The daily gazette., 1882-05-22
A BRUTAL PRIZE FIGHT.
Twenty-six Rounds for 92OO-One of the
Bruisers Badly Punished.

PHILADELPHIA, May 21.-For weeks past
the employees of the Knickerbocker Ice Com
pany looked forward eagerly 10 prize-fght
arranged between Dennis Murphy and Louis
Rheal, two of their comrades. Murphy and
Rheal quarreled in April about some trifiing
piece Of work and were about to fight when
separated by mutual friends. The bitter
ness engendered by this quarrel spread until
every member of the Knickerbocker Club,
which meets at the intersection of Ninth
street and Washington avenue, had espoused
the cause Of either Murphy or Rheal.
AS the men enojoyed the reputation of
being clever and courageous boxers, and as
each was known to have come off victorious
In numerous informal knock-downs, the
knickerbockers proposed that they should
fight according to prize ring rules. A purse
of 5000 was raised by contributions and the
battle took place on the west bank Of the
Schuylkill river near the Rope Ferry bridge
this morning. The affair was kept very
quiet and not more than 30 people were
asked to see the fight. Murphy weighs $50
pounds and is 30years ofage. His opponent
weighs 140 pounds and is % years old
Murphy entered the ring at o'clock and
Rheal followed few seconds later. They
were naked from the waist up. Arter shak-
ing hands they spared cautiously moment
or two before Murphy got In wicked blow
on his opponents left ribs. Rheal retaliated
by striking Murphy in the jaw. They closed
and showered blows on each other until
Rheal fought himself clear and knocked
Murphy down by blow ON the throat.
After some vigorous in-hghting, in the
second round, Murphy struck Rheal on the
forehead, making a 2-inch cash and gaining
the first blood. Murphy ended the round
by throwing the other man and falling on
Ia haA Ill k1,n hoe g Nf,.. tasrE
round, fighting his opponent until he fell to
avoid further punishment. Rheal started
the fourth round as he did the third, but
after few exchanges Murphy clinched and
being the best wrestler, threw his antago-
mist. When Murphy came up for the fifth
round his face showed the marks of severe
pounding, but he smiled and went to worl,
vigorously. A dozen blows, from which
Rheal suffered most, were exchanged before
the combatants clinched and fell together.
The sixth round was repetition of thu
| fifth, both men fighting strongly. When thu
| men were taken to their corners Rheal
face was covered with blood from the re
opened cash on his brow and Murphy
| eyes were badly puffed. In the seventh ant
| eighth rounds Rheal had all the best of il
and in the ninth his badly-pummeled OF
ponent was compelled to fall to avoid tn
| terrific blows that were rained upon him.
| AS the fight progressed IL was seen this
Murphy was growing weaker, while Rhei
was becoming more confident every round
| In the tenth round Murphy succeeded in ge
ting in series of terrific blows, and whe
the rally ended the hopes of his friends re
viYed. When they came together for thu
eleventh time Rheal struck Murph
a terrible blow in the face, breakin
his nose and Telling him to the earti
Murphy fought pluckily in the twelfth round
but he got a great deal the worst of it.
the thirteenth round he claimed foul, d
claring that Rheal had kicked him, al
when the referee decided against him
simply said "Well, Pm licked, f" and wou
fight no more. The victor, although cut al
bruised about the face, was not serious
hurt. Murphy's face looked like a piece
raw meat. He was taken home in a wago
The actual fighting time of the thirteC
rounds was 26 minutes.