The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-07
THE FIGHT OF A QUIET MAN.


THE FIGHT OF A QUIET MAN.
His Name Was I'M material, and 40 1t Re
- maius Unknown.
Near the dells of the Wisconsin rive
stands this old house, once famous among
the river men as a place of revelry. q har-
Dor for fugitives from the pioneer justice
of the time, and q place where physica
prowess was the one safeguard of purse O.
person, says the Chicago Herald. A goot
many stories cling to the spot, and an,
good guide can tell of battles that chill thu
blood of the summer tourist. For in tht
days when the Dell bouse was at its bes
great RATS of logs went down the river II
charge Of gangs of men who drank AM
swore and fought like all The pirates II
Aleiers.
Once upon a time-so the guide will tel
you-Bil Endsen came down with a raft oil
pine from the upper woods. and, before
pushing through the narrow gorge nov
house and told his men they might stay
over night. Among his crew was one Flint
sore, a bully who had beaten half the mel
i'll the party. and only waited a groper OPP
portunity before tackl.ng old Bill Endsen
himself; and. although old Bill had for
years been called the best man on the river,
he was afraid of the savage raftsman who
WAS never stated until his victim was I'M
conscious. Bill had decided if ever trouble
did arise he would kill Flintsore with an
axe rather than meet him hand to hand.
Sitting in one corner of the Dell house,
when the noisy crew came laughing and
swearing in at the door, sat q short. square
man with a rather large bundle on the floor
beside him. He paid no attention to the
men. and at frat they allowed him to pass
unnoticed. But rs the liquor stirred their
blood they grew more bolsterous and in
vited him TO join them. He declined, and
again they gave him some moments of
peace. After a while the widest rafter in
the party came over to the corner and
asked the quiet man what he had in his
bundle. He declined to answer simply
saying it was his own, and that he was
taking it down to Madison. The rafter was
angry, and he amused himself by standing
across the room and tossing empty whisky
bottles at the motion!ess bundle
"You stop that!' yelled old Bill Endssn.
1.-The man is not botherlng us and we won't
bother him"
But we WILL" said Flintsore, who had
not yet seen SO good an opportunity to
quarrel with his rival. Words could but
lead to blows with these men. They were
unarmed and there was 10 chance for
p~ostponement. They stepped outside OF
the level. grassy plat Of ground and engaged
the pioneers. They rolled over on the
ground; they sent in heavy blows; they
kicked, wrestled, bit and gouged. till old
Bill was utterly beaten, and lay defenseless
against the brutal blows that fell upon
him.
Flintsore desisted at last, and the other
river men took the victim to the clyer and
washed his wounds.
Then F.intstore went into the house and
approached the quiet man, who alone had
not followed the fighters and watched them.
Now, what you got in that bundle?" he
demanded. ."
mo matter what I've got" returned the
short man; Sits none of you business"
"Then you get up and fight"
well, you take an hour to rest up and l
will fight you," responded the quiet man;
and there was that i'll his eye which prom
Used he would keep his word. You take
an hour to rest up. Then we will go in the
cellar together. lock the door inside and
throw the key out through the bars. After
that, God have mercy on the weaker man"
Flintsore was wild with delight. Here
was a chance for two good fights i'll one
day. He took a drink to his own good
luck, and then stretched out on the floor
and waited.
When the hour was up the quiet man cast
one long look at his still motionless GUN
die, stripped to his shirt, and led the way
to the cellar. The basement was walled
with rock. The door was heavy and 81. ong,
The windows were barred with iron, The
floor was earth.
They locked the door, tossed the key out
through the grating, and a ome later
the crowding river men outside knew the
fight had begun. They could see little
through the bata. They pressed their faces
against the windows, climbing upon each
other for q vantage point, till the only air
passage was choked, and the men inside
fought in poisoned atmosphere.
Iney were there scarcely twenty minutes.
Then the man who had been quiet came to
the window and calmly asked for the key.
Besides him there was not a sound in the
cellar. He unlocked the door. and they
crowded in. There, in the middle of the
floor, lay Flintsore, bound hand and foot,
gagged almost beyond the point of breath
ing, and stripped naked. Tn tough cloth
ing which had covered him now held him a
disRraced prisoner. When he had been
freed the men asked him If he wanted to
Try it again.
NO" said he. '"That man he d mo with
one hand. He knocked me down whenever
he wanted to. couldn't touch him. And
if / tried to clinch he dowued me and fell
on me. My ribs are broken. My heart
hurts"
The quiet man still sat in his corner.
DO you mind telling us who YOU are?"
asked one of tho ,aftsinen politely.
SIT don't make any difference who I am"
said the man. "but. if it will interest Won
any, | will tell you | make a pretty good
living as a fighting man. This little bun
die you have asked about is my baby. NV
wife died up at Liston, and ] am going TO
Madison to leave tho baby with my mother.
If any of you men want lessons III boxing
when 1 come back | will accommouate
You"
Bill Endsen and Tlintsoge are historical
characters up and down the Wisconsin,
But the man who was better thar either OF
tnem is unknown to this day.
Four DenuiY Sherilrs Sl,ot