The following article appeared in the July 7, 1911 print of the Guardian [Stafford, Arizona] on page 1 .
NOTE: The descendants of Nathan Wansley used several different spellings of their surname. The family in Arizona, Utah and California preferred Wanslee. In this article, “Wanslee” was Nathan [Nat] Terry Wanslee.
IT WAS A FIERCE FIGHT
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Terrible Battle Between a Badger and a Bull Dog
Sunday evening the biggest badger fight ever pulled
off in this section occurred at wanslee’s place on Tenth
street.
For some time past Mr. Halberd, the baker, has
been anxious to see a badger fight, and told his friends
that he would pull the rope to set the badger free if one
could be caught.
Several of our public spirited and leading citizens
sent out a hunting party Saturday to secure a badger.
They returned Sunday morning with a fine large
specimen which looked as if it would tackle man or
beast.
Immediately on the return of the hunting party, the
word went around among the local sporting fraternity
that Wanslee would match his bulldog for a fight with the
bdger, the fight to take place in the evening.
The betting on the result of the fight was the largest
ever known here, and it is said that something like five
hundred dollars was up by a leading sport of the county
seat. There were a number of smaller bets, ranging
from $5.00 to $50.00, and enthusiasm waxed warm over
the prospective fight all the afternoon and early evening.
About eight o’clock Wanslee’s pool parlors were
crowded with men, who were talling of other fierce
encounters between badgers and dogs, and the most
interested spectator in the bunch was Halberd, who
agreed to pull the rope that would set the badger free.
Halberd climbed on top of the high counter and
braced himself firmly. After he was set, he declared in
firm tones that he was ready to start the fight. The rope
was given to him and the crowd fell back, making a large
ring around the dog nd the badger’s cage, so that there
could be plenty of room for the encounter.
The umpire gave the signal, Halberd gave a jerk to
the rope that lifted the cage clear from the floor and the
badger came out in a rush. It seemed the fight was on,
and though it lasted only a few minutes, it was declared
by the onlookers to be the fiercest badger fight they had
ever witnessed. The badger was declared the winner.
Afteer the fight Halberd received the congratulations
of the entire crowd and he was delared the hero of one
of the greatest and liveliest badger fights in the history of
the town.
Halbert received the congratulations in good humor, but
he was the quietest man in the bunch and there was a
strange look in his eyes.