The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-11-09

Nike McCOOl, the once famous prize
fighter, just recovering from an attack
of the bresk-bone fer, which he
contracted while wygAi"e an tine
wreck of the Florence .ever. IL
was asked to relate some Vt the par
ticulars of the sinking of that boat,
but McCool said that the details given
in the Picayune ut the time were 81
complete that there was little else t.
be added.
She had struck q sns IF Good
Hope landing ON the morning OF the
18th of last month. at half past 2
o'clock, and sunk almost Immediately.
All hands on the bow were washed
overheard, and the struggle in the
water was terrible one. All of the
crew behaved manfuliy, saving the
passengers and as much IF the freight
as they could, although drenched "a
the skin, and some badly scratched
up.
4 hear that you had very narrow
escape remarked the reporter.
Yes, it was a hard struggle, and il
did seem as if l would never step on
shore again. l was washed over.
board. together with my partner. !
could swim. and tried TO help him,
and when h d got him near to the
shore he could hold out no longer and
sank. 1 could have saved myself very
easily, but the men fighting death IN
the water tried 20 save themselves hy
catching hold Of me. and | got tangled
up among them. Luckily, barrel OF
whisky foated toward me. and | gol
hold Of il and padded toward the
wreck. 1 succeeded in grsspine a
guari-rope aud held on until mad re.
covered from the fatigue resulting
from my fight for life, and then pull
ing myself on board ! went to work
and did as much as could.
Have you ever worked in such
close quarters befere|
We'll, | was on board Of the Cham
pion when she took fire in Memphis ~,
1864. The fire was discovered when
she left the landing, and she immedi-
ately headed back to shore. | made
her fast with a rope and held her UNI
Ill there was no passengers or freight
left on beard. An inceudi,ry set fir.
to her, and / saw the man who did il
in New Orleans last winter
Mike. | believe YOU have done
some good work in fighting other than
fame aud water?'
Il suppose you mean in the ring
said Mike as flush of triumph at the
memory Of the hard-iought battles
he had won spread over his hronzed
face.
Exactly, replied the reporter.
We'll, [ was born in ireland ia
1887, but was grown up in New Or
leans around steamboats,. was six
footer. with plenty Of muscle. and de-
lighted in sparring exhibitions Ny
first fight was in Louisville. with a
man named Nervy, in 1858. weigh
ed I85 pounds then. l whipped him
in eight rounds and seventeen min-
utes, and he was as big a man as
was. NY next fight was in the same
city with Bill Blake. I knocked him
out of time in ttir;y-three rounds and
as many minutes.
Did you ever fight in New Or
leans?'
Yes, nv next fight was with Jen.
nlngs, on Nav Z, 1861. We went IN
just above kennersvilIe. and I whiI.
ped him in twenty-seven rounds aud
thirty-three minutes. | then met Joe
Coburn, in 1868. We fought on the
very edge OF the Chesapeake Bay. The
struggle lasted over two hours aud
lost
That must have been q splendid
fight interrupted the interviewer.
The face of the man alon yside of Nc
Cool frightened up with interest and
be answered, Indeed it was
Said McCool. 1T was the hardest
fight l ever had. We fought sixty
seven rounds. / knocked him out Of
time once, bat still l couldn't win. He
was the most magnificent tactician I
ever saw.
This praise of one pugilist by an
other enthused Mikes companion. and
the latter Kept on mutteriug, Yes,
indeed yes. indeed; and you both
were pretty badly used up when IT was
over
what was your next contest
With Bill Davis, of California,
who was then claiming the champion
ship of America continued McCool.
That was in 1866. We fought at
place above St. Louis, the bout last
ing thirty-four minutes, and l was vic
torious. The year after I met Aaron
Jones. of Ohio, Just outside of Gin.
cinrati, and knocked him out Of time
in thirtv-four rounds and twentv-six
mioutes.'
Did you ever seek satisfaction
after your defeat at the hands Of Co
burn
Il issued challenge to fight him or
any other man, but none Of them
would step into the ring and put Oh
the gloves with me-
Who was the next man that tried
YOUR mettle"
Tom Allen, in st. Louis. whip
ped him in eight rounds and seven.
teen minutes. / did not 6gh, anv
more until 1875, when | met Allen
again in St. Louis. l lost that battle
10 forty minutes, and | haven't fought
any since"
You spoke Of your hardest battle
which was your easiest victory
i do not know. All the men / /
met had regulations. and sailed right
10 without thinking of the easy part.
Did you perform many feats of
in your early YOUTH
An Ill II