The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-06-15
THE PRIZE RING.

4 Aassn the winner or the Mili-A
Il Disgraeefal Exhibitisa.
1--we make the following extract from
the Pittsburg Commercials account OF
the prize fight at Acquia Greek between
Collyer and Aaron:
+ Aaron was the first man to shy his
castor into the ring, which to Ia" as
tonishment of the uninitiated was not
ring but a twenty-four square feet
enclosure of green sward, surrounded
by two ropes, with an outer ring about
four feet wide running all around,
which was partitioned off from the first
row of seats by another rope. AS he
advanced inside of the ropes, deafening
cheers from his partisans saluted him,
and his twinkling Jewish eye laughed
a response to the compliment. Collyer
came in directly afterwards. and lost
| the choice of corners, which Aaron,s
friends claimed as good omen for their
man. ....
The seconds stripped their principals,
and Alderman Bill McMullin. of Phila-
ldelphia, was chosen referee. He ad-
dressed the crowd saying: These byer
boys have come hyer to fight, and
have come to see 'em. l like to see it,
aud they're goingtO fight on their mer-
its. lam chosen referee, and Pm going
to caution them both once-when they
make o mistake, and after that I'll de-
eide against ary man that does 1t
again"
The fighters seemed gratified at this
exhibition of manly eloquence, and the
crowd signifed its appreciation by
round after round of cheers. The
speaker continued: "You reporters
mustn't say anything about my name be-
ing referee. If you do, I'll slice your
ears off when catch You in Philadel-
phia.n .,
Collyer was the first man stripped and
presented most magnificent physique.
His bust was perfect model of muscu-
lar perfection, but his face, although
presenting some features indicating
intelligence, and particularly tirmness,
was brown with the exposure OF train
ing, and looked like dry parchment.
Aarou's body was not so full, but there
was no extra flesh on it. The seconds
posted their men and put spiked shoes
on their feet, when the Alderman referee
called time.
The combatants approached the
scratch, made with stick in the sward,
and shook hands. There was a smile of
satisfaction on both their faces, and
their hands looked like turkeys feet, as
they had been tanned by some chemical
preparation to make them tough. The
lighting commenced at 7:lO and lasted
through sixty-eight rounds, for two
hours and tifty-iive minutes. 1t was
evident that Aaron would draw the
first blood, as Collyer's flesh was in such
perfect condition, and so transparent,
that the veins of his arms and breast
could be seen through it, twisted around
the knotted cords and heavy muscles.
Smoking was abolished, as the men OBJ
jected to it.
The wells of the partisans were deaf
ening as the sparring commenced, and
when Aaron on the first round drew
blood from Collyer's left temple his
friends were almost frantic with JOY.
The blows from Collyer's right hand
we're terrible and were planted with a
heavy thump on Aaron's left breast with
unerring precision, causing him to
grunt aadibly. Aaron fought with
great skill, and showed himself from
the first to be the best sparrer.
He followed up his advantage on his
opponent's left temple and eye in each
subseouent round, and finally closed it..
His strategy was splendid, as he took
advantage of his privilege of going
down after giving or receiving q blow,
and avoided punishment, while Collyer
sought him out in every corner and
pushed the fight with great vigor for
forty rounds, which occupied an hour
and o quarter.
Collyer kept his temper remarkably
well, although his friends hissed Aaron's
cowardly going to grass, and he was
tainted by his opponents supporters
with cries of derision at his swollen
face. He got the first knock-down, and
after the forty second round did not re-
ceive much punishment. But his pre-
yious injuries told on him with great
effect. Aaron's left breast was badly
marked and swelled, while his left eye
was nearly closed, and his nose smashed
fat and spread out all over the left side
of his face. But little blood flowed from
Aaron's wounds, while Collyer's in
iuries bled freely. Their faces were
purple, and their left cheeks resembled
big pieces of beef liver more than any
thing else.
During one of the rounds, in the
fortieth, Aaron succeeded in pushing
Collyer back against the ropes, and
pushing him hard caused him to vomit
a great mouthful of blood. COllyer
Strengthened himself up and with a side
winder brought the palm of his hand
fiat on the back of AarOn's head, send
ing him sprawling on the grass like
felled beef.
The rounds were much alike, except
that the result of the wrestling varied
with the advantages gained in clinch-
ing. On the 9th round, Collyer seemed
TO have improved, bat OH the 6Sth they
wrestled and he fell in snch a manner
as to close his remaining eye, and could
not come 10 time. Both men tainted,
but Aaron revived first, and was able to
walk to the boat, while Collyer had to
be carried.
The brutality of the scene can only
be appreciated by those who witnessed
it. and the fearful degradation of the
crowd, as evidenced in their blasphe-
| nous and disgustingly filthy remarks
of derision or encouragement, is beyond
the imagination of even Robelai.
"Hit him for his mother" "for Andy
Johnson" "for his sister" "for me-"
"for YOURSELF" "as your father would"
were the pet phrases.