New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-18
THE CROWD AND THE FIGHTERS.


over the first great walking match-the one In
which the feeling of international rivalry was
strongest-and thousands of people pressed around
the building unable to force their way INSIDE were
more people gathered together in this big amphi-
theatre At the time of the waking-matches inc
track around which the pedestrians limped III thei
weary struggles of 500 miles took up great deal
of SPACE Last night the only space not
seized by the host of spectators was 'he
platform in the centre. Every other part OF
the building was crammed with people,
For hours before the doors were opened there was
steadily increasing crowd in all the streets ABOUT
the Garden and when at o'clock the first sreamed
in, the number of those pressing forward Tor en-
trance ran far up into the thousands Eighty po-
lcemen under the stalwart Captain Williams
guarded the doors and kept order, and they had
all they could do to hold the masses under control
and TO prevent rush that would have borne down
the ticket-takers. 1t is safe to say that every man
of the criminal classes within hundred miles and
moro of the City Hall was present. if he had no
other engagement for the evening at the Tombs OF
the Island or at Sing Sing. Every gambler, every
pickpocket every thief, every burglar and every
murderer that the law had spared was within the
Garden. Every ruffian that had ever made the ac-
uuaintance of the police under unpleasant crcum-
ances was in attendance. But there were also
thousands of men of different quaty-men whose
appearance and bearing showed that they claimed
n place in the respectable classes. Wall Street
brokers interested in boxing; business men, young
and old bank clerks and their employers, men
whose checks for large sums would be promptly
honored, and men who had hard work to get To-
gether the So required for admlsson-there was va
rety enough in the immense assemblage.
All these people had GENE together to see John H.
Sullivan, of Boston, and Joe" Collins better
known as Tug" Wilson. of England, fight with
gloves Wilson, after many victories on the other
side of the Atlantic had come to this country to try
his strength and skill against the best fighter in
America Sulivan's short career in the ring had
been so remarkable that it was generally believed
that few if any of the past champions were his
EQUALS Even the ardent admirers of John Nor
rissey and John G.. Heenan in their prime admitted
though with reluctance that this young giant from
Boston was worthy to rank with them. The parti-
sans of the lamented Thomas Hyer would
not yield the point that their idol hit harder
even than Sullivan, while the extreme partisans
of the Boston gladiator insisted that he surpassed
anv prize-fghter of them all. Sullivan recently
made wreck of Jimmy" Elliott, knocking him
insensiple by fearful blow with his gioved hand
after the two had been fighting only few minutes.
Before that Elliott had been thought
pugilist of capacity and OF course the
enthusiasm of Sullvan's admirers I'M
mensely after this performance, and they
confidently claimed that no one in the world could
stand before him. lug" Wilson had friends who
thought otherwise, and the meeting of last night
was the result For a long time the twelve thou
sand men in the Garden sweltered and waited for
the champions to appear At the central point was
the 81 called ring" square platform
nd
nearly six feet from the floor. There was
post at every corner and on each
side midway all bound with double lines of strong
ropes On every side, row after row. as closely as
they could be placed were chairs the extending
back to the rising seats above the walls which sur
rounded the walking-tr track when that was in use.
Every foot of sitting or standng-room
on these slopes was occupied clean
I'D to to roof The heat terrific.
The tmckset thousands painted and gasped and
melted. A great many took off coats and even
waistcoats and all tried to geta little air by flaming
themselves with hats and handkercEiefs. In spite
of their sufierings they were Rood-humored, ana
there was no outbreak of violence or even bad tenn
per for the first two hours after entrance was gained
or course the champions did not appear until late
Great men of this SOFT always make the common
herd wait. They think it would cheaper them to
came there was some light entertainment in
the way of boxing by men OF less note.
These pounded each other with great diligence and
energy but TIE people took only lang1d interest
in their gatherings. This army had assembled for a
great contest and such play was of account Hun
dreds and even thousands, had come from other cit
les some of them travelling long journeys solely to
see this fight and they cared for nothing else. BOs-
ton which claimed the high honor OF
Suivan's home, had sent a big delegation,
and Troy, with her iron mills prolific of pugilists
for the last thirty years was represented by pow
erful company of her most ablebo rufians. Tie
napless Paddy Ryan hailed from Troy, and all
the Trojans eager to see his defeat avenged
upon Sullivan Philadelphia sent big troop of
hard-hitters and their friends, while Washington,
Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis
and every large city in the East and West had
numbers of muscular and shOrt-haired citizens on
the fighting ground. 1t was beyond question the
biggest crowd gathered in the memory of this gen.
Grafton at a meeting of puglists this side of the
Atlantic, though at the Sayers-Heenan fight ia
England which took place III the open air, the
multitude was far greater. This was not fight
with the bare fists, but all knew how
smashing blow could be struck by q
clenched hand covered with hard boxing glove and
the interest could hardly have been keener the
excitement run higher if it had been contest with
out gloves. The bare knUckles cut and bruise but
the hard gloves shock and stagger fearfully. Men
go down before blow from Sullivan's glOyed fist
which might not fell them if the hand were naked.
But the blood of IA trained pugiist rarely
flows from gloved stroke, and therefore one of the
elements in the brutal ferocty of a genuine prize
fight was lacking last night.
THE RULES OF THE CONTEST.
The conditions Of the fight were that Sullivan
should pay to Wilson 81 900 and one-half of the
receipts of the house if he did knock out" Will
son in four rounds. The rounds were TO be fought
by the famous old rules Of the Marquis of Queens
bury, an English nobeman whose devotion to
prize-ghtDg was only equalled by his zeal for vice