The age-herald., 1897-12-17
DAN RICE, THE SHO MAN.
He Knew Many Presidents, and Once Whipped
 Jerry Rusk.
From tn Chicago Inter Ocean.

From tn Chicago Inter Ocean.
 "Sitting here in the sunlight of my cot tage by the sea, where only in memory's halls do 1 ever hear the once-famliar cry of Hey, RubeH can't help but smile when I think of the time licked Jerry Rusk," said old Dan Rice, who for sixty years was celebrated as a circus proprietor and clown. "A man of the same name, stat ure, and general appearance subsequently, became secretary of the department of agriculture" and the old mirth-makers eyes twinkled mischievously.
 ''It was away out in Nevada in the days when l was young and gentle,' as the jockey says, but strong and well able to take my part that in the course of human events it became necessary for me to thrash Jerry Rusk, who was then driving a stage from Keno to Carson City. I won't venture to say that I was entirely blameless in the matter, but let me tell my story, and then judge for yourself.
 "One of my tents was badly cut one night in one of the wildcat towns with which that section of country abounded and l was loud in my denunciations of the perpetrators of the deed So excited were some of my men over the affair that I greatly feared there would be a collision with the spectators which might entail lot of trouble and expense upon me.
 "At once I began to think up an easy way out of the difficulty, and finally stepped forward and offered to settle the matter single-handed, to save a general row, by putting myself at fisticuffs or rough-and-tumble against the strongest and quickest man in the camp.
 1.-The plan took immensely with the mountaineers, who thought they possessed Goliath resumed Col. Rice, with great gusto, "and it was not less satisfactory to the circus men, who knew what their David had done.
 Name your time and place. said one of a committee which had taken upon itself the arrangement of the mill
 !" Make 1t here, as soon as day dawns, and let me now see the man am to meet
 Under these circumstances I first saw Jerry Rusk and took his measure. He looked like lusty, rugged fellow, and I made up my mind he should have the best goods in my shop.
 Shortly after dawn we came together, and fought Interestingly and determinedly for the many spectators for long while: and then. if Jerry Rusk was not soundly thrashed, let him now say so.
 "Of course," continued the veteran show man, "I have met many of the presidents who ruled over the union during my va riegated career. The first one was old Hickory Jackson. It was away back in the days when I was a young and aspiring jockey, and was riding near Trenton, N. J., when Jackson passed through on his way from Washington to New York, and saw me ride bay lilly to victory in a hotly contested race.
 subsequently, I was presented to the president as the boy who rode the bay filly. So commendatory were the chief magis- trate's remarks that have always regard ed that day as one of the most memorable of my life. Abraham Lincoln was another man whom I greatly admired, as presi- dent, as well as good judge of horsedesh. Years before he was thought of as a possi- ble candidate for the presidency he and I were fellow judges of horse race near Springfield, H.. and from then on to the end of his life we were firm friends. and I was his ardent admirer. When in @ peculiar crisis on the upper Mississippi during the civil war, I presented the gov ernment my circus steamer, which was urgently needed, he wired me this dis patch:
 " Thanks; it is just like you, Dan"
 "In my career up and down the union I became well acquainted with the courtly James Buchanan, who. four years before his election to the presidency predicted the certainty of a civil war which was so mar rowly averted during his administration. Already I was acquainted with Jefferson Davis, and he, too had rrcphesed war. But here is a noticeable fact: Davis was