Show FROM THE PRIZE RING TO THE PULPIT A couple of weeks ago there lied in london one of the most noted british pugilists william thomp ton better known ns Benr ligo ha vaa alie last of thoe old school boxers who fought battles honestly and rendered the london prize ring famous ilia career was an exceptionally one and our readers may feel by n condensed recital of the check ered life of one who from the brutality of the prize ring rose to tho distinction of the pulpit william thompson was one of a triplet of boys lorn by mary thomp sn to her husband benjaminson Benja minon the alth of november 1811 in new yard parliament street london tivo of the triplet died in their infancy but william survived with alie namo of ben given him by the fond mother on account of the dissipated of his father who was alie ewt celebrated mechanic in the midland counties a most expert lathe maker ben grew up way w ird and undisciplined oven to such a degree that hii unsteady father turned him out of the house bens molner however clung to him with mil ernal tenacity and the youth auld creep home in the fathers absence and recuperate anler the fond mothers ginistra min istra ln her anxious warning ben do go whenever the old mans was detested was the origin of the nickname bendigo which his playmates conferred upon him and which in after years wa given to one of the gold fields of australia bendy when at thu proper age was sent to for one week by his mother at the end of which ho was entrusted with to pay the master fur there was then no public school in nottingham but being of a sporting turn ho met with a friend who induced him to toss for the pence and he lost all the money never afterwards resumed his studies but grew up like a wild lad in the midst of celiza tion most of his time was spent in jumping throwing wrestling scrambling fighting and other rough athletic sport for both his moral inclination and his physical powers fitted him particularly well thus lie early gained more than a local reputation for excellence cel lence and in oct 1832 lie met his first pugilistic antagonist bill fawkes a nottingham fighter whom he beat in eleven rounds in 1833 ho in noless than nine hand to hand encounters winning all easily tho following year he hus banded his muscular capital mid in 1835 he defeated ben caunt another nottinghamshire Notting hamshire man in tho celebrated contest near applyby house leicestershire soon after at field lie won his great victory over john leachman alias brassey from the proceeds of bo pre tl niah A S arru ions of boal and lightblue his favorite color silk dreas with white spots abo airet silk the old lady ever wore another hard won success was his defeat of charley langan on jan 24 1837 at woore near newcastle one of his hardest fights occurred on juno 13 1837 and lasted an hour and three quarters his antagonist was bill looney of liverpool i powerful adversary but still inferior to Ben digos skill and muscle his next fight was a setto set to with caunt and this was one of tho most unfortunate of his experiences the doncaster Donca iter magistrates near which town the fight was to take place interfered and in the fight bendy got astray from liis backer who took the wrong road carrying off his fighting boots drawers and other prize ring paraphernalia the fight lasted about an hour and a half bendy having on borrowed shoes and strange men seconding him towards the end of the fight the odds were twenty to one upon bendigo but having no a in his shoes ho slipped down in the sixth round without u blow and the referee decided in fi vor of caunt bendigo was there fore said to have lost clug fight the only one we believe he ever lost in his life shortly after Deaf burke on his from the united states published a challenge fora pugilistic contest in belts affe and bendigo took ii the gauntlet hitting euch hard blows in tho encounter at heather leicester as o induce his to exclaim s Sen digon a d hard hitter and what is worse hes always at it for this triumph jem ward then abo champion pugilist of england awarded the belt to bendigo who ever afterward keep ing it on sept jtb he had a tussle of minutes in 93 walli caunt and after almost super human efforts and most inhuman hard hitting carried off the prize A splendid belt mounted with jewels and silver and in cab it was in this conceit that the finest iiii ever witnessed by many experts was gnadt after a retirement of five years bendigo the great fight of his life in june it WM for eido with thomas paddock in tho fen districts of Cambridge shire beven miles from ely and thirteen from thereat racing town of newmarket it embraced fifty rounds with as much mutual punishment and w great ft variety of heavy blow as would la healthy for any man to tike the battle was decided by a foul the fault of Leni ligon annajo antajo antt alt this fighting brought bendigo much money a he was the favorite hero of tha prize ring at a the did not ahan from their ben ligo enough or lia ivar to to koep tier coni fordable For table for life and the old lady frays took a rather unwomanly but not interest in glicr sons gladiatorial career although such a boanerges in the prize ring Bendigo tn private life was according to the published retain one iwho knew him intimately as simple ait harmless as a child and a great favorite with children iio would empty his pockets buying candies aid toys for them and was hc er so lappy traveling if ho could PI a few little prattlers pratt lers on im knees II 11 loved alie beautiful river trent aavo all ti lings anil was never tired of trout fishing older age he seems o have become surfeited with abo bloodstained blood stained laurels of the prize ring and disgusted with the views of hiis associates the realization of the brutality of his avocation dawned upon his untutored mind late but right he at once forsook the of so many sanguinary triumphs and entered the cli be coming an itinerant preacher among the general baptists in such he did much good in appealing t the latent sense of virtue in many wild and wayward men and women who would at first deride him and scoff at hi conversion but after awhile acknowledged and revered the sincer ity ofhie profession lie died amidst also universal regret of all who knew libin and knew haw to appreciate the great advance ho had made from the dust and den of abo brutal prie ight to the comfort and consolation of religion we will conclude our sketch the remarks of one who knew him jn the days of his pugilistic triumphs bendigo never married although lie had many tempting offers from lediea who admired his bravery and his peculiar liar handsome countenance lie kl though a prizefighter prize fighter never got his face scarred or brunea lie was very polite in society and used to be excessively fond of dress the taste for which he carried almost to eccentricity he was fond of conversation full of good things and could tell a funny story admirably it has never been our good fortune to have met him since he became a preacher but we know ho was honest in his calling for bendy was honest in everything and we feel sure that his natural eloquence would make up for his want of education for he nev learned to write and all the agree menashe made were signed with bis mark S |