Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-01


head, though bloody, swollen, and much dis
colored. were almost natural when compared
to those of his antagonist. Both were very
slow to the call of time. The Benicia Boy
was first out. Sayers then came out, and
Heenan at once, bringing his gaunt musc 'l,
lar left into play, reached over Toms guard
like lightning and knocked. him down with
tremendous blow. Again Sayers was out,
though weak, and Heenan rushed to force
the fighting: each hit the other hard, and af-
ter slight struggle Sayers got down, laugh
ing Another round followed with much
the same result as to hitting; but in the close
Heenan lifted Sayers from the ground with
ease and flung him down heavily.
Sayers was evidently distressed, and had
not the least chance in closing with his pow
erful antagonist Again there was little
struggle, and Sayers at last got heavy
blow on Heenan's left eye, the only one with
which he could now see, receiving in return
a blow in the chest, when he managed to get
down. Both were very slow in coming up
again, and Sayers being lodged round as
usual, with his face to the sun, seemed daz-
zled; again the terrific long arm of the Benz
cha Boy came in, and Sayers was knocked
down and apparently half stunned. He re-
quired much care from his seconds before he
came up again, though when he did Sc it at
once seemed to revive all his vigor, for he
made straight at Heenan and dealt him a
blow in the face that was heard all over the
field. His antagonist seemed nothing 10th
to close for all this, and gave Sayers almost
as bad a blow in return, till they both closed,
when Savers had all the best of it, and, for
| a. md plu hoo.
Willy.
In minute both, though distressed, were
at it again, and Heonan, with fearful blow,
knocked Sayers half across the ring Anoth-
er round ended, after few exchanges, with
the same result, except that Sayers was even
harder hit, and seemed quite stunned.
Strange to say, after these tremendous
rounds Sayers still came up fresh. and show
ed not half the awful marks of punishment
visible all over Heenan, who was now dis
gussing object His left hand was much
swollen and puffy, and his left eye was fast
threatening to close as irremediably as his
right had done long before. His friends
shouted to him from all parts Of the ring to
90 in and finish Sayers by closing with him.
as the latter could now only use one hand;
but Heenan in turn was getting cautious,
and did not seem to like the look of running
into Sayers, who, always cool and wary,
never now threw chance away. Several
rounds were fought after this with success
more or less varying, each taking and Civ
ing blows, and writing his battered face in
to such contortions as might pass for smiles
| In all the closes Heenan's immense strength
prevailed, and he threw the Champion east
| Iy till in both the 2lst and 22d rounds, Say
ers was knocked off his legs.
Still he came up gaily, though carefully,
and generally managed in most Of the strug-
giles to give one or more of his heaviest blows
on Heenan' left eye which was now almost
gone like the other The scene gradually
became one Of the most intense and brutal
excitement. There were shouts to Heenan
to keep his antagonist in the sun,-to close
with him and smash him, as he had only
one arm, while the friends Of Sayers called
to him to take his time as the American
was fast binding and must give in. The
| bets were even on both men, and then again
varied with every round. When Sayers
was knocked down almost senseess under
tremendous blow, there were cheers from the
Americans till the fields echoed again, which
were retorted by the English whenever their
Champion sent his huge opponent Keeling
back from the tremendous blows which were
always dealt on the eyes. At this time sew
eral policeman came upon the scene, and
did their best to force their way into the ring;
but the crowd, which now amounted to some
5000, kept them back by rushing on the
ropes, shouting and cheering the complaints
to the utmost. During all this the men
fought on with varying success, the heavy
''thuds" upon etace of one or the other be-
ing clear above all the din.
Sayers seemed getting weaker each time
he was knocked off his legs, and Heenan
more and more blind 1t appeared chance
struck senscess or lleenan remain sightless,
and at his mercy. Sayers now tried getting
away, and leading his opponent round the
ring. In one of these runs he got heavy
blow on the neck, which enabled his antag-
onist to overtake him, when they closed and
Sayers fell, lleenan striking him a heavy
blow on the head while on the ground. An
appeal of foul play was made, but it was
overruled, as the blow was supposed to be
struck in the heat Of fighting, and Heenan,
it was truly said, could scarcely see wheth
er his antagonist was up or down. The
fighting was still very quick, Heenan almost
as strong as ever, and, though apparently
much distressed, trying to get it over before
he quite lost his sight. In the 3Sth round
Heenan got Sayer's head under his left
arm, and, supporting himself by the stake
with his right, held his opponent bent down
as if he meant to strangle him. Sayers could
no more free himself than if mountain was
on him. At last he got his left arm free,
and gave Heenan two dreadful blows on the
face, covering them both with the blood, but
Heenan, without relaxing his hold, turned
himself 80 as to get his antagonists neck
over the rope, and then leant on it with all
his force.
Sayers rapidly turned black in the face,
and would have been stranged on the spot
but that the rules of the ring provide for
what would otherwise be fatal contingent
cies, and both the umpires called stimuli
taneously to cut the ropes. This was
done 1T once. and both men fell heavily to
the ground, Sayers, nearly half strangled.-
The police now made determined effort to
interfere, which those present seemed equal
ly determined to prevent, and the ropes of
the ring having been cut, the enclosure itself
was inundated by dense crowd, which
scarcely left the combatants six square feet
to fight in. Umpres, referees, and all were
overwhelmed, and the whole thing became q
mere close mob round the two men fighting.
n I Il