, 1889-03-31
FEATHERWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP.
Desperate Battle Fought This
Morning.
Wier, the Belfast Spider and
Murphy.
Spider Rushes and Murphy
Responds.
1t Was Nip and Tuck All
Along.
Eighty Rounds and Finish
Eighty Rounds and Finish
Postponed.

NNiDNH D|' "hNh w bpSNNh
tors allowed, was the attraction which
brought together at Polk street depot
here that number of sports and newspa-
per men. Every one of the 100 was full
of eager conjecture as to the outcome of
the event, and friends of the contestants
were busily engaged in laying ayers.
Both Weir and Murphy were declared by
their respective partisans to be in the
pink of physical condition, while rumors
of personal ill-feeling between the two
men enhanced expectations of a CORY
fight to a finish. Parson Davies manage.
ment OF the expedition is much commend
ed.
KoUNTZ, Indiana, March 81, 1889
Weir's hacker, McAvoy, offered to bet
any part of a thousand dollars on Weir
Just before the fighting began, but there
were no takers. Small bets between out
siders averaging 5000 apiece were being
made, however, all over the room. Weir
looked the more confident of the two
fighters when they faced each other.
Murphy seemed a trile nervous.
Billy Meyer, the referee, evoked the
first APPLAUSE by announcing the fight
would be to a finish If it took all night.
1t was exactly los when time was
calltd.
AT LOS a, M. time was called. The
men spared cautiously for a few minutes.
Weir led, but Murphy neatly stopped it
and countered. The Spider danced around
swinging his long arms in front of Muir
ply. Finally he led and landed on Muir
phys lett eye, cutting a great cash below
it. First blood claimed and allowed for
Weir. When the men came together
Weir again gave Murphy a frightful
smash on the eye. Again Weir led and
knocked Murphy down. Odds of $500 to
5000 offered on Weir. The round closed
without further damage.
Heavy smuggling marked the opening of
the second round, Murphy evidently in a
wicked frame of mind. lie was too eager
and partly from a blow in the chest and a
slip, went down. A moment later he
slipped again. Now he became more
cautious, but more r~esolute than ever, he
began a long and gamer struggle. 1t was
give and take.
KoNTz, Ind, March 3l.-At 2 a. m.
fifteen rounds had been fought. During
the first ten Weir had everything about
his own way, getting first blood, first
knock down, and almost closed both of
Murphy's eyes. During the last FIVE
rounds, however, Murphy forced the
fighting, most pluckily, the chances,
however, being in favor of Weir.
Twentysnine rounds have been fought.
The last fifteen have been simply a walk
ing match. Scarcely a blow was struck.
Murphy's eyes seem better. Weir's ribs
and arms show the effect IF Murphy's
cuts. Murphy is now going for the ribs
altogether ano seems the fresher.
3:l5 a. m.-Thirty.one rounds have
been fought and the walking match con.
tinues.
Il can't run around like you" said
Murphy. Come and hit me-"
IN lick you yet" answered Spider.
Spectators becoming impatient No
betting"
1t is one of the bloodiest and most stub.
boruly contested ring contests of the age.
The men are thoroughly enraged, but
fight scientifically.
The Spider opens the battle with a
magnificent exhibition of his wonderful
rushing. Murphy bravely meets the ter
rife assaults, but seems to tire of the
rain of blows.
In the tenth round he rallies. His
vicious rib ticklers are beginning to tell
upon the endurance of his nervy antago-
nists, but the latter does not weaken.
Instead, he adopts Murphy's plan of
b~ruising the body instead of the face, on
which he has landed a sufficient number
of stlngers to bling the ordinary fighter.
The crowd is SIMPLY delerious. One
minute thousands OF dollars are flashed
and odds offered. The next not a cent is
in sight, ard with bated breath the sports
watch the desperate fight.
Murphy seems to be going behind and
Wier's body is bidly bruised, while his
hands are in a terrible shape
In the forty-ninth round the Spiders
hacker ordered him to go to the center of
the ring and fight. He seemed disin-
clined to do this Murphy rushed him
with such good effect that Wier's friends
reiusd to lay 800 against 800.
lnthe sixty-seventh and sixty-eighth