THE FIGHTING PARSON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE FIGHTING PARSON.

A TALK FROM SOUTH DAKOTA.

One hears occasionally of the lighting parson, but it is rarely that there coir.es to light such an excellent example of the class as is revealed in a credibly vouched for story from South Dakota. At a place called Beliefourche, on February 24th, in the interests of Christianity and to raise money for his missionary work, it is said the Rev. Cyrus Escoinb, a travelling evangelist of the Dunkard. faith, participated in three prize fights, of two, four and seven rounds respectively In each ho was victorious, and with every victory he saved, or thinks he saved, a soul. ' The Rev Escomb had been holding revivals at the various cattle camps in Uit> section for nearly a year. About the.raiudle of January he arrived" in BelleCourcbe. The citizens received him kindly, but the cowpunchers < from the neighbouring ranges, concerning- whose spiritual welfare he was especially solicitous, wore not interested in religion. HIS OPPORTUNITY. His opportunity came in an unexpected way. 'Chuck' Perkins, foreman on the 'Star V ranch, had been kicked by a vicious bronco and was indulging in considerable profanity. The Rev. Escomb overheard and rebuked him. 'Chuck' instantly became abusive. The minister, nervous and irritable from his long, uphill struggle with the cattlemen, threatened him with a whipping-. ■Lick me,' said 'Chuck' impressively, 'an' I'll jine yer church!' 'Big Mike' Crane, another of the 'Star V gang, and Charles Ranson, a local tough and bully, heard the conversation and 'wanted in' in the game on the same teims. .It was Crane who suggested a cash donation of $25 in aid of the clergyman's work of evangelization for each fight he won. It was probably the clerical cut of the pastor's garments rather than anything [in his appearance that made the men so confident; for when they came to strip they could not help noticing that he was decidedly in the heavy weight class, and picked their best fighter to meet him first. Crane was their selection. The fight was fought in a oorral outside the town where there was no danger of interruption. A big crowd gathered to watch the result. LICKED BY THE PREACHER. Not much skill was displayed, but what the contestants lacked in science they made up in strength, courage and determination. To every one's astonishment the Rev. Escomb forced the fighting from the start. Crane held his own during the first and second rounds, but came up groggy in the third and wasignominiously knocked out in the fourth. Ranson made a better showing. He lasted seven rounds and mauled his antagonist severely. The latter won more by sheer endurance and indifference to punishment than by superior skill. Ranson entered the ring at the beginning of the seventh round badly blown and much annoyed by the flow of blood from a cut over the eye. The Rev. Escomb saw his advantage and, availing himself of his superior weight and reach/ rushed his man rapidly about the ring, beat down his guards by pure force of muscle and finally landed a blow on nis jaw under which he went down and was unable to regain his feet. PERKINS EASILY SATISFIED. Perkins confessed himself beaten before he began fighting, and devoted most of his time to dodging the reverend gentle-' man's sledge hammer fists. The latter was considerably battered, but Perkins, who had" af first considered himself sure of victory, completely lost his nerve when he saw Crane and Ranson fall, and would as he afterward admitted, have kept out of the ring altogether had he been able to do so creditably. He went out after two easy rounds.

The Rev. Escomb held his men strictly to their agreement, and all promptly paid their money and professed Christianity, Perkins and Crane took their defeat in excellent part, and the minister expresses all confidence in their conversion, despite the unusual manner in which it was effected. Ranson is sullen and dissatisfied. He claims the clergyman fouled him and it is doubtful if he will make a valuable or lasting addition to ,the evange, list's flock.

The latter, an old Vermonter, passed his boyhood on a farm, spent several years in the Wisconsin lumber camps, and bore the reputation, in his youth, of being an almost invincible rough and tumble fighter. He Is now about forty-five years old and weighed in at the ringside at 19? pounds. Crane is thirty-two years old and tips the beam at 219. Ranson weighed 153 and Perkins 180.