The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-05
FAMOUS RUFF|AN And HERO.
rrar FRIZZEL, ONCE THE FER.
non or GEORGETOWN.
yssr He Did Not know-his Reckless
neeas Made Him Appear EAvUi-
~erabIc strength Was ~ =
ns.-es-IrgeEA H of IIfa PrOwess.


-. hen dead these eighteen years. but
s.e,tex of his remarkable feats OF strength
- his personality. pluck. savage ard
s.v,rx are still repeated through Maryland
- virginia His home, known as the Old
ss.ce house. stands with broken chimney
"a dilapidated front ON the brink OF the
fsanSspeakc ami Ohio canal. two miles
shoye West Washington. The window
Srcm which he hung the Confederate flag,
- aid cuiyers where ne had the pitch
,x.er eaeounter with jim Sherrer, the low
$500 where he shot out his feuds with
Wnedv. the great rocks from which he
eseeued the men on the ferryboat, the
sranise quarry where he dislodged a
es(rhtv boulder, the stones on which he
- crushed down by the Chain bridge,
- very spot where he defied the Union
army are all pointed out.
His hot temper and obstinacy were mat
1ers q Inheritance. but his strength and
xaesadocio were peculiarly his own. Born
nesr Fairfax courthouse, In Virginia,
sonswhere about 1910. his earlier years
uese passed In rough. steady farm work.
ne Was never taught to read or write. and
n his life calculated sums by adding and
ubtsacting grains OF corn and little st,cks.
~ degrees no wandered nearer George
touu, and In 1893 began to follow this
s<anai He bought the Old Stone house.
thsn shout half century old. married a
ueman better than himself. and was
fsady = begin his startling career.
brave as the Brayest.
HE picked up livin'. farmin' aroun':
locked out sharp for runaway nisgers.
bought an traded horses good bit, an bet
81 the race track. Bull made money. he did
Br1ye7 Why. man. thar was none Drawer"
This vas from one Of Frizzel's friends; he
- 1~x,a f~fa 10 LAtxt ID IL
they are not 50 many as his enemies. That
be became . scamp of the first water. a
thief. liar. and a bully. half OF George
town ssnarss. but that he performed great
feats acts OF strength. no one denies
Az centuries ago the name of the Black
Douglas inspired terror In the hearts OF
little children, SO the name of Bull Frizzel
xas used 70 quiet the babies. and was the
mat effective weapon mothers possessed
ever unruly boys The nuns Of the George
town convent used to warn the girls In
sheir walks to "be careful. don't go too far,
q Bull FrixSsi will catch YOU" He was
he bugbear Of the whole country: he en-
bred his reputation. He was possessed OF
q sense Of humor. For fun the world
couldn't beat him." some one has said:
then. too when dog gets n bad name
everybody kickin' at him, an that was
the way with John b. Frizzel. 1t got so
that he was arrested every time anybody
.slse did wrong"
The rescuing OF the men from the ferry
boat was his FIRST act of heroism. The Lit
te Falls bridge had been washed away.
and . ferryboat run by cable across the
Potomac was put In It's place. On one oc-
cAsi0n, when there was a freshet on the
FLYER and the long stretch OF rock fats on
TIE Maryland side was covered with a rag
Ink torrent, some men were obliged to
cross Riskfng their lives and their cattle.
they boarded the ferry. Before they reach
"a mldstream the cable broke with q snap.
They were hurled round and round as in
whirlpool The cattle jumped of into
the deep channel and the boat was swept
q fearful rate down the torrent. 1t
crashed into ledge of rocks and lodged
there. with the men clinging for their
lives. The usual crowd OF watermen was
on shore. No one dared to push out. Bull
Frlzzel manned his heavy rowboat. and
with rewerful strokes crossed the roaring
waters. matched his muscle hard against
their power, won. and rescued the men.
Deliberately rowing back. Give me So"
h sid
He Was No lmitator.
III vas his strength an his nat'fal ways
hat nAde him differ from other people.
Nas veople, msSbe as you hev found out.
sop1 wha. others do. but Bun Frixzel, he
asse dM. He would take holt OF things
eth~ people would never think Of" It
tlske. &ens % II he did.
fAe gnnise quarry on the Virginia side OF
~ Ffses caved in once and buried man
sqeasy feet His body was unearthed after
many hcofs Of effort. except his right leg.
ia vas crushed down hr < huge boulder
watch the combined efforts of thirty men
enssent shake. They were forced 10 cut
.ht body away. But ''the family wanted
~ rest Of him." No one offered to riss. his
ais the second time: other -ecxs were then
easins IN. Word was sent 10 Puli Frizzei.
" fer tlo." he said.
harly next morning he tramped to the
aaafry. and In spite Of falling rocks work
e g III suadown. He got that leg out.
Naming 1t In q SAGA ne carried 10 the
vM siDne House. lie, It stay IN the kitchen
"a night. then sold Il 10 the family" For
astt around men locked 10 see the stone
gu Friszel had moved. His fame sncreas-
II was nossed abroad that nothing
esiid harm him. Further evidence Of this
sa came. Bull had spite on the Sher-
ss aoyse One morning he was lying in
- - 10Y Jim al the mouth % the culvert
ssasf the canal. plfchfork IN hand. Sher-
- appeared and Bull savageiy attacked
sat jim was good an broad shouldered,
ss,s match fer Bull, an they grarpied."
~ went under through some scientific
-. 80 and sherrer took a great stone lone
Aaese yer niger stones" and slammed
I'D IN bulis face. Man. sir. twas
sasagh 10 smash any ordinary mortal to
sal.sers. but. Iordi Il didn't even make a
s;osy Is tod
ssassef time he went about for several
- WIN tenpenpy pain $50 tho story
Nnck clean through his foot and
= n ssa net know e.
DAn rsizzt was rough: "roughsrn pig
a an OLD dRtky said, IAN We know
~ ~ rough pig iron is" lie was ''tolera-
- y heigat. with neck shcst and thick
So. aalis. and "a large frame an right
he locked savage at ye'' from
hsSsa his heavy brcws. and hts long
- mar was thick and buShy You
"a sons niack ana white ~ paint him.
j. soa must slap cn big strokes and dash
49,. -. muscles as yea Nigh; with fierce
y. OF Sicily. His desc. ndants are for
l.s., most part daTk-hrowed. aggressive
esse men and women. lacking. how
esas-. Hsor and individuality. Tho
nss.ss Lord, Drownin' nor nethin'
swsr. '1 XII them. said q boy who went
mining With them. Erlzxel never wore
or stockings.
- reilly Made Him Famous.
n4ss 5000 wits didn't MAKE him 50 nota-
tSss.se ere Old farmer. lit was hts fool
II. as Wei as his strength. He would
90 anything an everything right nv
ms,.s II hen would cAckle he'd bet biz
"a y was yocoefgr 4r,' back his bet
ss.hs. re liked nothing better than TO
stss,s s'u' aim circle II admirers and
ts.s, as as wild 0dveHlurt@, his heroic
Ia ,tncAs he I}8s 90 OH his enemies,