Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-27
The Contest Graphically Described by
The Cadets Who We're Seconds.
ELEVEN TO THIRTEEN ROUNDS
The Coroncr's Inquess-origin OF tho DIM
.,,,,-N,,nte "Details of the Fight
Both Nearly Aged and Matched
Verdict ApopieSy from Nio-
roncc-NcConnico Bsiled.
rspooIal telegram to TIE Dispatch-l

J.. Iarrick. f.. A. Quisenberry, L. ). Ley
burn. w. C. Stuart, and B. III. Gorreii met
this morning at the hospital OF the VIZ
GINA Military Institute to hold an inquest
uron the body Of Cadet TahaieTro' VINO
was killed in fight, as reported Ses'er-
day. There were summoned as witnesses
IA. Blackford. who acted as referee du-
ring the FIGHT: John Freeland, time, keeper;
Walter n. TAYLOR and Baker I. Lee, DR.,
Taljaferro's seconds. T.. Il. Cunningham,
one of McConnico's seconds, and DT. .. A.
Graham, who made the autopsy.
TAYIoR's TESTIMONY.
Cadet W. VI. TAYLOR testified as follows;
AZ was told Of the trouble between McCon-
nico and Taliaferro and that a night was 10
fake place in the society hall at dinner
time. helped Taliaferro 70 prepare Tor
n and took him TO the hall. Soon after
Ireeland called time. when they took their
places. facing each other. During the nrst
mar; of the fight they were almost evenly
matched. McCOnnico got the best OF II
for time, then turn came and Iallaierro
mt In some very effective blows, and we
iborcht # the fight lasted much Longer
Ialiaferro would get the best OF 1t; but III
the next 20 the last round Ialiaterro was
thrown and received some heavy blows on
him,
TIE FIGur GIVEN To M'coNNIco.
After that only one more round was
fought, and the fight was given TO Nc,
Connico. TaliafeTrO left the society nan
with me. took him to his room, put MN
10 bed. and left HIM rs comfortable as
possible. | then went TO the recitation
room, not leaving there until O'CLOCK
and then first heard of Taliaierros death;
shaken up. | saw IahaterrO spit blood
during the fight. but thought 1t was
conscd bv blow on the nose. was with
'Tahaferro about five minutes after the
fight. When / put him TO bed he salu ne
would rather have his head high, l hNed
il that way. but as he did not feel com
Portable changed 1t, and he lay with his
head on pillow.
ORIGIN OF The FIGHT.
"The origin Of the fight was this: Both
cadets had report to answer TO the com
mandant Each thought that he got there
ahead of the other and that his turn came
first. When the time came for one or the
other to 90 IL TaliafeTrO pushed past Nc
Connico and GOT IN ahead Of him. when
Yaiaf,lro came out McCOnnicO cIrsed
him and told him he would meet him IN
the society ball about IT. This quarrel
took place two days before the nght 10
the best Of my recollection. l know no.
thing of their relations before the tght.
CADET LES TESTIMONY.
Baker p. zee testified: Il was present at
The fight between McCOnnicO and Talla-
ferro. heard of 1t the day before and fell
out Of ranks the following day M dinner
roll-call and went 10 the cadets society
hall where the fight occurred The par
ties were not armed. IahaierrO was strip
ned TO the waist and in his stocking feet.
McConnlco had on tennis shirt and ten
Ms shoes. The men seemed to be well
matched. though McCOnnlcO appeared 10
be the more expert boxer of the two. Nc
Connico had the best OF the fight through
ont. save possibly two or three rounds,
fhoucb / believe Ialiaferro would have
won The fight If they bad kept on, rs Nc
Connico appeared very much winded.
THERING RULES.
"The plan of the fight was TO fight one
minute and rest two minutes. They fought
from eleven TO thirteen rounds, ana AT the
end OF the fight both appeared 10 be very,
badly beaten. though have seen several
,ichts when the men were in worse cOndl-
tion with no bad results. Most OF the
bruises on IahafeTrO were on the race,
chest, and ribs. and MccOnnico was bruised
about the same. About the middle OF the
Grht Talaferro was thrown by McConnlco,
struck the side of the bench or the noor q
heavy HEX.
GAME TO THE LAST.
"Taliaferro did not appear exhausted, anC
wanted to know why the referee had glyer
the fight to McConnico. and claimed toul
in the round previous to this round. Me
Conuico had thrown TaliaferTo, and Will
his left hand held him down and pounded
him severely with his right. Taliaierroi
seconds decided that If McConnlco repeat
ed this the referee should take Mcconnell
of OF TaliaierTo. During the last rounC
McConnico threw 1aliaforro, and thu
veferee. presuming that he would poun,
him again, pulled McConnico of of Italia
ferro and decided the fight in favor @
McConnico. The men shook hands afte
tine fight and congratulated each other OF
his pluck.
BOTH NEW MN.
After describing the origin Of the diff
Guilty Cadet Lee concluded by saying
They were both new men, bad only bee
here about three weeks. | helped Italia
ferro TO his seat. He seemed to be al
right: not as badly used up as Others
have seen. was one of 1aliaferro's sec
onds. but perfectly friendly to both pal
ties. The fight was a square on"
CADET cUSSINGHAM's SERVICES.
In the course of his testimony Cade
CUNNINGHAM said: After the fight
went to my room with McConnico. Afte
washing his face | took him to his ROOF
and put him 20 bed. Then | went TO Sc
Tahaferro. | found him In bed, an
stayed a minute or go and then left. Ate
awhile | went back TO his room and aske
Captain 1alafcrro, his brother. If | coul
be OF any service. He told me no. Then
went TO the mess hall, got some. bee
came back. and put IL on 1aliaferrO
face, and from his room went TO McCOi
nico's room and did the same for hin
Then l went 10 the drawlng-class. Whe
came back | heard Taliaferro was deaC
i have seen good many fights IN whic
the men seemed TO be worse hurt than No
Connico and Taliaferro were. When pu
the beef on Ialiaferro's face he seemed
be asleep. This was about i. NJ l q
not know when TaliaferrO died. The tigl
lasted about forty minutes"
THE poCToR's TESTIMONY.
DIR. Graham testified Il first saw nj
Taliaferro twenty minutes past O'CLOCK
the DAY Of the fight. found him lying /
the barracks dead and said 10 have bee
dead FIVE or ten minutes. | made SON
efforts at resuscitation and kept up artit
cial respiration for about an hour. 500
after that had him removed 10 the no,
pitai. September 26th. AT O'Clock A NJ
seventeen hours after death. with u
Es,ill. made an autopsy. Commissions
the eye-lids. cheeks. lips. scalp, and o
abrasion on the right arm near the elbo
and bruises on night and left shoulde
were found. BODY well preserved
muscular confusion on the rigl
hand; opened the skull. and found Il
scalp confused on the right and lie
sides, on top and behind On openir
the skull about pint of blood and seru
ran out. Found the membranes congeste
Removing the membranes found eliot
blood and about two ounces of brain Oh
colored: substances Of brain normal; l
fractures. Chest examined; no coDtusic
on the outside; heart normal; lungs dan
and congested. Abdomen opened; orgei
lealthful.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
The cause OF the death was apoplex
The clot Of blood was near the medial
line 10 the left near the top Of the brain
After full examination Of all the wi
resses summoned the jury reached IL
following verdict:
THE VERDICT.
I've. the jury summoned 10 inquire in'