The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-19
HE WHISTLES WITH A STEER.
The Strange Form Of Amusement In.
frOduccd by Texan.
From The Phlladelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
Most everyone has heard Of lions wrest-
ling with men, but here, for the first time
is an account of the strangest contest ever
held between man and beast. A giant ne
gro of Taylor, Tex, jumps into a small
Enclosure with a pugnacous Texas steer
and engages in catch-as-catch-can
wrestling bout, in which the man does
not always come out best by long shot.
r. e. Barker, of Taylor, is now organ
izing great cattle-roping contest, and
this season he will visit the foremost
cities of America. and this novel wrestling
match is one he devised for the entertain
ment of the public.
A colored man in his employ, who goes
by the name Of Lige, Is the one who per-
forms this exciting act. He IS a giant I'm
form, being six feet four inches i'm hight
and weighing 225 pounds. His every mus
Gle Is like iron and stands out like those
of the Nuhian slaves Of old, who did hat
tie with wild beasts for their lives In omen.
arenas, while royalty looked on and ap-
plauded. This act that Ligc goes forth
TO do smilingly, however, Is every whit as
exciting as any Of those old-time contests
and would make the blood Jingle In "a
Spanish bull fighters veins. And. indeed
this contest Is very similar len some re-
spects 70 the bull fights OF Spain. with
the one exception. that the steer has The
best Of II here, as the negro Is totally I'M
armed and goes forth to the fray de-
pending solely upon the strength in his
brawny arms.
When one gazes upon those massive
arms, with their huge punches OF muscle
showing up and glistening like hard knots
OF polished ebony IL Is realized that the
beast rsfa
before him.
A ring Is made and inclosed IN the same
manner that an amphltheater IL bult for
a prize fight or a bull fight. The floor Is
made OF earth and sprinkled over with
sawdust. Then the steer, maddened by
his confinement, Is turned loose into the
arena 20 dash around the saWdust ring
and paw the earth IN his defiance. Then
the giant negro appears upon the scene
and makes his bow 10 the spectators The
contest Is on. As soon as the steer catch.
es sight of his antagonist there rs a Wild
rush, a quick scramble Of dying feet. and
the spectators see through the flying saw
dust that man and beast are locked In
fierce combat Sometimes n II several
minutes before "A fall a. scored. and the
combatants struggle all around the arena
And it Is a fierce struggle. too. The fav-
orite clinch OF the negro la TO clasp his
arms tightly around the steers neck JUST
behind the ears, and selling one OF the
animals ears In his month. he endeayors
70 twist his neck In such manner as 10
bring him TO the ground. When the steer
wins a fan Il n usually no fun for the
negro. OK he IN thrown up In the air, and
when he strikes the ground again he has
plenty Of evidence that the beast has won.
Sometimes Il n necessary for the employ
os to rush in and drag the negro out from
under the hoofs or the enraged animal
but as a rule he Is very agile and does not
allow such q thing 10 happen.
The contest outside Of the very novel;
~. is Intensely exciting. and viii doubt
less create something Of n sensation when
given In the cities 0f the cast.