Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-12
A SPORTS CAREER.
A Gambler and Prize-Fightcr who IL
Now Laboring ZeaIOusly In the Field
Of Sally alton on the Pacific Coast.

Gambler and Prize-Fightcr who IL
Now Laboring ZeaIOusIy In the Field
Of salvation on the Pacific Coast.
CHICAGO, August 1l.-Ben Hogan, who is
well. known in sporting circles, and who
wrote an autobiography in which he styles
himself THE wiCkedest man in the world,
in relating his experiences to q reporter,
said: my first prize fight was with HOlli.
day, at Pithole, Pa, in 1885, and l won it
in seven rounds | remained in the oil
country for some time and ran several
gambling and sporting houses, and took
part in not less than fifty scrub fights,
where bowie knives and reyolvers we're
used, but escaped without serious injury.
In the same year forty mountain thi YES
and cut throats came to my establishment
in Babylon, Pa, to clean me out, but shot
and fatally wounded fur of them, but it
was done in self.defense. At the time |
wss alone, with the exception Of French
Kate who was at one time the wife OF Gen
eral Granger, of New Orleans, and who
curing the war was
ARebei Spy
Her bravery and devotion to me on that oC-
casiOn saved my life. She fought with an
unlOhded horse pistol aud knocked down
more than one OF my assailants. Kate was
slight built, but very nervy and courageous.
Ait,rward | left the OIL regions and went
to S4ratCga where owned $4,000 worth Of
real estate, and where | ran gambling
saloon for four months. Hearing that fifty
men in Babylon had determined 10 kill me
if | returned, | went there and whipped
their best man, and that settled the whole
rang who afre-ward made friends with me.
Aftcf awhile, went to PItusville, where |
had u boxing school and bar.room. | hal,
in all 400 pupils, and ! remained seven
mon hs. Then | went TO Rochester, where
| ran the
clipper shades
In lsCS Ichalleuged Tom Allen. Perkins
and Heenan were my hackers Tom sneak
ed out Of il and the match was broken of.
then went to New York City TO help tram
Joe Coburn. and then went TO Albany,
where trained Adock and Paine TO con
test Weston, the pedestrian, in the one
hundred mile walk. l then opened the
Floating Palace, as it was called, large
boat l2O feet long, if remember rightly, IN
the center Of the Allegheny river, near
Parker's landing. We had full brass
band with dancing aud gambling. The
Palace was anchored there to be secure
from the authorities OH both sides OF the
river. II was great resort for the
BIood- and Fast Men.
| cleared SD 900. in six months and then
started TO go with the Palace TO New
Orleans. but sunk her by mishap in start.
ing. This was in 1870 My hardest light
continued the eK-tougb, was with BOD
Dopueily, near Fort Erie. II took forty.
eight rounds aud nearly two hours to end
the mill. | broke three OF BObs rios and
was pounded almost 10 . jelly. Several OF
nv teeth were knocked out and wls laid
up in bed FOR a week ! never got such
beating IS that before or since. In, 1874
bnilt and run several Opera-houses--lnvest-
ing ssh trse-one house in Petrolia, another
in Millerstown. Then caae the oil panic:
When oil had fallen from 81 so 70 - - ana
il was thought it would take rise, IN
vested so. .OUO in it. and in two weeks it
went down to - cents, cleaning me out
completely. Subsequently Invent on.
. A sparring Toar.
and from that turned to the oil county
and Sailt anosher oI,era house at Buill9o
At Tsrport opened sporting Eouse hKe
Harry Hills in Gew York. Every thing
splendid, but the revolver was Law. Lear
~ one ball in my body acquired there: In
iSs7. intended opepingt house in Paris
for six months, or during the Worries eI'
bibI;ion. Iengsspd a palace for the pnr,:
pose, at rental VI s.. 800 month. and /
paid q months rent in advance, besides
purchasing my tickes on the ocean steam
er. One night strsyed into the Fhrk thea
ter, where revival meetings we're being
held by q man naasd Sawyer. one OF Mr;
MoOiy's beIpers. became interested, and
in tnTee days a thorough convert l gave
up my Paris irih OF cousse, forfeited ny
months rent and my ocean ticket, and
vent TO work 10 win souls, and have
stuck to IL evsseince pretty closely.