The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-06-13
JACK AND elLt CATCH IT.
hey Try 10 Break UP Circus and NE
oons wiser and better Men.

Lafayette Is struggling little town
of about 800 inhabitants. situated
twenty miles from the nearest railroad.
II II important to the country aroun.
becnuse a circus stops here every year.
These clfcuses are not OF the Barnum
kind. bus small affairs. travelling
through the back districts on wagons.
and keeping away from the railroads.
Nevertheless the arrival OF one of them
Is great event Mt Lafayette. aud
several thousand people always collect
% see the sights some OF them walking
thirty miles.
Bin aud Jack johnson have long
been the terrors OF this region. Every
baekwoods district la the Southwest
has its bully, aud the johnson boys for
years possessed that undisputed dis
tlnction within = region embraced by a
radius oT ten miles. Bill. the elder of
the brothers. was tall aud heavy. Jack
was small aud light. but fully as
dangerous as his brother. Neither had
ever killed a man. but they had wound
ed innumerable persons, and aver
aged four or live fights apiece each
week. They frequently stampeded the
small towns. riding through the streets
nj tull speed. iiring right aud left.
n fEM aEARS ltE0 u GllGuS ttftfBlEd D9
the warm weather. came up from the
South. aud made trip through the
southern part Of this StRte. aud La
luyette WAS one of the towns visited.
rhe novelty of Il circus In winter was
all the more acceptable TO the people.
aud the crowd In attendance at the per-
tormanees was unusually large.
During the afternoon the show was
la full blast. when Bill aud Jack John
son arrived. They galloped into town.
aud there was scattering OF women
and children. and of men. too. Both
were well loaded with whisky. and
after rubbing their pistols across the
noses of half a dozen men they went TO
the circus. After looking at the ami
mails aud the gymnastic performances
they wandered into the side show. FoI
a while they contented themselves
with gazing at the Circassian girl. the
F tat woman, the sword swaliower. and
f the armless man who fired a repeat ng
rifle with bis toes. but they soon grew
tired of such tame sport. Bill and Jack
/ wanted a tight. None of the spectators
+ would fight them. An idea then oe
eurred TO Jack. They would clean out
the side show.
Lets break up the darned thing.
/ he said TO Bill, and have some fun
You take the fellow who swallows
the knife. aud I'll sail into the one who
shoots the gun with his toes"
Bill at once agreed to the proposition,
aud leaping over the ropes which
separated the spectators from the per
formers. they rushed upon their victims
The crowd raised the cry of fight ant
made for the door. but the circus per
formers were perfectly composed. Th,
sword swalloNer tossed his sword Il
one side picked up one Of the heav,
pins To which the tent ropes ar,
fastened. aud saluted Bill with blow
which nearly broke his skull. The mar
with the repeating rifle. who was sup
posed TO have no limbs but the lowel
ones. pulled two arms from beneatl
his vest. reversed his gum and clubbe,
Jack over the head.
Then the side show people sailed in
The fat woman kicked Bill in the side
while the sword swallower pummelles
him about the head. The Circassial
girl tore out whole haudfnls of Jack
hair, while the armless man rapid,
beat his conntenance out of shape. Ii
tive minutes all WAS quiet in the tent
The people timidly yeutured back. Th
circus performers were smoothing thei
disordered attire. Bill and Jack wer
lying senseless ON the ground. The
were taken out. and il was found tina
Bills leg was broken. So was hi
nose. Both eyes were closed, aud hi
head aud body we're covered wit
gushes. Jack had both arms broken
aud his bruises were not less numerou
than BilIs.
That night the attendance at bot
cireusgs was the largest ever known
! The applause was tremendous. n
attempt was made TO arrest anybody
| Recently Jack. whose broken arm
healed rapidly. joined the Baptis
Church. Bill will do likewise as 500
as his fractured leg is mended. Bot
are Scared for life and announce thei
determination to live as good citizen
aud Christians. Lafayette ky. Letter.