The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-10
z5TzTT0N no A PRIzE-F1GHTER.

~
IT." ~" bove already given some account of the
oroI 10" excitement and interest created in this
sSIv nv the now historic prize hght, In which
SSittSo NcCoole, of this city, demolished Aaron
Alke A ny ny OSinc{nnati. in about half an hour. A
oontest for the national championship IN the
nTi1e-ring never fails TO attraCI asIenuon, puS
PLlno0r haEore perhaps, has 1t caused euch an IN
never VA VA coImotion as in the recent battle be-
tIeon MeCoole and Jones. The principai
oson for this seems to be that rom Ine ouIseI
the two com6atan;tsi %eEe eT American manhood.
Tsi arne that ZONES has long been identlhed WIN
this country, and McCoole Is an, an 1Hlsnlhnn Iysa
by. birth, but 80 tpe examne the matter very
loFIIv olu ETi II was enough to know that Jones
SsaS on Englishman and McCoole mlgnt De con-
,I5ered an American, to cause the mill" 10
slusn noe the aspect of an International struggle
Tor victory. To our Irish citizens the fact that
McCoole was q genuine lrishman, In name,
hiTth. and every other requisite, gave an un-
nsnaI interest to the contest, while the British
birth of his opponent made that impulsive ele-
ment in our population regard the result as
Smeiter of great Importance. Had McCoole been,
in vulgar parlance, clicked" we fear he would
have found but few sympathizers among his
own countrymen. They wanted him to win,
they were determined he should win, and "sure
enough he did"
Nike having won the great fight in such
slashng style, thereupon became a very famous
fellow throughout the country in general, and
was a natural consequence, when the conquer
ing hero turned his steps homeward, he should
q m.
were portion of our citizens, we have no doubt
they were ready to grumble at our city authori-
ties for not having flags flying, triumphal arches,
and the sound OF artillery to welcome the victo-
rious fighter. 1t being publicly announced that
McCoole would arrive at East st. Louis on the
1920 train, on the Ohio and Mississippi Rail-
road, yesterday morning, arrangements were
msde by his friends TO give him fitting recep-
A little before 10 O'Clock three or four car
Eiages drove up before the saloon, in which
lrv,.,,r GtoVOr o11 cplo
dent in attire. The excitement now began to
deepen In intensity, and the crowd grew larger,
while the hurrying to and fro of pedestrians
and the intermlnglinG of vehicles rendered 1T
almost impossible to pass up the street. Soon
striking equipage appeared. 1t was the large
band wagon from Arnots livery establishment
In ii was full band OF musicians, and six grey
horses drew it, the heads of the horses being
adorned by 'nodding plumes" of white and
crimson colors. A sort of procession was
formed, and the line of carriages started for the
depot in East ST. Louis
The men in the carriages were rather rough
and motley assemblage, all of them being pa
irons of the ring, and not few professional
''bruisers" Without dwelling too iengthily or
the incidents OF the occasion, we will say the
river was crossed in safety, and the carriage and
crowd reached the railroad depot without any
accident. The train had arrived, and already
half the population of East st. Louis had col.
lecled on and about the platform. McCooe,
however, kept himself in the background until
the members of the reception committee brought
him forward. There was public reception.
welcoming address vas of course necessary,
even to a prze-hghter, and the following was
'delivered:-
Mr. McCoole:-Your numerous friends in this city
have reqne ted me they ,Rftpe occasion OF your
the prize ring-a contest in which your vaor and skill
pugilist We're most satisfactorily displayed
which your victory is source of great pleasure to
your fellU wctzens gent rally We proud Of your
Louis. that is one cause OF our goOd feeling towards
youi and you are native Of old Ireland, and we fee
raid Isle Gonducted hinsef SO well In contest viii
pressed Your c0untiymen In 50 marked man6e ma 1e
during long years OF cruelty and barbary. For these
view With great sass ctidn the tact that those eoor
Of the belt that constitutes you the chap0f
McCoole was compelled to make some sort O
reply, and, although more accustomed to deal
ing in blows than words he responded brief,
and TO the point. He ex pressed his thanks TO
the welcome yesterday, and said he never hat
any doubt but he could whip Aaron Jones, ant
hoped none of those present had lost money b.
betting against him, and ended by again e6
pressing his thanks for the kindness shown him
This part of the business being concluded, ther
was a rush for the carriages, which were 500
filled and started on their return. On reachin
this side of the river a sort of procession wa
again formed. First came the band chario
playing such stirring airs as "Wearing of tn
Greer, i" 'Star Spaugled Bauner,n and See tn
Conquering Hero Comes" This was succeede
by a carriage in which were McCoole, Mix
Trainer, and two other friends, and then cam
several other carriages in line.
A concouIse of people followed his carriae,
The balconies of hotels AMI the windows an
awnings of stores were crowded with spectator
aDd the commotion along the broad thorough
fare, with the stirring strains of martial musi,
made quite an exciting scene.
McCoole, on reaching his saloon, held a sol
of levee The bar was jam full; innumerabl
drinks were imbIbed TO his health and eterns
prosperity. Little boys pushed their way in,
the danger of being trampled to death, to loo
upon the wonder. Well-knoWn citizens presse
their way through the throng to shake the gre
hero by the band, and to look upon his sturd
form. In fact, Mike was the lion of the tow
He was the observed of all Observers an
the bright particular sta-" in the armament
tancydom and pugihsm. But he bore his homo
meekly, and sat at the end of his bar sippiI
champagne with q merry word and yice-lil
shake of the hand for all his friends an
admirers.
Thus was q victorious prize-hghter welcome
back to ST. Louis. We are aware that tho
who participated in the reception can hardly
called representatives OF our citys intelligen
and refinement; but the general interest TAX
in the matter forms a curious commentary
the pretensions of the age. But, after all, VIII
IS the difference between the return OF McCoo
from prze-6ght and the laurel-wreathed vict
fIom the Olympian games Yet while we d
nOunce one we call the other noble.
H. WILKES ROOTH