The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-13

ever, saying it would be like hitting the
goat with a cushion, and that his blows
wouldn't count
well, the time came to play our hand
against the Butte boys. We sent word up
there that if they had a goat they thought
could knock out a man, we had a man
we'd bring up and try against their goat
When they heard that our man would fight
a goat in ten-foot ring on his hands and
knees and forfeit the fight if he used any
thing but his head they offered to bet
$1,000 on goat they'd produce. So we
took our niger up, and the fight came off.
The goat was a good-szed fellow and very
fierce but Monk as we called our man,
had been knocking out just such goats
for us for two weeks, and we had no fear
OF the result. We bet the Butte boys to
a standstiA, and then our man crawled
IN the ring and began making faces at the
goat. The goat looked surprised but
made rush at Monk. The negro lodged,
and just as the goat turned around, butted
him in the nose. 1t nearly knocked the
goat off his feet, and you never saw such
a surprised animal in your life. 1t ran
into corner and then with a snort of
rage, lowered it's head and made another
rush at the negro. Monk lodged once
more, and as the goat went by cracked
one of its ribs with is head. He then leap
ed a1ter 1t, and each smash sending the
goat against the side of the ring with a
terrible thump. When the goat got loose
1t Jumped out of the ring and the Butte
boys just looked at one another and never
said a word. We collected bets and got
our man back to Helena as quickly as we
could.
'Well, the story of the goat fighter and
his wonderful ability went sailing around
Montana, and every man who owned a
fghting goat wanted to put him against
the negro. We accepted all challenges
that had any money behind them. and we
never lost a bet. Time and again when
Monk couldn't get out of the way quick
ly enough l have seen him take a butt
squarely on top of the head and go sailing
across the ring as if on rollers. He ex-
planned to us that he had to stand it, be-
cause his head was thick only on top He
was apt to be smashed 70 bits he said. il
he caught butt on the side of the head
well we took the man all around the
state and he was mint. Time and again
when we found big money behind some
mining camp goat, we knew it was the
Butte boys trying TO get square, but we
took on all corners, and our man laid the
goats one after another
But the end came, and II came in Just
the way we all feared 1t would. About
fifty miles from Butte was a mining camp
called Poney. They used to publish a
paper up there called the Poney Express,
anu AiNs JUST NhouBhL AntIG WASH any
thing In the state good enough for them.
We had just come back from a trip when
we got word from Poney that they had a
goat up there that they wanted to put
up against our man. We wanted Monk
TO lay off a week and enjoy some of the
money he'd earned, but he wouldn't near
of it. Montana was getting on to him.
he said, and pretty soon he wouldn't be
able TO get a bet. He wanted to work
the state when 1t was hot, he said, so we
took him up to Poney and the crowd bet
us on their goat until we hadn't a cent
left to wager. The goat was certainly
beauty. They had captured him wild in
the mountains and had been saving him
for Monk He was a great fellow, the
biggest goat ! ever saw,with crinky horns
and the wickedest eye that ever glared az
an enemy. IL took four men to hold him
while Monk got in the ring. and when
they let go, instead OF rushing, It just
crouched and sized up the negro. Monk
made faces at the beast according TO the
custom, but the goat never moved. lie
just kept those wicked eyes on the negro
and waited. Monk had a way Of look
Ing out OF the ring at us. when he was
winning, and winkng. When his faces
failed TO arouse the goat he laughed OUT
right and then half turned his head around
toward where | and some others sat ana
wlnked IL was the last thing Monk
ever did. The goat charged like a streak
OF lightning. and before the negro could
get his head around smashed him along
side the ear The blow killed. Monk
didn't 1--we a second afterward.
Wei, we buried him In Poney and gave
his share OF the money he had won 20
colored church In Helena. We never found
out who he was or where he came from,
but I'll wager there never was such
head as his on earth before and never
viii be again. The Butte boys put Poney
on the blacklist for not letting them IN
on the game, but there wasn't man IN
Helena who didn't' believe he'd nave
knocked out the goat n Il hadn't been
for that fatal inclination 10 wink az us.
. --"Genoral. what do you regard as the
most brilliant charge made by the luiNS
m the nreaanf Wnr2n What OF MlMuWN