New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-11
THy PASSING or SULLUAN

For many years Fast Day has been in MaSsa-
bus.,ts ,,tlcr ~ dav of leisure or rccreat ion and
endowment than of pcni'cncc and solemn mrhl'a-
ton But this year, in Boston at least II VIII De
observed with humiliation not approached IN t'i''
| genera, ION. A. the shamc-iaccd citizens ol 'hau
noble town glance acros, the trcc-llled spaces OF
their fnmou, common and look upon the State
! House. they must be surprised that 1t Is not
shattered by stroke of lightning or riven by
an earthquake The gildcd dome above their
| legislative halls. the ancient Goldfish suspended
within the meeting place OF the great and General
Court. we're never regarded with more pride and
! ycnrration than have been accorded TO the cham
! pion and boast Of the Bay State. the pride oi
Boston and tho terror of the world Now how
is the haughtincss of Ncw-England's chief city
abascd. How she grovcleth in sackcloth ana
ashes. aud smitcth her forehead in the dust
John L. Sullivan has fallen! Her IDOLS feet OF
clay are broken and the object of her alteration
| is PROSTATE on thc earth!
The portentous blow which has stricken down
This modern Samson is a. appalling to his adj
mircrs ~ IL is uucN pcCtcd. H. was the unanimous
opinion Of Boston an opinion little controvcrted
| or disputed elsewhere, that no man on the globe
could stand with naked fists an hour before Suli-
van But this little English brasgart MITCHELL
whose mouthinsS and boastngs have made him IN
object Of ridiculc and contempt. has not only suc
ceedcd in Guiding the thundcrous knocks OF the
stupcndous athlete. but. If the cable dispatches
al to be believed. has reduced the champion TO
such a condition Of exhaustion that he wPs glad TO
call the fght a draw To the Hmn7cmHnt Of all
the plug uglics and ruflians Of the country. Sull
vans hands were 50 battered and bruised that
his blows became weak and feeble. his eyes were
blackcncd by Mitchcll's fists. and his whole frame
was reduced TO such n condition Of quiyerlng pulp
and irrcsoutc jelly that the man before whom
the whole prize fighting world up 10 yesterday
trcmbled became inert and pitful mass Of
useless and nabby tissue. TO those who have seen
this tremendous gladiator stripped for the battles
Of the ring these statements seem almost in
credible or all the mon ~ The day who have
ever appeared in pubic in boxing matches, be-
the most symmcircally developed model of
physical power combined with unusual agility and
marvellous conccnt ration of energy in striking
All the oldest and ablest expert, agreed that no
man who ever donncd boxing gloves or took part
IN the ducls Of the ring with bare fists could
strike such blows rs Suynn'S. The betting on
this fight WAS five TO one on the Pride Of Boston.
The idea that Mitchell could come ont OF such a
contest anything but shap"icSS and scnsclcss
wrecl, was secuted by NIL who seemed most com.
pctcnt to Judge
Many suspicious people will insist that the two
sluggcrs could not have been in earnest that they
simply wished TO keep up "a profitable Farce and
swi nde 10 raise more money for future matches
and to draw nrw crowds 10 sparrng exhibit
tions. Bat though this WIS an entirely sat
isfactory theory IN regard To the 80 called hgat
between kilrain md Smith, H. does not ap-
ply AT all to the meeting of Sullivan
and Mitchell Sullivan had everything to
lose by failing 20 crush Mitchell com
plctely lie was looked on in all countries
as immcasurAbly Mitchclrs superior Failure to
knock CUT Mitchell would be accepted every
where ~ irrrfutAbe and final proof of the col
lapse Of his powers and the destruction Of his
claims TO the championship Of the world. He
must disable and cripple Mitchell or retire from
the rrc-cmincnt position among fighters which
hc hns long enjoyed. That he has failed To do
this can lie due only 10 the fact that he could
not Tho excuses made for him OF ovcrtrdinlns
and Of the effect Of a peling rain, chilling him
and reducing his strength, are foolish lie was
thoroug hly ard carefully trained. and the weather
bad as il WAS must have affected both alike.
The true cN planaton IS pie enough to every
reasonable observer The pitcher that goes too
often 10 tbs bar gets broken AT last II Sullivan
Lad not sappcd his own vital energies 10y weeks
and months OF continued drunkenness and de-
bauchcry in past years. he would never have suf-
f.rrd the ignominy of yesterdays failure. IL
WINS rum, not Mitchell. that sent Sulli> an rcellng
and totterng from the position which he held
unchallcngcd SO long No will DC afraid 90
fight him now. lie has sunk low that the
mcrcst tyro in boxing will De eager to try his
rrrntice hand upon him. B,stonS cup OF anguish
is trimming over and her streets are filed with