The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-07 00:00:00

ion.

SECOND EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

HARPENDEN RACES-THIS DAY.
(BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH
TWO YEAR OLD STAKES.

Anti-Macassar
Mongrel
2
Sven ran.

Ilow the s' Great Prize Fight" was Stopped.

The Freeman's JOUrna! gives the following account of
the measures adopted by the Irish authorities to prevent the
threatened combat between Mace and Coburn :—" Notwith-
standing the result of the meeting for the appointment of
the referee, the general belief on Tursday was that the fight
world take place. Mr E. James and others interested in
the pugilistic encounter took their places in the mail train
on Monday evening, and a large Lumber of detectives were
hovering about the platform and booking cfEce. The lovers
of "the manly sport of self- defence " took tickets for various
stations beyond Goold's Cross, at which they were to atop,
for the purpose of U-Laing the constabulary, who were to be
seen in all kiwis of strange costum.s and keeping a sharp
lookout. Every male passenger was closely scrutinised
for the object of coming at either of the champions, and
questions were asked in the most insinuating manner, with
a view of finding out the place where Coburn had taken up
his head-quarters. As the train stopped at the several
stations bodies of constabulary were to be seen drawn
up on every platform, and crowds of country people all meat
eager to get a view of the pugilists whom they believed were
in the train. Those who knew the real state of affairs were
perfectly aware that the contest of which so much had been
written and spoken would not come off, and [hat Mr James
was only going down for the purpose of keeping an ap-
pointment with Coburn, who had pitched his ground in a
farmhouse not many hundred yards from Goold's Cross
Station—to tell him of the result of the meeting, ea appoint
a referee, and make arrang eieets for his appearing on the
battle-ground between 12 an 2 o'clock on the following day,
in accordance with the stipulations contained in the articles.
At Sallins, Newbridge, Kildare, and all the stations down
to the Limerick Junction, the constabulary showed in great
force, and notwithstanding the fact that the night was bit-
terly cold, with a freezing breeze from the eastward, crowds
were congregated at all the places where the train stopped.
It was clear from the concentration of a large force of con-
stabulary at Goold's Cross Station that the people in
authority were well aware that that was the place selected
by Coburn's friends for those concerned in the fight to take
their departure for the " trysting place." The ground
selected was within a short distance of the "Rock of
Cashel," a secluded place. On the arrival of the train at
Goold's Cross Station there was no one to be found will
could give any information about Coburn, and the absence
of any of the reporters from the London sporting journals
clearly proved that there was not the slightest chance of
the fight taking place. One hundred of the constabulary
were drawn up under arms round the station, and after
the set geants had taken stock of the passengers who had
left the train they retired to take shelter behind the nearest
wall from the bitter wind which was blowing. Those who
had come down to see the fight, and who had not aban-
doned the hope that the " mill" would come off, pushed on
for Cashel on outside cars in the piercing cold, and on
arriving at the " City of the Kings" they found that every
bed in the hotels had been engaged, principally by the
friends and backers of Coburn, several of whom had
come over from Liverpool. It .vas positively stated that Co-
burn was in the neighbourhood, but strange to say his own
agent did not know where to find him or Cusick, his trainer
and backer. On Tuesday morning Coburn's friends and
several members cf the Dublin press proceeded from Cashel
to Guold's Cross, a distance of five miles. The constabulary
were more numerous than on the day previous, and the men
looked exhausted after their long term of duty in weather
severely cold. On the approach of every train constables
were placed behind walls, and distributed along the plat-
form, and horse relic° were in readiness to dash off at a
moment's notice, to bring skirmishers in to aid in prevent-
ing that was never to take place. Military men and
others r.-Le lattd come long distances to be present at the
pugilistic encounter were loud in their complaints at the
mazecr in which the principals, or those acting
fot them backed cut of their engageraente. Much
amusement to the knowing ono was occasioned on
the arrival of the train which left town at half-past seven
o'c'eek, by the constabulary erreeting a man named Ryan,
from Thurlee, whom they mistook for Mace. Nothing
could La rcero comic than the bewilderment expressed
on the face of Mr Ryan, who is a jolly-loeking farmer, on
being taken captive. He insisted that he was himself, and
not Jem Mace, but ho would not be believed by the sub-
inspectors and sergeants, who took him into the booking..
office and interrogated him with the most laughable solem-
nity, and it was not until two military gentlemen pledged
themselves that Mr Ryan was not Jem Mace that he was
allowed to go at large. While this scene was being enacted
Joe Coburn, it is stated, escaped from a house in the vici-
nity of the station, where he had been "lying up," and
which the police searched shortly after he had got away.
Mace, however, did not appear during the day, nor any of
the pugilistic corps, and as all those who appeared to be in
the " secret" returned to town by the midday trains. It
appear:, that shortly before 2 o'clock Coburn, accompanied
cle
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inJ. MdatchkeesGY'oosludc's-
Cress station, named Ballack. Here, in the presence of Chas.
Weethali, of the Spotting life, and Mr James, of the Kite
York. Clipper, Cusiok formed the outline of thespians which
is miscalled the ring by planting four upright poles in the
ground. Within the square Coburn pitched his cap, and
then followed it himself. Mace not putting in an appearance,
Coburn claimed the £l,OOO stakes, on the ground that the
articles specify that the men were to be on the spot named
for the contest between 12 and 2 o'clock, and Mace had
failed to keep the engagement."

In a letter to the itiporting .We, dated London, Tuesday
evening, Mace says—" I am greatly disappoin:ed at not
being permitted to fight Coburn. I have, for the sake cf
toy backers, taken every pains in training, and to-day I
was never more fit or better in my life, as my trainer,
Milner, will certify. I do not consider myself well.
treated, and Mr Brunton, who never found a shilling of
my money, has taken everything to himself, and asserts
that he was solely rczpuns:blo in getting gentlemen to find
me the amount required. Mr Brunton suddenly left me
in Dublin on Monday with no explanation. Coburn had
every opportunity it' he wished to meet me, and would
only through his representative, chooso one referee, a
Mr Bowling, of whom I know nothing, and who is also
said to be a brcther•in-law of Coburn. lam most dis-
appointed, and how on earth could it be supposed that I
should fight, with a man for referee of whose position I
know nothing, and who was a hundred miles away even
when proposod ? I wished any representative of the
press to act, and. Milner even eshed Coburn's friend, Mr
MN in James, of the New York Clipper, when Mr Smith
was objected to, if he (Mr James) would stand, but he
would not. Now, as to the money business. Every shilling
that has been lean' me has come from sportsmen who put
their names down, I trust owing to my public reputation.
Coburn's party placed an insurmountable obstacle against
our fighting, and as I have reason to suppose that Coburn
was not even training, and evaded his engagement with
no intentinn of fighting, I consider myself entitled to the
stake,2,."