Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-11-06
RoCKvlLLR MARYlAND FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 8 1881
ESTACE COACH
/ TALES
Forced to Fight

Forced to Fight
JAMES BUN. veteran driver OF
- stage coaches out Of Washington.
Pa, despite his long years at the resns
and his hard life, was peaceful man.
He was reputed to be man Of great
muscular power, but Of quiet de-
meanOr.
Nearly all cities and sections of the
countryside century ago. when stage
coaches were the only means Of travel
between the east and the west, had
their local "bullies' who wanted to
fight every one who would stand up
against them. Some, having conquered
their local fields, set out for new con.
quests.
There was a "bully" in Cincinnati,
whose name has not been handed
down to posterity, who had achieved
q local reputation Of having licked"
everybody in and around Cincinnati
So like Alexander Of old, he sighed
for new victories.
Hearing Of James Buns great
strength, he set out for Ciaysville,
Pa, where he was informed Bun could
be found. He travelled by steamboat
from Cincinnati to Wheeling, W. Va,
and took o stage coach to Claysville,
where he put up" at the tavern Of
William Kelley, the stopping place Of
Buns stage line.
Upon entering the tavern, the stran-
ger asked for Bun and was politely
Informed by the landlord that the
driver was at the stable looking after
his teams and soon would be In.
Bun entered a short while later, and
Kelley remarked to the stranger:
'sThis Is Mr.. Bun"
The stranger, who was somewhat
larger than Bun, said:
Bun, have been told that you are
the best man In all this country and
I have come all the way from Gin
cinnatl to fight you and lick you, If
can" IL.
"Well," said Bun, "you have come a
long distance for a Job like that, and
besides don't know you and there Is
no reason why we should fight"
"But you must fight me-" the stran-
ger said. II insist or, It and will not
leave here until you do" a
z Bun persisted in declining the
proffered combat, and finally went up
stairs and went to bed to rest up
after his long drive. "
After half an hour Of rest he came
downstairs again. without any more
thought of the pugilistically inclined
stranger.
To his utter surprise, the aggres-
sive visitor met him at the foot OF
the stairs and again demanded trial
of strength. t
Buns good nature departed then
Stepping back, he warned his assail'
ant to look out, and with one blow
Of his fist, felled the man. y
Bun then went to a rear room OF
the tavern and washed his face and
hands preparatory to dinner. On his
return, the stranger was still pros
trate on the floor. g fGGn
Hasn't that man got up YETI" Bur
asked.
water was LnrOWu over the Nuh
,uished bully, and after he had fully
covered, he departed, a wiser II moi
better man. He was never seer
,ain in Claysville. ...,G
Fun became the hero Of Claysville
"a the story Of that blow was car
n all along that section Of the Ma
-,nal road. Efforts were continually
de after that to match Bun witt
Tiers of the spike Boys who wer'
nous for the fistic prowess, bu
.'un always declined to be drawn int
any more fights. Kelley told ever!
detail of that famous encounter t
anyone who would listen. for year
after 1t occurred. t1
David Gordon, six feet tall ant
weighing 200 pounds Of solid bone ant
muscle, but peaceful like Bun, ais
was driving stage coach of Wash
Ington at the time. and many effort
were made to get the two men to
gether In q ring. sasa,sasa,ae
Tradition has 1t that the two mel
had a reciprocal fear Of each other
but they never collided, and 1t neve
was settled who was the better mar
"a, 1881. Western Newspaper Union,