold on to him, Frankey,
by gosh !! and Frank did hold on TO him 'or about
fifteen minutes, when piece of strap was hand
Ell to him by his "butty'' and quickly fastened to
piYgy's leg. In the meantime rivals who had
come out second best in the race. and who were
jealous because a stranger was about to get away
with the prize. excited the crowd by their cries
of Foul play - Make him let the hog go - etc,
and tried to shove one another on Frank, the
honest farmer boy of Barr township, in hopes of
breaking his hold on the pig, but by dnt of shov-
Ing, tuggtng and pulling Frank and his butty''
got the pig out of crowd of about one thuusand
people. Still the game was not secure. for when
they got to the gate for the purpose OF leaving
the fair ground. the gate keepers refused to let
them out with the hog, as one of the contestants
had FASTENED to the judges stand 20 saythat Frank
Crook had used rOsin on his hands, and that he
(the aforesaid cOntestant) had his hands the
hOR's rump at least once, and thought II he had
had rosn on his hands he could have held the
pig too. Frank Crook thereupon offered te strip
himself of all unnecessary garments, and run for
the pig again, guaranteeing TO catch and hold him
a second time if they were not satisfied. They
then claimed that the hog could not fast
enough for another race. (Poor excuse); and yet
1t was good enough for the Altoonians to use for
the purpose Of atfording excuse for keeping
the IS back. and only allow Frank to keep the
hog. Crook also proposed to climb the creased
pole and get his IS up there, but the judge said,
mo! no! young man, you are q little too sharp:
You carry rosn in your pockets" Yes" says
Frank, II am supposed to carry it. as am fid-
dler; but what has that to DO, with catching the
hog, climbing the pole - Loud laughter and
hearty cheers for Frank.l The judge thereupon
walked off, no doubt consOling himself. with the
thought that he had chiseled one man out of As.
A tar judge for county fair is he.