The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-17
HE SAW THE FIGHT.
Anew Yorker IdeaAboutthe Prize-Fight and
Some af the Things Tint EoIloxed II.

Anew Yorker's eaAboutt the Prize-Fight and
Some of the Things That Followed 1t.
/. c. Samuels. of New York, was at the
Bates, last night. on his return nome from
a trip through the South, the main object
of which was to witness the Sullivan-Kil-
rain fight. He created no little amuse-
ment for those with whom he talked in the
lobby by his expressing qualification that
he succeeded in getting away with his
life. THAT was an experience l
shall never forget" he said to a Jour
nal reporter. Il left New York city
for birmingham, Ala, where l tried to con-
vince myself that i had business. but /
was resolved, unless my courage failed me,
to take in the fight. / reached Birming-
ham, and there / decided / was too timid to
60 any further alone, and was about to
come away. But as luck would have it, l
met a friend, and he was in the same fix I
was-afraid to go alone, and only waiting
for some friend to banter him into attend
ing. We shook hands and agreed to hang
together, and we did"
You don't regret having gone, do your
well. l guess not. But the fight itself
features that the papers didn't get at all.
and In what they did ave the correspond
ents made some terrible blunders. In the
first place, Kilrain wasn't so badly bruised
and O torn cheek, you would hardly
champion fighter of the world. And
Sullivap-he Jared much better than
the papers said. He was reported to have
had a finger broken ON each hand, but that
was not true. His hands were bruised and
his fingers resembled bananas more than
anything else, but the bones were all right.
L had a choice seat during the entire night,
on an old soap-box, right next to Kilrain's
corner. And once / found it almost too
choice. Sullivan had driven Kilrain up to
the ropes directly in front of me. / could
have touchen hum without moving a foot.
was looking right into Sullivan's face
when he drove a right-hand blow at Kill
rains head. The latter lodged, and so did
/: As l did so, whiz went Sullivan's fist
right over my head. After that l con-
clnded to mOve away a little further.
The crowd that witnessed the fight was
actually the toughest ever saw:
There were 1900 seats for 1000
spectators, who surged back and forth
like a herd of cattle. You may not believe
1T, but that crowd was armed to the teeth.
From where l was sitting l could see men
with long revOlvers peeping out of their
pOckets-revolvers that l think must have
been made to order for the occasion. Men
went without their watches and
jewelry. simply because they didn't
hhOW Wh1 lhlSho hupPOh. hu thO
enthusiasm that prevailed never
have seen equaled. Men and boys
yelled themselves hoarse as they would at
a campaign demonstration. And there's
another thing that the papers were mis-
taken in, and that is the actions of Sullivan
in jumping on KIlraid. He didn't do it, al
though to those who were some distance
from the ropes it appeared as if
it was his intention. The fact was,
when Kilrain was down. Sullivan slip
ped, and both of his feet came up
plump against Kilrain. There was too
much at stated for either man to deliber-
ately make a foul play as that would have
been. Nor do 1 think Kilrain was drugged.
He met Sullivan fairly and / think the lat
ter deserved the victory. 1t caused me a
little discontinue at the time, though, to
confess that, for / had banked on his de-
feat"
did you see either of the pugilists leave
on the railroad?'
did IL Well, l rather guess l did, and
much to my SORROW. / rode with Kilr2in
and his party until they reached Seymour,
this State, and then / concluded that a lit
tie discretion wOuld be my best policy.
There were fights on board that train. and
almost everything else that the church
we reached Seymour l left the train and
went to Louisville, in order to
reach the city alone and unlnolested. I've
been praying eyer since / left that train,
that may never be caught in such a place
again. either voluntary on otherwise. And,
yet. / shall never regret that / saw the most
noted pugilistic contest that probably ever
will occur in this country for q hundred
years, and perhaps forever"