Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-05-17

velous physical endowment of the boy
and made him his prOtege several years
ago. Gotch is built just right for Il
wrestler. Sheaths of muscles shield
his neck, which is scarcely less large
than his head. The muscles OF his body
are as firmly knit as oak, and there is
no eneminate waist line. His legs are
just like pillars, and his arms are ire
mendously powerful That he 10 all
muscle and no fat is evidenced by the
fact that for four years he has weighed
In at almost exactly 100 pounds.
Scarcely more than a boy-he is now
only wenty-six-Gotch has more than
fulfilled Burns expectations. The mus
cles he found az a plodding farm hand
have crushed the proudest Of athletes.
In an exhibition of the power Of his
muscles he once lay on q mat, and
Farmer Burns sought to throw him
over Burns pecked away at him, lift
ing first one end Of him and then the
other. and at the end OF the time al
lowance Gotch, every muscle drawn
taut. was occupying the same place
on the mat
Il tell you, boys, he's got the right
ldee." declared Burns, whose English
Is as bad as his skill is formidable.
You can do anything you like unless
you want to wrestle. But IL you're 60
In to make good wrestler you've got
to live temperate. l hain't never took
chew OF terbaccer nor drink Now,
you can thump my stomach till you're
tired. and I'll never feel it. That's
what comes from treatin' your body
right, and that's why Gotch il the best
man alive today"
II Gotch hadn't gone on a jaunt to
Alaska three years ago it is hard to
tell whether his proves as a wrestler
would have come to light He came
back in six months with $35, 600, but
he didn't take it out Of a placer mine.
Working under the name Of Frank
Kennedy, he took place on the claim
OF James Brown, up the creek from
Dawson. In friendly scuffie a few
weeks later he easily downed a man
with some reputation as a wrestler.
Next day he was challenged by Billy
Murdoch. A few nights later they
met on the hard floor Of a saloon. In
four minutes Gotch had his man on
his back and had pocketed $500. Then
he went back to shaking gold dust
Two lightweight wrestlers near Daw.
son heard about the newcomer, and
when they put up $500 and offered
the receipts to the winner Gotch made
a date. He agreed to throw them
both in an hour. and he left thirty
minutes before the time was up with
the money in his pocket Next he took
up a challenge from White, next to
the best In Alaska, and met him in
Dawson. Big money was up on White;
but. to the establishment Of all. Gotcb
won three falls in eighteen minutes
and cleared $1,000 in purse, side bets
and gate receipts.
Since Gotch had defeated all others.
Silas Archer, champion Of Alaska, be-
came interested in the boy miner and
put up $1,000 for match. The win.
ner was to get single fan. Archer
was not alone champion of Alaska.
but an old resident, and local pride
backed him. Miners from all over the
klondike came to the match and
brought their dust along. Standing
room was fought for at SO. Values
run high In the klondike. and the next
: DAY the Dawson papers said more
money was up on the match than on
any of the kind ever hela IN the world.
Gotch assumed the aggressive. and in
eighteen and half minutes pushed
Archer's shoulder blades to the mat.
The total winnings were $ls,64O.
AFTER wrestling against time for q
~
United States and took up wrestling
In earnest. He met all the state celeb
titles OF Iowa and Nebraska and then