Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-30

+, sports. In TACT, they were froced upon
me for in such a large establishment II
was not 10 he wondered st that there were
many GOOD boxers, and as 1 was gawky
country boy, was a msrk for all tneir
practical Jokes Sometimes they went 100
far. and when I demonstrated they laugh
ed At me. You can bet that made me
mad. so I lust made mp my mind that l
would thrash one or two Of these torment
ers. and from that day was champion OF
the MILL
sTbe first customer was Jack Daley,
who had fought several small ring battles,
bat pat him to sleep In short order.
NV next encounter was with Jem Driscol.
regular giant, who, while having little
or no science, could nit with the force OF q
a trip-hsmmer. He hurt me very badly,
but finally wore him down, and when he
at last gave up his mother would scarcely
have known him. I next fought Dan
Dryer. It was a long and bloody fight,
but I finally managed to pull through win
ner, 1 was very sore for a long time and
thought I was internally injured. The
last man that was pitted against me was
Dennis Roach. He had been imported TO
the mill with the idea Of putting an end 70
young Hilrain's run Of luck, and they
came near doing SO, toe. 1 was not very
well when the day for the fight arrived,
but knowing full well that I should have
been branded a coward if backed out l
got into the ring determined to stand up
as long as I was able. Ny antagonist was
hurricane fighter, and sought to annihllate
me In a couple of rounds. BE hit me IN
the stomach several times, and thought
that must give in, but after little
while Roach's blows got weaker, and,
finding be could not hurt me much, 1
fought with him, and by judicious use
of my left hand, managed to close up his
eyes. Roach was willing to keep on fight
ing, although he could not see. Finally
his friends took him away, and that end
cd my fighting career at the mill.
He took to rowing, and was one OF the
winning crew in a four Dared race on Lake
Waldron. This appeared to whet Kilrain's
appetite for boating, and ia 1883 we ind
him competing successfully for the junior
scaling championship at the National
Amateur regatta, held at Newark, NJ. Or
course when President Garfield, OF the
National Association, learned the indentity
of "Kiiou," snd discovered him to be a
professional pugilist, he at once took
steps lor an investigation, and Mr.. XII
lionn andMr. Kilrain ceased to be an anna
teur Oarsman. His next appearance IN a
racing boat YVES on Charles River when
he was one Of four. cared Hull boat crew.
They roWed against the Middlesex and
River side crews, and best them both. A
few weeks later'on he formed part Of four
Dared crew, which rOwed in the Union
Boat Club regatta on the Charles River,
and won the prize The same crew was
one of the entries in the Fourth of July
rsgetta of 1888. but suffered defeat, rowing
second to the Middlesex crew, which was
accounted one of the best amateur tours.
I'm the winter of 1888 I launched out
as a downright professional pugilist. l
obtained a situation in the Boston Crib
Club. where 1 was assistant to Jem Nc
Carthy. Here I got more hard knocks
than wealth, but gained a good deal Of
experience. While employed IN the Crloo
Club I was called upon to face some good
men. My first experience was with Harry
Allen. We were to have contested SIX
rounds. bat had Allen knocked out in
the very first round. The gentlemen pres
ent asked me to let up on my antagonist
This did, and be rallied, but made such
a poor showing that the management stop
ped the fight.
'NIy next antagonist was George God
frey, the colored pugilist. This wss 10
have been a six round fight, but hit the
darkey so hard that he quit in the third
round.
Nothing more was done in 1888, but
the following year was busy one for me.
Jim Goode wss pitted against me for a Six
round battle. The referee declared 1t a
draw. but disinteTested people say that /
should have got the verdict, rs Goode was
to al inten,s and purposes a defeated
man.
''SIy next antagonist was Charley Mitch
ell, with whom 1 fought q four round
draw. Then my encounter with Mike
Cleary. which was four rounds. Dispute
the fact that Cleary could scarcely stand
at the end of the fourth round, Billy Ed
wards declared the contest draw.
Next in order comes my meeting with
Jack Burke. We were to have fought five
rounds. but the first was so hot and heavy
that the Boston police got on the stage
and prevented Us from finishing the COM
bat: they allowed Us to finish the other
four rounds ms very tame sparring match.
A proposition was made to Burke to settle
the affair in some other city, but the Irish
lad refused"