Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-10-10


throw him down. His company conf
dently pitted him against the field
and were willing to bet all they had on
the result. At length one Mr.. Thomp-
son came forward and accepted the
challenge. He was In fact the most
famous wrestler in the western coun-
try. 1t is not certain that the report of
his achievements had ever reached the
ears of Mr.. Lincoln or his friends, but
at any rate they eagerly made match
with him as a champion not unworthy
of their own. Thompson's power and
skill. however, were as we'll known to
certain persons in the army as Mr.
Lincolns were to others. Each side
was absolutely certain of the victory
and bet according to their faith. Lin
coins company and their sympathizers
put up all their portable property and
some perhaps not their own, including
knives, blankets, tomahawks and all
the most necessary articles of SOL
dier's outfit.
When the men first met, Lincoln was
convinced that he could throw Thomp-
SON. but, after tussling with him brief
space in presence of the anxious as
semblage, he turned to his friends and
said: This is the most powerful man
/ ever had hold of. He will throw me,
and you will lose your all unless ] act
on the defensive" He managed, never
theless, to hold him off for some time,
but at last Thompson got the "crotch
hoist on him and, although Lincoln
attempted with all his wonderful
strength to break the hold by sliding
away, few moments decided his fate.
He was fairly thrown. AS it required
two out of three falls TO decide the
bets, Thompson and he Immediately
came together again and with very
nearly the same result. Lincoln fell
under, but the other man fell too
There was Just enough of uncertainty
about 1t to furnish preteXt for hot
dispute and general fight. According
ly, Lincoln's men instantly began the
proper preliminaries to fracas. I'VE
were taken by surprise" says Mr.
Green, "and, being unwilling to give
up our property and lose our bets, got
up an excuse as to the result We de-
clared the fall kind of dog fall; did
SO apparently angrily." The fight was
coming on apace and bade fair to be a
big and bloody one when Lincoln rose
up and said, Boys, the man actually
threw me once fair, broadly so and the
second time, this very fall, he threw
me fairly. though not so apparently
So" He would countenance no disturb
nnce and his unexpected and some
what astonishing magnanimity ended
all attempts to raise one.
Friend of Common Soldier.
Mr.. Lincon's good friend, Mr.. Green,
the principal, though not the sole au-
thority for the present account of his
adventure in behalf of the Indian and
his wrestle with Thompson, mentions
one important incident which is found
in no other manuscript and which gives
us a glimpse of Mr.. Lincoln in scene
of another sort. lone other word IN
reference to Mr.. Lincoln's care for the
health, welfare and justice to his men.
Some officers of the United States haG
claimed that the regular army had a
preference In the rations and pay. Mr..
Lincoln was ordered to do some act
which he deemed unauthorized. He.
however, obeyed, but went to the OFF,
Ger and said to him: Sir, you forget
that we are not under the rules and
regulations Of the war department at
Washington; are only volunteers under
the orders and regulations of Illinois.
Keep within your own sphere and
there will be no difficulty, but resist
ance will hereafter be made to your
unjust orders; and further, my men
must be equal in all particulars, in ra-