Jack Martin (of Butte)

Name: Jack Martin
Alias: Butte Bearcat
Hometown: Butte, Montana, USA
Pro Boxer: Record

Jack Martin was reported in early 1919 to be a miner from Butte, Montana. According to an October 13, 1915 Everett Tribune newspaper account, he was living and working in a lumber camp near Forks, Clallam County, Washington.

According to a March 10, 1917 journal entry by Pat Klahn of Forks, WA, Martin was then employed as a farm hand in Forks by Eli Peterson. Martin had been a veteran of the Philippine War:

in which he almost had his hand amputated when a native slashed him across the wrist with a saber. Previous to coming here he worked on several cattle ranches throughout the United States. He liked to gamble and in spite of his inability to use his left hand normally, he was considered a clever boxer when in the ring.

He boxed here in the Athletic Hall on several occasions with top raters from Port Angeles and Aberdeen, and to my knowledge, never lost a fight. Once he KO'd Harvey Smith in little more than one minute of the first round. That of course no credit to him, as Harvey never claimed to be a pugilist but was only boxing to help fill in the card.

Jack was usually good-natured, but because of his activities of a gambler and fighter, people talked about him as they always do about anyone in a small place like Forks. If he heard any rumors or gossip that didn't meet with his approval, true or false, he sometimes went to the source of its beginnings, if he could find it, for an explanation, thereby making some enemies.

Klahn then goes on to describe a scuffle between Martin and a Charles Sults that Klahn had witnessed. (Journal entry typos edited by BoxRec): [1]

Assuming this is the correct Jack Martin, the Dec. 29, 1919 Bremerton Evening Searchlight newspaper (Bremerton, WA, USA) reported that he had been shot in Seattle by Harry Erickson, a taxi driver. Martin died four hours later. Erickson claimed self-defense, saying he had been attacked by Martin and two others. On the other hand, Martin--on his death-bed--said this was the result of union trouble, and accused Erickson of "scabbing."