San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-16
FIGHTING ROWDIES.
THE QUIET, INoFFENSlvE MAN CAME
OUT ON TOP, HOWEVER.

tions in Old Logging Camps.
Near the dells of the Wisconsin river
stands an old house, once famous among
the rivermen as place of revelry, a har-
Dor for fugitives from the pioneer justice
of the time and place where physical
prowess WIS the one safeguard of purse
and person. A good many stories cling to
the spot, and any good guide can tell of
battles that chill the blood of the summer
tourist, for in the days when the Dell
House was at its best great RATS of logs
went down the river in charge of gangs OF
men who drank and swore and fought like
all the pirates in Algiers.
Once upon time, SO the guide will tell
you, Bill Endsen came down with raft OF
pine from the upper woods, and before
pushing through the narrow gorge now
called 'The Dells," he tied up at the Dell
House and told his men they might stay
over night. Among the crew was one
Flintsore bully who had beaten half the
men in the party, and only waited a proper
opportunity before tackling old Bill End
sen himself, and although old Bill had foI
years been called the best man on the river,
he was afraid of the savage raftsman, who
lOuSnG 81 iiht a tlScI anu "HoSc pusSlOu
was never stated until his victim was uI.
conscious. Bill had decided that if ever
trouble did arise between them he would
kill Flintsore with an AK 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 a short, square
man, with a rather large bundle on the
a1n hoe. do 10 oft e,
the men, and at first they allowed him to
pass unnoticed. But as liquor stirred Their
blood they grew more boisterous and in
vited him to join them. He declined, and
again they gave him some moments OF
peace. After awhile 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 tax.
ing it down to Madison. The rafter was
angry and he amused himself by standing
across the room and tossing empty bottles
at the motionless bundle.
TEASING THE OLD MAN.
"You stop that" yelled old Bill Endsen
'The man is not bothering us, and we
won't bother him."
"But we WILL" said Flntsore, who had
quarrel with his rival. Words could but
lead to blows with these men. They were
unarmed, and there was no chance fol-
postponement. They stepped outside on
the level, grassy plat of ground and Ell
gagged in a battle which is still remem
bered by the pioneers They rolled over
on the ground; they sent in heavy blows.
they kicked, wrestled, bit and gouged till
al 1av Il
feRseless against the brutal blows that fell
upon him.
Flintsore desisted at last, and the Other
washed his wounds.
Then Flintsore went into the house and
approached the quiet man, who alone had
not followed the fighters outside. and
watched them.
"Now, what you got in that .bundle?" he
demanded.
mo matter what I've got" returned the
short man. Its none of your business"
''Then you get up and fight"
"Well, you take an hour to rest up and
will fight you," responded the quiet man.
and there was that in his eye which prom.
ised 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."
Flntsore was wild with delight. Here
was chance for two good fights in one
day. He took a drink to his own good
luck, and then stretched out out on the
floor and waited.
When the hour was up the quiet man
cast one long look at his still motionless
bundle, stripped to his, shirt and led the
way to the cellar. The basement was
walled with rock. The door was heavy and
strong. The windows were barred with
iron. The floor was earth.
IN THE CELLAR TOGETHER.
They locked the door, tossed the key out
through the grating and a moment later
the crOwding rivermen outside knew the
fight had begun. They could see little
through the bars. They pressed their faces
against the window, climbing upon each
other for vantage point, till the only all.
passage was choked, and the men inside
fought in poisoned atmosphere.
They were there scarcely twenty min.
utes. Then the man who had been quiet
came to the window and calmly asked fol
the key. Aside from him there was not
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 breathing, and stripped naked.
The tough clothing which had covered
him now held him a disgraced prisoner.
When he had been freed the men asked
him if he wanted to try it again.
NO" said he humbly. "That man held
me with one hand. He knocked me down
whenever he wanted to. l couldn't touch
him. And if / tried to clinch he downed
me and fell ON me. My ribs are broken.