| Show Forced to Fight J JAMES TAMES IES BUN nUN n u veteran driver of coaches stage out of ot Washington Washing Washing- ton tou Pa despite his long Ions years at atthe atthe at atthe the reins and his hits hard life Ute was a ap p peaceful 11 man He was reputed to tobe tobe tobe be a man of great muscular power I but of ot quiet demeanor Nearl Nearly all cities and sections of ot the countryside a century ago when stage coaches were the only means menns I of travel tra between the tile East Enst and the West Vest had their local bullies who wanted to fight every everyone one who would stand up against them Some ha having conquered their local fields set out for new v conquests There was a bully In Cincinnati Cincin Cincin- anti nati whose name has not been handed down to posterity who had achieved a local reputation of having hay hav lug ing licked everybody In and around Cincinnati So like Alexander Alexan Alexan- der den of old he lIe sighed for new v vic vie tories Hearing of ot James Buns Bun's great strength he lie set out for Cla Claysville s 's Pa where he was was' Informed Bun could coul be found 11 He traveled by steamboat from Cincinnati to Wheeling W. W Va and took a n stage stagecoach stagecoach stagecoach coach to Claysville le where he put up at the tavern ta of ot William Kelley Kel lCd ley hey the stopping place of Buns Bun's stage line Upon entering the tavern the stranger asked for Bun and was politely Informed by the landlord that lint the driver was at the tIle stable stobIe looking after hIs bis teams and soon would be In Bun entered a 11 short while later Inter and KeIley Kehley remarked to the stranger stranger stranger stran stran- ger This Is Mr Bun The stranger who was vas somewhat larger than Bun said aid Bun I have been told U that at you are the best man In all this country coun try and I have come all the way fr from m Cincinnati to fight you and lick you If It I can Well Wen said Bun It you ou have come a long distance for a Job like that and besides I dont don't know you ou one and there is no reason why we should fight But you must fight fight V me the stranger said I Insist on on It and will wiH not leave here until you do Bun persisted In declining the proffered combat and finally went went vent upstairs and went to bed to rest up after his long drive After half baIt an nn hour of rest he came downstairs again without any more thought of the cally Inclined stranger To ro his utter surprise the aggressive aggressive aggressive sive visitor met him at the foot of ot the stallS stairs and again demanded a ti atrial trial trial of strength Buns Bun's uns un's goo good II nature departed then Stepping back he warned warnell his assailant as as- to look out and with one blow of his fist Ost felled the man Bun then lien went to a rear room of the tavern and washed his face and hands hands' preparatory to dinner On his return the the stranger was still stil prostrate on the tile floor v that man got up yet et Bun asked Water was thrown over the vanquished van ran b bully n and after he l had ad full fully recovered he lie departed a wiser If It not a better man lie Be was never seen again in CI Claysville s llIe Bun beca became e the hero of Claysville Clays Clays- ville vilie and the story of that thaI blow was carried all along that section of the National road roud Efforts were continually made after that to match Bun with others of the tile Pike Boys Bos who were famous for the he prowess but Bun un always declined declined de do- dined to be drawn Into any any anymore more fights tights Kelley told every every detail of that fatuous famous encounter to an anyone one who would listen for years ars after I It occurred David Gordan six feet tall and weighing OO pounds of solid bone and muscle but peaceful like Bun also was wis dl driving a u stage coach o of Washington at the tle time tinie and man many mauj efforts were made to get the two men together in a n ring rini Tradition has It that the two m men n had a n reciprocal fear of each other but bm they never ne collided and it never ne f s s 's settled d who was the better man Z c 1031 1931 Western Newspaper Union |
