The sun., 1883-12-16
TEN MINUTES IN A RING.
A FIERCE BATTLE or PTGTLISTS FOL.
LOBED ny A FREE EIGHE
Two strong Men ou,ckiy Exhnusted-Th
Impressions or n spectator who hnd Bc-
fire r .rnrdcd Glove fIRhts ne AmuslnE.

Two strong Men Qu,csiy Exhnu.ted-TA,
Impr-.sinn. or n spectator who Ind Re
fore Regarded Glove fishts ne Amusing.
/ have seen sparrng matches Mt various
times and places and have rather enjoyed the
skill and nimb,cncss displayed by the contest.
ants They always wore largo soft gloves that
could inilict no possible injury, and there was
rarely any display OF temper in the bouts
There was great deal OF feinting and warding
dodging and jumping. and only at long inter-
walls would blow reach the head or body. 1t
made tho men look tired but it was very appa.
rent that they suffered no pain whatever. ]
unconsciously formed tho impression that the
cncasing OF n mans hands in chamois
skin soothed and quieted all savage feelings.
and therefore that sparring matches were ex.
hibitions in which the most sensitive could
reasonably take pleasure. They illustrated
the manly art of self defence In n manner both
humane and amusing. l was in this frame Of
mind when | entered The Aliens saloon. In
Beecker street, early last Thursday morning
l found great many there before me. and
many others wore paving their % cents ad-
mission to a grey bearded man who sat at a
table to the right OF the entrance. Passing
around n screen, found myself in n long OBJ.
long room. crowded full Of people AT the fur.
ther end of the ROOM against the wall. was
sslnlclTcuiHT DlntIOTtn TaiSeV uDout lcOt from
the floor. Four posts stood on the edge at in.
tervuls. and two tightly drawn ropes ran be-
tween them. The rest of the room was filed
with small tab! !cs, at which men and q few
fashily dressed women, were, seated. Other
men stood along the walls. ana close upto tho
ring Beyond the tables men were packed ten
deep. 1t seemed impossible to squeeze another
Two men had charge Of affairs. One was
Q, little fellow with black hair and q
Ssk high nfforehsss And And
%ii,h i s,raEnt black hair, and only ono eya
raised platform. and two sat in chairs. These
were dressed IN tights. and wore gloves about
n oa the ,ss s Of sns Ws T0yss se
wsiEhdInG LAO r"Hns height feet nche;
pounds height feet inches. seconded by
John Jones. Thus iniorpa'imn was impnrt"d
nous onc-arined Pop Whitaker. the circus
man. lie said tina; the contest was entirey n
rovci ISna % banovm @ y' aci S a. @srSe @sro S''
When time was called nj about :35. thcm
faced one another and struck out vicously
and then they clinrhcli. The crowd shouted
Break. break and. ns Msuai in spnrring,
| expected Ia see th"u resume their former 20.
| stinns. They did uonius nf tho sort. They
| struggled until Cn'tv got Swenney's hcnd ir
chhnerry. and rnlmed swnslps hai,.arm blows
| their heads w"r" over each others shoulders
Not being nbc to reach tho face. they pum-
melted each other on tine r,i,s. / Thought this
| harmless sport until man told me that gloves
| were sometimes made hat the stulling coul
| he pus he'd up into the ingrr ends, leaving only
til. chamois skin over Tho knuckies. THIS
| would make Il blow almost ~ bad as ono from
ihs mnhSI iI1t: Ihn % Msn ssI"IG",el G i anf oHs.y 1
| knocked down again. When Sweeney was
down On his knees cnstY aimed q savage blow
had sens" enough to turn his blow TO one side.
uni the rnlerec refused 70 niIow the foul.
| The mon now seemed To lose all control Of
themselves, and acted more Ike wild animals
than men. They made no nt,"mpt to guard
themselves, but were only intent on striking
the lace which s,Qs,:. red him AVID brought
h!ood. He st"rn"d ba'k and Grorprd his arms,
three moro terribl. blows op the unprotected
face. and matters LOGGED badly Tor Custy,, But
ney with ndescr bahle ferocty. bent INN 10 the
| floor. and struck out so lorcibiy that when
Sweeney lodged bow. Cus'y's impetus ear.
| riel him upon the ropes whore he swung hei T.
| ie3sy. H. moment they were ut 1t n2nin. nut
time was called. and they went 10 their corner+
THE utter brutality of tho fight mndc my
blood run cold. vas lllcl with surprise hor-
ror, and dissust. This WAS because nad never
spectat ors tool: it differently. Tho men stood on
the, chairs and tables. and; with lninsnci faces
tho Yelling, the s,nt! snnt! Of the boXing gloves
When Foul" was called the hackers Of til. men
g,ar"l rs if they would iy nj each other.
thronta., Swerncy, lay back in his chnir, ,pn!'
| and exhausted. Gusty WIS flushed, and his
second wiped the blood from his face.
When the mnnt" had expired they went ut II
| aEnin Now eEsued what an old prize fighter
told me was one of the most snV,a,e fights he
had ever witnessed. They beat. pounded. and
| Eummcllcd each other as though trying to kill
| The biood-smen,"d gloves flew about like bn,
icrin.g rams. The men became SO weak and
sSI hs that ey EPhnSG for 81 HrI"n rn an%
ectei breath hn would rnnt terrible blow on
the unr"SistiiiIs iacH nI his antagonist. Sweeney
WAS plainly the letter srnrr"r, but Custy, wns
clinchod and struck weak. in"il"ctive blows
Custy took Sweeney in hIsarn}s AZ Il hurled HIM
to the floor; nus vas r"re.t"d iWtc" and IT
was evident that Sweeney was beaten. Ih,
| nudiaur" shouted ltselF hOarsr and hccain,
| Wild with eNrl'cm"nt. II II usiinl for men tc
light for over an h"Tr. INK these men had
| gone in two rounds.
Tue second round was not lini shed, but was
9M tha "iS ridy t"ISH w ny a M an"i ne r. " n"sM. o
stoned hy Sweeney. frrnd-, VINO wis he'd to stor
the !sit. S"y"rh NJ, n. had II Tree light i
Order " but i, sounded ilk" Murder ' and
the crowd becnln" i"nlr stricken and rushed
lowed. Mon fought t. ~, out and women
intntrd m" !i+ht went ~ in the rcrnrr md
on In" platform. "ne had Il chair rnise.. u
strk" bur i; was taken t"ny from him. Tile
Fighting crowd wns pulled mart and order WAS
restored. TN. Ailnn then aid:
fight w"nll b. s,orui"a. il nov " ended '"''
80 no" eriia hn, s,'yeral v"l,",, ia Allan
hundred mon said No III" tight sl,onl'i stop.
Ihn u.s." nv ~. srrS 49,, !r,,"u , III Hul@rys f9r q
looked NJ my watch. Il was l2:ij o'ciock
Tho whole ilsht had occupied Just IN minutes
SfEclAIOE