The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-07
Defeated Sergeant Walsh in a
Mounted Sword Contest,
ON LAKE PARK GROUNDS
Fairs zed Crowd Attended-De Malch,n
Accepts a Handicap by Fighting
Latter Part OF Contest With
Broken Sword.


Sergeant Thomas Walsh rode at each
other yesterday at Anaconda Lake
park, and hacked each other over the
head. shoulders and body with modern
| broadswords
1t was probably the first exhibition
of the kind ever given in Anaconda,
and was brilliant at times. Skill was
| displayed on both sides, both in horse
manship and workmanship and the
fair-sized crowd was thoroughly salts
fled with the contest. Ivan de Malchin,
the Russian. won handily, by greater
skill and practice, and by his gallant
demeanor won the crowd although
through the earlier part of the contest
the sympathy of the audience WIS
| plainly with the sergeant simply on
patriotic grounds, because he was an
American.
The crowd that paid at the gate was
small IN comparison with that which
came in through the trees Women
even stripped off their shoes and stock
lnss and waded the creek in the low:r
part of the park, where their movements
were screened by the brush, and enter
ed thus without paying. The small boy
audience was large. The youngsters
found openings in many places. Walsh
and de Malchin, who had been riding
| about the boundaries of the park to
keep out intelopers, finally gave UP in
despair and did not try to step The
onrush.
| When the contestants trotted on the
| held about 3:45 o'clock to begin, each
was well mounted. The Russian had a
| large. fleet horse and Walsh smaller
| one, which was equally active Both
men were thoroughly at home in the
| saddle. De Malchin wore a rcd and
| walsh a blue sweater, and their soc
| armor was huge basket helmet Of iron
wire, padded inside. The arms were
| straight swords with a huge guard.
James Duane acted as referee and Col.
| T. OLeary and Charles Williams as
! judges.
| Under the rules of the combat point
| Is counted whenever a contestant
! strikes his opponent a fair blow with
| his weapon anywhere on the head or
body above the hips and above the fore
arms. Should in an engagement each
| man strike the other the point Is given
to the one making the attack, mas
| much as the theory of workmanship
is that one attacked must first guard
| and then, if possible. strike The blows
| are by no means love pats, but are
| swinging sweeps that, despite the fact
| that the weapons are duled, leave q
mark when they reach arms or body.
On point being scored each man mus
retire to his corner.
Perfect control of the horse and a
skill with the sword are the requisites
of the game. Walsh proved himself
better in horsemanshir than in sword
manship, while de Malchin was a mas
ter in each science, quick as cat, both
in the handling of his steed and in par
rying and cutting.
he
and were difficult to force into the com
bat at first but soon took to it and
often closed at close quarters
Walsh scored the first point and then
it was give and take until the score
stood 7 to 3. In disengaging at this
stage of the game Walsh's weapon
caught the thumb of de Machine bril-
die hand and laid it open Just back Of
the nail. INJECTING painful wound
Hereupon de Malchin took his sword
in his left hand--the wounded one
using the right to manage the horse.
Then Walsh scored three points in
quick succession.
After this de Malchn took his sword
in his right hand and Walsh scored
but one more point in the contest In
scoring he broke three inches off the
point of his weapon. There were none
others to be had
Give me the short sword said de
Malchn, winning the plaudits of the
crowd. Thereafter he fought with the
shortened weapon. Presently ne had,
by clever workmanship, scored the re-
quired II points and won the match. !
inasmuCh as it was to be given to the |
one first scoring II out of a possible 81
points.
On the request of Walsh it was de-
cided to fight three moe points. Each
of those de Malchin won quickly.
The only drawback to the afternoons |
sport was the presence of two drunken
hoodlums who persisted in bowling in
suits at de Malchin and paradng their
jags and vile language before the wom |
en- and children present.
The Evening Contests.
Last evening there was more sword
fighting at Anaconda Lake park. Mr..
de Malchin met Professor Eager of
Butte in a contest with foils and in one
with broadswords. dismounted. The
first named match was tie, each
swordsman scoring five points. while |
in the second de Malchin was the victor |
by score of to 4.
Both matches were fought in the |
dancing hall in the presence of a good
sized crowd. In the foil contest de |
Malchin and Eager were attired in the |
conventional fencing costume with |
light fencing mask protecting the face |
Professor Eager Is the instructor in the |
Turin Nerein at Butte. and a swords |
man of ability. The flash of the swift
ly thrust steel. the rapid lunges, parties |
and RECEIVERS, and all the graceful nice |
ties of sword play made a pretty pic |
ture for the audience.
In the broadsword combat the con- |
testants wore the heavier padded he'll |
NETS and fought with powerful swing |
ing cuts. The two styles of swords |
manship, so widely different, made an |
interesting study.
Capt J. J. Grant and Night Chief of |
Police Frank O'Brion acted as the Off |
Gals of the matches.