The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-06
THE YANKEE GIANT.
Ben ,Caunt is in town!'

ttBen -Caunt is in town.
This was the news that buzzed
around New York in the latter part Of
1S41, causing great excitement in the
resorts where sporting gentry were
wont to congregate. Almost unher-
aided, Big Ben, the champion of Eng
land and the acknowledged star Of
| hstiana, had crossed the Atlantic in
order to pick up a little easy money
by giving exhibitions of his great
strength and physical proves.
Ben Caunt' was a giant in stature,
a very mountain of man. Born in
1s15-5ust a century ago-he had
been a farm Iaborer and gamekeeper
in his youth. He then turned to
wrestling, and afterward to prize
fighting as offering greater financial
rewards By defeating Bendigo,
Brassey and Nick Ward, the big fell
low had attained the topmost rung
OF the pugilistic ladder, and it was in
the role of champion fighting man of
the universe that he ~strutted about
New York and received the homage
of the populace.
Americans of all stations in life
Joined IN the tributes to Ben Caunt
who was the second English cham
pion to favor America with a visit.
Only few years before the HercuIean
Deaf Burke had crossed the pond
and had displayed his hstfc wares in
New York, Philadelphia and New Or
leans. The Deaf I'm" made naint
Of money, and it was this which in
spired Caunt to follow his example.
At that time A1nericshs were fight
mad. Tom Hyer, the son of old Jacob
Hyer, the pioneer American pugilist,
had inherited the latter's scrappy
brave Tom had whipped Country Nc
Closkey in a battle lasting 101 rounds
Yankee Sullivan, an Irishman from
London, had also fought several not
able battle which had caused the Irish
element in New York to acclaim their
hero. Sullivan and Hyer ran rival
sporting resorts in the American
metropolis, but Caunt was taken up
by the EIyer gang.
1t was in Tom Hyer's place in Park
Row, the resort Of the better class of
sports. that Ben Caunt was introduced
to young American who was des-
tined to have a brief but glorious
Caunt was sitting at table. slipping
his liquor and talking with several
friends. the door opened and a man
entered.
And such man.
my heavensi" gasped Caunt, put
ting down his glass. and rubbing his
eyes to make sure that he was not
the victim of an optical illusion. "Is
he real?'' he added, in an awed whis-
per-
That's Charlie Freeman" laughed
one OF the party. Hi. Charlie, let me
introduce you to Ben Caunt-"
Caunt rose, and the newcomer ad-
vanced and extended a hand the size
Of a small ham. The EngIishnan was
a big, powerful man, well over six
feet in height, but he seemed puny
in comparison to the chap who was
warmly shaking his hand. Freeman
had had to bend to enter the door,
and when he Strengthened up he
reache dan altitude Of six feet and
ten and a half inches.
For all his abnormal size Freeman
was an intelligent fellow. He was al
most perfectly proportioned. and, al
though he weighed $50 pounds, he
looked slender. Before they parted
that evening Caunt and Freeman
were firm friends, and at subsequent
meetings they determined to form a.
partnership and give exhibitions in
England. Ben's American visit had
not been as profitable as he had ex-
pected, and it was not long until he