Evening journal., 1900-02-27


omen until or 3 A. NJ. also wide open
on Sundays and holidays, selling TO
men already intoxicated and then talk
ing money from them, more than due.
They opened q new saloon across the
street from the church. Men C ne into
church with whisky breath, 81 while,
60 out and return worse than fore.
The streets are thronged with drunk
en- men on Sunday nights, making II
unsafe for our ladies' to come to church.
The insulting conduct of officials be-
came unbearable and their refusal to
take a complaint against saloon
keeper became q scandal.
The evidence I secured made the con-
ditions such that before daring TO open
again my influence must be destroyed
and I driven from town. Therefore the
saloon-keepers and officials entered in
to a conspiracy. An article was pre-
pared and printed IN the official organ
OF the whisky dealers.
First, however. fight must be had In
order 70 draw me into the net and thus
prove the statements made in their
article-thnt I was a wolf in sleeps
clothing and used TO aspire TO be
pugilist Saloon-keeper Dondero want
ed to slap my face, and, being an artist
with the gloves, sought a means by
which to bring about a friendly contest
for points and then secure an Oppor-
z tunity 70 slug me and prove my con-
duct disgracefui as a minister Thus
he had me fixed. IL I accepted his
t challenge / was a pugilist and would
not be allowed to preach again, the
+ officials having great influence In our
i. church. II 7 refused ] was q coward
s and nt prey for the gang, who would
:, enjoy themselves at my expense and
q harass me until I would have to leave.
Y The officials being against me and bet
!. ting on my sh ing up, I was forced
b to depend upon my own resources.
h SO pcrastentiy did they keep at me
n that i finally, at 10 =. NJ, Saturday,
& Dec. Q, consented to take my chances
with orN man rather than be at the
Il mercy OF the gang. So I went with
II them TO a barn which they had prepar-
If ed for the occasion. being challenged
II claimed the right 70 furnish the gloves
e and make the conditions. got out a
k peculiar set Of gloves, made according
a 20 my own ideas while at college, which
the boys had dubbed "Axtells pillows"
le They chose timekeepers and a referee
d and appointed my second. am twen-
Ct ty-six years Of age, and weigh 1876
ir pounds, being 8 feet 8 inches In height,
b. a wolverine Of Yankee descent. Gus
d Dondero, OF Italian parentage weight
N 10 pounds. is about thirty years Of
q age, and a well known character here
&c abouts.
s. The contest was a lively one from the
OF word go. / took the defensive and
r. maintained It until the latter part OF
ze the third round, when became aggres-
I'M siye, landing a right hook on the jugu.
~ lar. In the fourth and fifth 1 kept him
se groggy, my aim being to convince hin
O. without badly injuring him. The last
v few seconds Of the fifth I landed right
and left and had him up ready and
Ia lust about to deliver q solar plexus
I'M when the referee, his brother-in-law
~ called time and decided it a draw.
n. was escorted home by the gang ant
IL wished WE'LL
M The officials and saloon element arc
in making it unbearable here, however
n, and the landlords. one Of their SYM
M pathizers, has notified me that my rem
81 is TO be raised, and as there Is not q
mi vacant house IN town I don't know
,e what the outcome VIII be.
ne Dondero has been arrested on sew
Of eral charges, and as the cases are SUR
h. ones he may also have to leave town
n. escorted by the Sheriff. / wish ever,
young man was properly trained dLn
In lete, learning that It Is glorious to pos
%. sess a giants power, yet cowardly &
ho use Il in any but a just cause. whicl
as would make better Christians ans
IA citizens. have spent large share o
ia my time in the study Of anthropology
Is. and believe IN upbuilding the human
10 race rather than uplifting It.
nm "Mens sana I'm sano corpore" Is m,
~ motto, and "alternum vivo'' my pur
al pose. JOSHUA j. AXTELL.