Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-20


Body know.
-----A~Ds%
A mARD MITTER.
[Deadwood Correspondence N. Y. SUM-
Black Hills sporting men are good
deal interested just now in a new candi-
date for pugilistic glory, who halls from
the headwaters of the NiObrara. be
has been known by reputation here for
a long time, but not until Saturday last
would he consent to show himself IN
Deadwood. His name Ia John Zaccheus,
but he calls himself the Niobrara Trip
let, for reasons which will appear fur
ther on. He ia what is termed a cow
boy. His whole life has been spent on
the cattle ranges. He was born near the
site of old Julesburg In 1850, and 10
about thirty-three years old. His Ia
thor, a hunter and trapper, was q man
Of prodigieus size and strength, of Eng
lish descent, il is believed. His mother
was large and powerful woman. Some
said she was Mexican. and others that
she was an Indian, bat it Ia probable
that she was neither, purely. The best
judges pronounced her a half-breed.
They lived for many years along the
old overland trail. Nobody knew much
about them, and no one cared to ques-
ton them much. The old woman had
q pair of enormous hands, the flesh be-
ing as hard and rough as q bricklayer's.
She was, perhaps, the uglier of the two,
both in appearance and disposition. She
was great fighter herself. More than
once at their ranch, ON the Niobrara,
when the cowboys became troublesome,
she has been known 70 whip them into
subsection. A blow from one of her
iron-clad fists was not necessarily fatal,
bpt few Of either sex who ever received
one had any desire 10 continue the ar
gument with her. She subdued the old
man in the course Of time, and during
the last two or three years of his life
che had no one to fight with at home
except her only son. The father died
very suddenly one day, and was quietly
buried on the river bank. Travellers
say that the old woman and John had
many bout after this, in which first
one and then the othero would get the
worst of It. The boy was growing,
however. and his mother was getting
old. The end had to come. She never
rallied. She keeps the old man
company in his cold and lonely grave.
When the old folks were both gone
John went on the cattle ranges. He
was then mere boy in years, but
giant in size. He early established q
reputation as a fighter. His strength
increased with great rapidity. The
hardships which wreck tho health Of
many men seemed only to give him new
vigOr and increased endurance. He be-
came 30 powerful that at length his as
sociates grew to like him. He had no
enemies, for Il did not pay 70 have his
hostility. New men coming ON the ram
Ros sometimes had to DO polished Of,
but, as q rule. fresh arrivals, after sig
Ing him up, were willing to take the
word of the old settlers az to his prow-
-. He was ne chief. He was willing.
and even anxious, to prove his right 10
tho title at all times. He would have
travelled tho whole length Of the Mo
brara valley to accommodate q man.
and on one or two occasions he ID known
70 have gone forty or fifty miles our
horseback to meet somebody who. re-
port said, had spoken Contemptuously
Of him. His fame spread TO Deadwood,
and many attempts were made to oct
him to como mp TO the mining REGIONS
70 show himself. These were at length
suOoessfnl. He came into town eariy on
Saturday morning, accompanied by an
old herder who has been expatintinp 70
the sports Of Deadwood INCREASINGLY al
most ON the merits Of his man. This
herdeS's name 10 PigRott. Last night,
. correspondent found Pi9gott in rather
sociable frame Of mind. The mercu-
- outside had gone down into the
bulb. but the genial warmth impaired
BY the cord-wood stove and aundry
Rlaeses OF ardent spirits was reflected
on PiRgott's weather beaten faee, and
shown in his little round eyes.
"John Zacchsus," said Piggott, sis
the best man in the world for money.
He's man killer, my son. He's done
II afore, an he kin do Il a0in. Yoa
ouRhter been on the range and SEEN
him paralyze q society for the proven
eton Of cattle stealing. That's how he
kim BY the title Of sTrplet Of the Mo-
bara.' Wonat he was modest sort Of
chap, but year AFTER year when there
vas no one to fight ~ could fight RoinQ
b. kinder made him egotistic. When
the anti-cattle stealing Sssociation held
lts meetings John got 10 thinking that
he ofter count Tor two among 'em, for
he rather despised tho rest on 'em. Ne
80, an he wanted to vote double on ali
big pints. The other fellers looked
foolish, an got of ON one sids and talk-
"a tower. Some WIZ for giving him
- way, while some others wuS deed
not aQin Il. AFTER q long debate they
tux Z vote on it, and the majority -
Jack was only a man, and that he should
vueo only ex one man, eAme 90 Ill the
rest. The fellers who wux In favor Of
flowing Jack to double mp knew there
Wux trouble ahed. Well, es / was saying
whom Il kim to the next vote Jack seS
10 would vote twice % and %. The
chairman sex that proposition had been
ruled ont and defeated By the society,
by which r scx Jack. by the major
~ Of the association, sca the chair
man. Where il that majority 2 holl-
orod Jack. Well. then, about ssven or
sight of EN- ses, we IL the majority.
Jack Zaccheus, right here.' hupe %
die, sonny, II kin give any straight 40
cont Of what happened In the next four
Ininits, but Ill try. The msetin' M.
n log house with one door and two
windows. The men a. wux frpns 10
Jaok. and some Others, too. elm out
ehe winders, but thero Wug nix on 'em
- ntaid in. No nix men ex ever lived
had quite such an exciting time, my
boy. Jack, you know, II almighty tall.
WELL before the nix could coaloot thar
Idea1, % to speak. Jack had driv two on
en- into the ground, pretty niah, BY 8
hitting Of 'em on top d the head. o..
that's q man killing blow; i kinder