Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-05-25
The Bruiscrs in the Ring.

The usual formal preliminaries for a
prize fight we're gone through with as
much care and deliberation as though they
portended a great battle.
Well after half an hour of chaffling over
the choice of a referee. Alderman Is. q.
McMullen having positively refused to
serve, several others having been refused,
and Dick Hollywood of Indianapolis, hav
ing been chosen finally, to. his great sur
prise, and much against his wishes, the
seconds, umpires and bottle-holders, for
whom no work was cut out, chosen. The
usual Misunderstanding was gone through with,
and then the farce of an hour aud a, quar-
ter of feinting and getting back and res
ting for ten minutes at a time was entered
upon Mace would toe the scratch and
invite Coburn up with a significant smile
and the dropping of an index finger. Co
burn would step up a few steps from his
stake and get back on the first demonstra-
ton of Mace's left. He was determined
to nave no blows unless he could induce
Mace to crowd him to his corner, and for
an hour and a quarter a thousand persons
e'churned" the soft turf around the ring
under a hot sun gradually becoming very
weary of the child's play, and utterly dis
gusted. The seconds seated themselves
in their corners, chaffed each other heartily
and exchanged blasphemous and obscene
talk with the various partisan brutes whose
noses pressed through the inner ring.
There is but little to say about this re-
markable round of cowardice and play,
save that while scores of blows were
- 80, i a1;-ocal nrl ,o,+ho-
mans fists were at any time within eigh-
teen inches of his opponent. Coburn was
determined that the first blows should be
exchanged only in his own corner. Mace
knowing Coburn's ability to counter. had
fully resolved not to humor him with a
tussel in his corner, and his friend would
not consent to it, as they had an idea, or
professed to have, that somebody in Co.
burns corner wanted to hurt their man.
The miserable exhibition had been
going on about ~thrce-quarters of an hour,
when a cry of Police was raised. Quite
n rush was made at that, and there was
danger for a moment that the ring might
be broken in. There wouldn't have been
much of a loss had the interference occur
red then. AS it was, the report wasn't
RenCTdlly DcllCNCus AN II bAhAhih6
game went on until seventeen minutes
after (the round commenced at two
minutes after 12). when a gap suddenly
opened on the east side of the crowd, and
through the ropes, over peoples heads, and
into the ring strobe Judge Wilson and
Mr.. Deeds. the Sheriff of the county. in
troduced as the High Sheriff. and majestic
certainly, in a cooked hat and sword. i
state it mildly when l assert there was
confusion worse COMPOUNDED around that
ring, then and there. The two men who
thus broke into the ring were very pale,
but their voices spoke more of determine
ton than fear. as they proclaimed in the
queens name"
Hoarse voices of New York thieves
yelled., s.Down with Canadian sons of
-" but a Fumor flashed around in that
crowd all eyes were turned to the road
in the east, where. drawn up in the lane.
was seen, only a few hundred yeards q bat
talon of the Thirty-ninth Rifles. under
command of Colonel Tisdale. As the
crowd caught sight of the CLINT of their
,nuskets over their tasseied caps and red
Llack uniforms, their ears caught the riot
,ct from the mouth of the man in the cock
ed hat. and the assurance, 'Disperse in
peace continue in these unlawful doings
1t YOUR peril for ! shall order the troops