The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-05-31
A SCHOLARLY PUGILIST,

HAoAA ASOAy " u&eAAAS"s
The boyish appearance of Charles
Watson Mitchell has already been re-
marked. The Sun reporter who hunted
him up and Mr.. Madden experienced
the astonishment the appearance of the
pugilist provokes, and to that was added
another surprise, for in his choice Of
language, manner and enunciation, quite
as much as in his physical appearance
Mitchell is as far removed from the typi
cal bruiser as it is possible to conceive
His blue eyes and brown hair, delicate
pink and white compile xion, and scarce
ly perceptible down upon his upper liz
and chin, gave him an expression Of
gentleness and simplicity. The first
thing observable in looking him ove1
mination and endurance that lay behind
the smiling face was his great neck, that
carried the line of his back straight
up, with hardly a curve, to the center
of the back of the head. The neck looks
as if it could take, with little. hurt
very great deal of hammering,
even from John L. Sullivan or the ham,
handed Maori. Mr.. Mitchell's height is
but small fraction over five feet eight
inches, his weight only about $50 pounds
when in condition, and like all thorough
ly well-proportioned forms, he looks
smaller than he really is. His hands
and feet are neither small or large, but
rather inclining to the former, or per.
haps appearing to do so because of their
perfect proportion. If the neck be
overlooked Mr.. Mitchell, when dressed,
shows nothing ito indicate his phenome-
nal powers; nothing upon which tc
predicate suspicion that it might not
be s tie to up-end and spank him as if he
was an ordinary, smooth faced youth.
But when he strips he seems another
being. Then his astonishing muscular
development is seen. Under c skin
smooth as satin muscles hard almost as
bone, yet supple as serpents, play and
glide with freedom that seems the re-
suit Of the individual volit;on of each.
They are not the stiff, knotted and
dumped muscles that one sees piled up
on the pictures of gladiators, for their
development has been effected by
a.processs Of intelligent and long contin-
ued cultivation of the most perfect phys
ical health, and the maintenance of such
just and responsive relations between all
the parts that none have been unduly
forced and none neg lected. The law of
mechanics that machine!is only as strong
as it's weakest part, would be applied to
Mitchell" properly be made to read that
"I am twenty-one years old >" said he.
'tand was born in Birmingham, where my
father was for twenty Y ars a medical
tutor in Queens College, and my uncle,
Alexander Mitchell, is still living, in the
enjoyment of a large practice as physi-
Clan. NV father was born in Dublin,
and my mother in Wexford, Ireland.
Before / was eleven years old I was
placed in the preparatory college at
Bath, as the first step in the career that
had been marked out for me-that of the
practice of medcine-and after three
and half years there was pushed on to
the second step-entered as student in
the chemistry classes in Queens Med
ical college in Birmingham. There l re-
manned until had taken,
two degrees of chemistry
and had put in nine months at anatomy,
which included dissection. I took rath-
err kindly to thu chemistry, but did not
at all like the anatomy, and, besides, I
always, from the earliest age at which
had preference for anything, taken more
interest in athletic exercises, particular
ly in boxing, than in any other subject.
After fifteen months at the coll eye I
went with my uncle as his assistant. But
could not really make up my mind
that [ was going to be a doctor, and as
my kind father and uncle both sym pa
thized and encouraged my taste for ath-
letics, my heart was in that far more
than in learning medicine. We had Or
ganized among the students of Queens
college, the Birmingham Athletic Club,
in which I soon became known as the
best boxer. Every year it was the GUS
tom Of the club to send its best boxer up
to London, to enter into the amateur
contrats there, and had the honor of
of representing the club twice and of
twice carrying Oft the amateurs CUP
quite a distinction as we regarded it.
Well, from boxing with amateurs got
to meeting professionals, and so drifted
along until 1 believe, I have at length
become professional myself. My
first fight in the ring was with
Charles Smithers, professional, and I
whipped him when l was only sixteen
years old. ran away from my uncle's
to London twice, to find an outlet for
my athletic aspirations. Finally, as
they found was determined to try to
make my way in London instead of Bir-
they determined to give me a
start in business there, something that
would give me a reputable occupation
while was waiting for the develop
ments Of the future. They bought for
me place as foreman and manager in a
large nickel plating works of Vanson &
Mason in Greek street. l had little to
do but to keep the time ofthe employees,
pay the wages, and exercise sort of
general supervision, so that ! had no
difficulty in keeping up my interest in
athletic sports.
ut was while was employed there
that fought Bill Kennedy, lightweight
champion of England, to draw, and I
was very frequently then engaged in
boxing matches and competitions.
Well, after twelve OF fifteen months I
left the nickel-plater's and went into
book making on commission at racing
meetings and backing myself. For a
time, too, travelled on the continent as
n commission with Lord Douglas Cor:
don. We went to Antwerp, Berlin and
Brussels: and it was IN the first men.
pulveriziDg M. Caryodoff, the Belgian
Sunday afternoon. So, by easy degrees,
glided into the life of a professional
pugilist, because liked it, and thus far
I have had very gratifying success
in it. There is no necessity Tor me to
continue in it for livelihood, as | am
we'll fixed in Birmingham,
where I own some real estate, to live
outside ring always if chose to do 80.
l used to translate Latin quite we'll, but
now could do little or nothing with it.
French, too used to have at least
Of but believe it has all left
me for the lack ofuse. My piano playing
is drumming now, although once took
weary lot Of lessons on that instrument.
Well, I'm a pretty good fencer. I keep
that much Of the accomplishments. And
l am fond of reading. No, do not ex-
ercise, except perhaps, for few min
utes before breakfast, with a very light
pair of dumbbells. 1 never put on the
gloves except when Pm going to use
them in a match; and take no trouble
about keeping myself in training at any
time " hen have not actually a match
made for men. Y. Sun.
. Mr.. Mitchell and John L. Sullivan of
Boston, bad what is called tglove fight"
OIL the 18th of May at Madison Square
Garden, New York. Before time was
called, Capt. Williams, ofthe police, eau
toned the two men. The work was
earnest from the start, Sullivan went
viciously at Mitchell, and the latter in
getting out of his way fell twice. Watch
ing his opportunity, he got in a quick
blow and Sullivan went down. He got
up and cIinched with Mitchell and there
was no fighting until time was called and
the men ordered to break. IN his cor
nor Mitchell looked fresh, smiling and
hn
van was labored, plainly showing his
want of conalifion Tho socond ronnd