Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-16
THE TRIAL ON.
John L. Sullivan Pleads Not Guilty to
the Indictments.
One Witness Gives Graphic Description
of the Fight and Says Sullivan
Dropped On Kilrain.
Sullivan in Court.

PURv1s, MISS, Aug. IA jury was
completed after considerable delay and
Sullivan placed on trial
''stand up, John L. Sullivan said
District Attorney Neville. Sullivan
stood up and looked straight at Mr..
Neville as the latter read the indict-
ments.
"What say you, John L. Sullivan,
guilty or not guilty -
mot guilty, replied Sullivan with
emphasis i'll u clear voice. He then sat
down and the trial was begun in earnest.
He paid attention to the proceedings
during the day, but offered no comments,
leaving Mr.. Lionel Adams, who repre-
sents the fighters, to suggest questions
to Examiner General Ford, who con-
Quoted the cross-examination for the de-
Tense. The witnesses were all sworn to-
gether. There were none for the de-
Tense
The first witness examined was w. w.
Robinson He went to Richburg on the
morning of July s, arriving there before
daylight with deputy sheriff. He saw
the ring pitched and proceeded to give
very graphic account of what took place,
describing the occurrences in the ring,
the arrival of trains loaded with men,
etc He mentioned the circumstances
of Harding handing Kilrain a roll of
money, saying it was $1,000, present
from Fox; that it was put up in Referee
Fitzpatrick IS hands and covered by Sui
livan with another $1,000. Fitzpatrick
was referee. Kilrain, Sullivan and Sec
onds went to the middle of the ring and
shook hands. Kilrain and Sullivan then
stripped and went at it. They fought
with their fists and wrestled. Kilrain
threw Sullivan and the.men were picked
up and taken to their corners. They
rested until Referee Fitzpatrick, who had
a watch in his hand, called time, when
the men came forward and fought again.
The fight lasted two hours and eighteen
minutes. and about seventy-flve rounds
were fought.
''Did they hit each other?'' asked Mr..
Neville.
Gilt, - said Robinson, flook at Sui
Ivan IS eye. Laughter
The witness then described the injuries
received by the men from the blows.
About the last round Mitchell ran across
and said something to Sullivan; as he
was coming back Mr.. Donovan tire up
the sponge and Fitzpatrick said some
thing about Sullivan winning The
Sullivan and kissed him They raved
like lnaniacs and carried him away on
their shoulders.
On cross examination the witness said
the rings were square and looked more
like pens. He never saw such rings be-
fore. Witness said the fight was in
Marion county, but on cross examina-
ton he could not exactly locate the battle
ground and does not know where the
county line is. Witness testified that he
saw Sullivan jump on Kilrain with his
knees, and affirmed positively that
Sullivan IS knees touched Kilrain $ body.
7. R. White, foreman of the grand
jury, was the next witness, his testi-
mony substantially cOrrOboTating that of
the first witness. He could not swear
that Richburg is in Marion county, but
has been told so. Saw Sullivan and Kill
rain put into Fitzpatrick 8 hands what
appeared to be money. Was too far
away to tell whether it was counterfeit
money or not.
J S. Holman testified he was at the
fight; the land upon which the fight took
place was his property in former years,
and he knew it was in Marion
county. Witness stated that
after the bet was made Sui
IVAN anu hlIIaln skylarKeC
in the ring until the sponge
was thrown up. To him they appeared
to be fighting willingly. A few of Sui
livan S licks on KilraIn were heard, but
Kilrain fell and ran around so many times
that it was hard to say whether he
was his or not. Sullivan fell down only
once. Witness said: 81 don It think as
much damage was done in the fight as in
an everyday common stand-up and
drag-out fight. 1 did not consider it a
square stand-up fight because Kilrain
did not stand up fair and
square. Witness, of his own knowledge,
did not know that it was a prize fight.
j. Hinton, q grand jury man, was the
fourth witness called. His testimony
was unimportant.
Sheriff J. W. Cowart testified: az
witnessed the fight at Richburg, 1t was
prize fight between Sullivan and Kill
rain.