Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1913 — GOTCH DEFEATS BULLY IN THE KLONDIKE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOTCH DEFEATS BULLY IN THE KLONDIKE

GOTCH roughed it for six months in the Klondike in 1901, meeting all corners. He departed from the littld old farm house south of Humboldt empty handedHe returned with a bag of gold and Canadian paper valued at 135,000. His wrestling triumphs in'that Arctic region ranged from a defeat of a bully to a victory over the champion grappler of the Yukon. One of the Butler brothers, wealthy miners, tried to persuade “Farmer” Burns to accompany him to the Klondike. Burns declined but gave Gotch such a glowing account of the great fortunes to be made on the Yukon that Gotch decided to go. The Humboldt farmer lad was known in the Klondike as Frank Kennedy, one of the host of miners washing gold dust from"the sand He passed a month or* more as a placer miner before opportunity knocked at his door opening the way to an independent fortune. The camp, fortunately for'Gotch, had a bully. Thiß fellow was not a wonderful wrestler, but had a habit of intimidating other miners by a show of strength and bull dog courage. Gotch had not been in camp many weeks before he had a “run in” with the bully. Gotch rushed into his traducer, grabbed him around the waist and hurled him to the ground. Then he pinned him with a hammerlock until he cried for mercy. The story of Gotch’s victory over this "bad man" caused much excitement Billy Murdock, champion wrestler of the camp, challenged him to a finish match. The challenge was accepted and the whole camp turned out to see the young stranger’s finißh. The bout was held in a saloon. It lasted just four minutes. Murdock, to the surprise of the miners, was thrown heavily and pinned to the floor in such decisive fashion as to remove all doubt as to who was champion wrestler of those diggings. Gotch’s fame spread to other camps and he was challenged by two wrestlers named Riley and Murphy.’ The matches were for $2,500, the mysterious stranger agreeing to throw both in an hour. He accomplished the task in half the time. The miners and sports of Daweon

were told of the wonderful prowess of the youngster from the “states.” There was a wrestler in Dawson named White who had the reputation of being the second best in the Yukon country. He challenged Gotch to a finish match for $2,500. Just to adver. tise himself and get a match with the champion.' Gotch agreed to throw White three times in an hour. Gotch rushed in at the call of time and. drove to the edge of the mat. , White went down in a heap and Gotch tried for a bar arm. White darted out and then put Gotch to the mat with a crotch hold. Gotch was up Instantly, his wonderful strength enabling him to break a waist hold. Then he went to the top and gained a partial hammerlock. White spun out of this dangerous grip and came to the top Once more, , the miners giving him a big hand. White hung on and Gotch raised up with his antagonist on his back, an exhibition of strength that made the miners' gasp with astonishment White threw Gotch to the mat, and both came to their feet in a desperate mixup. Gotch rushed in, grasped his opponent by the legs, dangled him In the air and then bore his shoulders to the mat for the first fall after five minutes of wrestling. Going to it again Gotch rushed White to the ropes and secured a leg hold and the Dawson wrestler went to the mat Gotch fastened a double nelson which the Dawson wrestler broke with difficulty. Gotch finally pinned his man for the second fall in eight minutes.

The miners who had laid (heavy bets op White were panic-stricken. Gotch was not only a surprise—he was a sensation. When White came up wobbly for the final bout it was plain he could not last much longer. Gotch rushed him and when he was about to fall from the mat, he caught him, pulling him back, and saving him possible injury. White broke many holds but finally succumbed to his more powerful opponent in 5:06. This match set the whole mining region of the Yukon talking about Gotch. It enabled him to secure a match for the championship of Alaska and the Klondike. (Copyright, 1912, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Showing How Gotch Pins an Opponent With the Half Neleon and Crotch.