Evening journal., 1900-01-22

NNA"R
on Sundays and holidays, selling 10
men already intoxicated and then taxi
ing money from them, more than due.
They opened n new saloon across the
street from the church. Men come into
church with whisky breath. sit a while,
go out and return worse than efore.
The streets are thronged with drunk
en- men on Sunday nights. making Il
unsafe FOR our ladies to come to church.
The insulting conduct OF officials be-
came unbearable and their refusal TO
take q complaint against saloor-
keeper became a scandal.
The evidence 1 secured made the con-
dltions such that before daring 20 open
again my influence must be destroyed
and driven from town. Therefore the
saioon-keepers and officials entered in
10 q conspiracy. An article was pre-
pared and printed IN the official organ
Of the whisky dealers.
First. however. a iieht must be had In
order to draw me into the net and thus
prove the statements made in their
article-that ! was n wolf in Sleeps
clothing and used TO aspire 70 be a
pueilist saloon-kecper Dondero want
ed 10 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-
tunity to slug me and prove my con-
duct disgracefuI as minister. Thus
he had me fixed. II / accepted his
challenge 1 was a pugllist and would
not be allowed to preach again. the
officials having great influence in our
church. If I refused / was q coward
and fit prey for the gang. who would
enjoy themselves at my expense and
harass me until would have to leave.
. The officials being against me and bet
ling on my sh ing up, I was forced
o depend upon my own resources.
So persistently did they keep at me
hat I finally, at 10 p. NJ, Saturday,
DEC. 9, consented TO take my chances
With oi0 man rather than be at the
mercy OF the gang. So 1 went with
hem to barn which they had prepar-
el for the occasion. being challenged
claimed the right to furnish the gloves
and make the conditions. / got out a
peculiar set OF gloves. made according
10 my own ideas while at college, which
the boys had dubbed "Axtelrs pillows
They chose timekeepers and a referee
and appointed my second. am TWEEN
ty-six years of age. and weigh 1876
pounds. being feet inches in height.
a Wolverine Of Yankee descent. Gus
Dondero, Of Italian parentage. weight
10 pounds, is about thirty years OF
age, and well known character here
abouts.
The contest was q lively one from the
word go. I took the defensive and
maintained it until the latter part OF
the third round, when I became aggres-
sive, landing a right hook on the jugu-
lar In the fourth and fifth kept him
groggy, my aim being to convince him
without badly injuring him. The last
few seconds Of the fifth landed right
and left and had him up ready and
just about to deliver a solar plexus
when the referee, his brother-in-law
called time and decided It q draw.
was escorted home by the gang and
wished well.
The officials and saloon element are
making it unbearable here, however
and the landlords, one Of their sym
pathizers. has notified me that my rem
is 10 be raised, and as there is not a
vacant house In town I don't know
what the outcome WIN be.
Dondero has been arrested on sew
eral charges, and as the cases are sur,
ones he may also have to leave town
escorted by the Sheriff. I wish everl
young man was properly trained ath
leto. learning that IL is glorious to pos
sess a giants power. yet cowardly 4
use II in any but o just cause, which
would make better Christians ans
citizens. have spent a large share o
my time in the study Of anthropology
and believe in upbuilding the human
4 IN co rather than uDifftinq II
"Afens sana In seno corpore" is m.
motto, and "alternum yivo" my pur
pose. JOSHUA j. AXTELL.