Nasty Fight Costs Man His Ear

A so-called bad man of Merrill, Ore., Frank Liskey, made front page news in the Klamath Falls Evening Herald of Feb. 5, 1908.
The newspaper reported that Liskey had been convicted of mayhem for biting off the ear of Ira McCall in a street fight. He didn’t just bite the ear, like heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson did some 89 years later in a professional fight with Evander Holyfield. Liskey ripped the ear from McCall.
In the quaint journalistic writing style of the era, the Evening Herald reported, “Liskey is what is known as a ‘bad man’ and has been in considerable trouble in the vicinity of Merrill. The day before his last crime, he was released from a 10 day’s sentence in the Merrill jail for beating up some Indians.”
The Klamath Falls newspaper said, “The people of our neighboring town (of Merrill) are considerably worked up over the affair…” It noted that McCall would be “disfigured for life.”
The newspaper said that “Both men are reported to be of a rather quarrelsome nature,” and reminded readers, “This is the second time Liskey has chewed an ear off of a man.”
Today’s episode of As It Was was written by Kernan Turner and produced by Raymond Scully. I’m Shirley Patton. As It Was is a co-production of JPR and the Southern Oregon Historical Society. To share stories or to learn more about the series, visit asitwas –dot-org.
Source: “Nasty Fight Results in Loss of an Ear,” The Evening Herald. Klamath Falls, Ore. Feb. 5, 1908. Pp.1