The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-03-25

ROPE AND STAKEs-Great excitement
prevailed around town on Tuesday last,
especially among the admirers of the manly
art. Sam Collyer, with half Il dozen other
sports. had arrived on the 10 A. N. train
from Philadelphia, and quietly sought quar-
ters at a hotel. Whispers of a coming com
bat immediately began to circulate, and
before many hours had passed, our sport
ing fraternity were in a perfect ferment.
Sans movements were followed and noted
with greater precision than Old Prob notes
the variation of this barometer.
Forty different places were named by
forty different persons as the spot selected
by these gents for their innocent amuse-
ment. During the afternoon, Sam and his
friends-two of whom afterwards proved to
be the cipals--took carriage and drove
out of town in the direction Of Fair Hill.
About this time IA telegram was received
by the Sheriff from Marshall Fry, OF Bati-
more, notifying him of the supposed inten-
ton of these festive Philadelphians to fight
on Maryland soil, and informing him that
sam and his crowd was but the skirnish
line of the pugilists; that they preceded
the principals and the main body of their
friends for the purpose of selecting the
ground for the encounter; that Nike Cleary
and John Wheeden, the principals, with a
host of their admirers might be looked for
in the midnight train south, and instruct
ing him to arrest them.
The Sheriff at once called out the mill
tary (Groome Guards and declared mar
tial law SO far rs all pugllists We're con-
cerned. The commander of the Guards
immediately issued orders that "no guilty
man should be allowed TO escape, and off
any man attempted to maui another, to
shoot him on the spot Line of battle
was formed and a skirmsh line thrown out
to meet the $50 train north. But as no
one save an innocent citizen stepped off at
this station, the vets were allowed to re
turn to their quarters.
They were also on hand at the midnight
express north, but as it passed this station
at the rate of forty miles an hour, no ar
rests were made. As the time for the ar
rival Of the midnight train from Philadel-
phia-and with it the boys approached, the
ardor of the G.. G.'s began to abate-
Visions of fearful encounters with the pug
nacious enemy tloated through their brains,
and-in consequence of the extremely cold
weather and the lateness of the hour, you
know-by quarter of an hour of train time
G.. G.'s were as scarce as muSquitos in
the principals will them; they having
come, as stated, in the morning train, and
slipped out Of town while the Guards were
preparing to lay for them at midnight
Large accessons were made to the crowd
by the morning trains.
The ring was formed in an open field
about a mile from NcClellandsville. near
the junction of the State lines of Mary
land, Delaware and Pennsylvania, on Mary
land soil however. The principals we're
Mike Cleary and John Wheeden, the former
an lrishman nineteen years Old, weighing
1876 pounds, the latter an Englishman %
years old, weighing 1876 pounds. Collyer
acted as second for Cleary, and Arthur
Chambers for Wheeden. The fight began
about II o'clock and lasted one hour aud
forty minutes, eighty rounds being fought
when Cieary was declared victor in coll
sequence of foul blow by Wheeden.-
Both parties were badly punished, Cleary
however suffering most, his face being much
distigured.
Thus has Maryland's soil been again
disgraced by this brutal encounter. It's a
pity that these parties could not be further
punished by serving the State in the peni-
Tertiary for a term of years.