Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-18
.PurrfngY-A Brutal Exhibition.

Robert McTevish, the victor in the
squirting" or shin-kicking match in
Camden last March, has been persist
emily challenged ever since by George
Grabby, an English miner, who was
present at the conflict, and then ex-
pressed a determination to challenged the
winner. 1t will be remembered by those
who read q description of the brutal
spectacle that the men used the regula-
ton metal-toed Lancashire clog, and
that McTevish's legs were cut and
slashed in a fearful manner, while one
of his opponents legs were broken.
McTevish, Welshman and a compare
lively new arrival in the country, waited
a long time before paying any attention
to the challenge. He was SO much dis
abled, in fact, that he could barely hob
BILE about for at least a month after the
match. When he did get on his feet
again he expressed a disinclination to
run the risk of being crippled for life a
second time, but through the kindness
of otficious friends he was induced to
accept Grabby's challenge. This was
in the early part of June, and both men
went into training, with the understand
ing that they were to meet inside of
twenty days.
Grabby's wife begged and pleaded
with her husband not to begin in Amer
lea what had so nearly cost him his life
in England. Partly to satisfy her, but
more to prevent her from carrying out
the threat of being present at the strlg-
gle if it occurred, the man told her that
the match was s'off.'' This interference
on the part of Mrs. Grabby resulted in
a rather unlooked-for sequel. Monday
evening last eddie" James and Bob
johnson, two well-known sporting char
acters about town, who had teen dele
| gated to find a suitable place for the
meeting, went to McTevish'shouse and
! told him of the location, andthat every
thing had been arranged TO Thursday
night. Then they went 80 hunt up
Grabby. He was not at home, and after
avain search through McLesn's, Cleary's
and kindred places, the yong men de-
cided to leave word in a note. This
they did, and ten minutes sfter they left
Mrs. Grabby learned JUS where and
when her husband would!risk his pre-
cious shins. Thursday nightabout twelve
o'clock, a party of sixty orthereabouts,
who had secured tickets al two dollars
each, started for the rendezvous. The
principals and their seconds were driven
off in carriages, and it was mutually
agreed that the kicking should begin as
near two O'Clock as possible.
The place selected by James and
johnson was we'll adapted Tor the pur-
pose. 1t was a large room in the rear
of a Port Richmond saloon, whose pro-
prietor would let it out as willingly for
q place of execution as for a Sunday
school, provided he vas pad. One of
those interested was stationed in the
bar-room and another at the door lead.
ing to the back room, to guard against
any surprise by Mayor Kings police
men. At 1870 o'clock the men began
to get ready. Each was provided with
knee-breeches, undershirts, and shout.
der-straps and elbow-tugs similar tc
those used in collar-and-elbov wrest.
ling. This, although not according to
the rules Of the purring ring, was an
idea of McTevish, and was accepted
without opposition by his opponent
McTevish's clogs were the same he had
used in the great match with Tierney
in March-hob-nailed, with pointed
toes, and fastened with leathern thongs
Grabby's footgear was almost similar
excepting that the toes of his clogs
turned up q little more and were, i
anything, a little sharper. At McIev
ish's request the money for which tho
battle was to be fought was subscribed
then and there by the hackers an.
placed in the hands of a stakeholder
AS there was only one lamp in the
room-a large, old-fashioned affair
with a tin reflector behind it, and that
so fixed as to cast the liget all one way
there was some dispute as to position
This was decided by the toss of a penny
and Grabby was placed with his bael
to the light. Eddie James was unani
mously chosen referee.
At two o'clock, the men having sub
mitted their feet for inspection to SHOW
that there was no protruding nails
James gave the word to "purr.n Grab
by advanced cautiously and appeared
to forget about the shoulder-straps unit
his. second reminded him of it. H,
took hold with apparent unwillingness
and then began the most brutal ant
savage contest that two men could en-
gage in. For fully five minutes the,
spared with their feet IN a n tina
was simply wonderful. Blows wer'
countered and returned with the sam
skill and rapidity as shown by mel
fighting with their fists. Not once il
that time did either man more tina,
touch his opponents skin. Then Nc
Jewish, taking a firmer hold on his op
ponent's collar, lifted his left foot and
after keeping it poised for q moment
made a straight ''toe kick" for his op
ponent's right knee. Grabby deftl,
avoided the blow by spraddling his leg
far apart, and with almost inconceiva
BILE quickness brought his left foo
around and caught McTevish on tn,
outside of the right calf. The flesh wa
laid open almost to the bone, and tn,
blood spurted out in streams. McTev
ish never uttered a word. At the sam
instant that his own leg was cut h,
gave Grabby what is known as a s'sol
scrape." Beginning at the instep ant
ending Just below the knee-pan, Grab
by's lett shin vas scraped almost clea:
Of skin. Both men were evidently il
pain AID angry. They kicked ant
on,,,+orcI i, JE,o, IN