The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-28
HOW TOMMY WEST
BEAT COFFEE COOLER

Once upon a time there was a
chocolate colored gentleman in New
| York whose right name was Craig. but
who was far better known as the
Harlem Coffee Cooler
Old-time sports all remember the
Cooler" He was q pretty fair sort of
a lighting man. He stood within an
inch Of six feet tall. and many people
looked upon him with the same degree
Of veneration that is accorded Jack
Johnson today In our best African cir
cles.
There was also blonde gentle
man known as Tommy West. And he
could fight also, although he was as
near Ave feet in height as six, and
classed among the welterweights.
Tommy West was good friend and
mighty bad enemy, as many othei
lighters learned as well as "The Har-
lem Coffee Cooler He was so dan
gerous In the ring that he found 1t
hard to get anyone to fight him. This
drove him to the use of diversified ex
pedients, or words to that effect. Often
when Tommy couldn't induce some
hustling scrapper to meet him profess
sionally he studied out a line Of un-
pleasing communications that threw
the victim into such rage that he
jumped at a chance to fight In this
way Tommy kept busy and added the
winners share to his bank account at
frequent intervals.
But Tommy sometimes used other
sorts OF diplomacy, and that was how
he happened to mingle with the
I"Cooler."
West fought and whipped George
Byers, locally famous duslxy heavy
weight. Although a weIterweight.
Tommy never cared how the other fell
low scaled.
Craig Scoffed. Il
His victory over Byers was SO un-
expected that the Harlem Coffee Cool
or, over from long string OF success
full fights In England, decIaimed In var
ious resorts about town to the effect
that the fight had been Fixed" and
that Byers laid down. West heard
about the Coolers statements and was
much perturbed In spirit. In other
words, he was dead sore" Sitting
down he thought the matter over and
determined to lick the Cooler, too. But
to get match required diplomacy.
He laid his plans.
Next day West happened around
where the Cooler usually fed himself
and dropped in just as the big choco-
late had finished dinner and was feel
ing In a pleasant and complaisant frame
OF mind. Tommy wore tight fitting
black suit that made him look small
and delicate. That was part OF his
scheme
'You ought to give me a fight be-
fore you go back to England, Mr..
Craig" said West politely. II have
quite a little local reputation and Of
course you are a great drawing card.
We could pull down niece piece OF
money andJI need few dollars Just
now. If you don't insist on making
the winners share too big I'd like to
go on with YOU
The Coffee Cooler looked Tommy
over carefully and decided that IL was
80 easy he couldn't help smiling. So
ne smiled and said 'de-lfghted.' TINS
unconsciously piagiarizing from D fu-
ture president In haste to pick up this
easy money, Craig hustled away to
George Conaidine and asked George Ia
match him with West.
why" said Considine ayou donsf
want to hight that fellow Hen KIN
you
Thought II joke.
The Coffee Cooler thought George
was joking He insisted. The match
was made. But curiously enough
neither West nor the Cooler mention
&c the division OF the purse.
When they stepped into the ring of
the old Broadway club, Considine ask
ed West how he wanted the money