Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-24
LOVE THE STAKE IN A FIGHT
Two Rival Wooers Have a
Bare KnuckIe Fight.
SUPREMACY A LA QUEENSBURY
1t Was a Savage Fight to the
Finish.
Two wilmington Lads Decide Their
Claims to a school Girls Love Through
the Means of Prize Fight-- The Police
on the Wrong Scent.

Oh the wrong scent
Two juvenile pugilists engaged in a
hand-tD-hnnd encounter, in accordance
with Quccnsbury, on a lot in the
western part of the city Thursday night,
shortly after 8 o'clock, and fought to a
finish with bare knuckles The combat
drew together fully 200 persons, all of
the spectators being friends of the two
combatants, and were present to urge
on their champion to victory.
The fight occurred on vacant lot
just off Broome street near Seventh.
The participants in the affray were
William Pritchett, aged II years, son of
ex-Constable Pritchett, and William,
better known as "Reddy" Lee, an Off
spring of the deposed registrar, Spill"
Lee. Each participant had the usual
number of seconds present and per-
son was chosen to hold the sponge and
bottle.
The usual ring, 10 feet in diameter,
was formed, and the spectators, having
arranged themselves in circular form
about the pugilists, the fight began.
Both lads began work at once, each
recklessly aiming blows at the others
head without serious results. The crowd
began to cheer and the interest in the
light waxed warm as the young pugil-
lists displayed more scientific skill and
steadied themselves for the conflict.
Pritchett led off with direct blow
which landed upon his adversary's
mouth, and the latter retaliated by a
blow upon the formers scalp. Prit-
chett, dazcd for moment by the blow,
soon recovered his composure, and both
punched for blood.
The excitement became intense. Blow
after blow was exchanged by the youth
full pugiists until the spectators howled
with delight at the spirited contest.
The two youths seemed equal in
strength, neither seeming to get the
better of his adversary.
After the fight had waged fully Is
minutes without any apparent termina-
| ton, Pritchett succeeded in evading the
| guards of his auburn. haired opponent
and landed terrific blow over Lees
mouth. The blow was sumner to the
lad of rosy hue and from that moment
lie grew less Jealous and signs of weak
ening were apparent. The blow had a
telling effect and soon stream of blood
began to ooze from the worsted pugil-
lists mouth. The fight then grew less
interesting from the time this blow was
dealt, and at the expiration Of 10 min
utes Lee threw up the sponge.
Pritchett at once claimed the fight,
and his admirers bore him away with
triumphant glee. Pritchett received in
the fight severe blow over the temple,
which left ample evidence of the con
flict on the "hill" Lee, besides receiv-
ing the ugly blow over the mouth which
drove him to the wall, was badly cut
about the face and nose. He was glad
to give up the fight, and at once re.
treated from the scene of the encounter
just previous to the beginning Of the
setto, some one desiring to throw the
police off the scent sent telephone
message to the police station that the
fight was in progress and Tenth and
Broome streets. Captain Francis re-
ceived the message just about dusk and
at once dispatched a squad of officer:
out to tho scene In the patrol wagon
Another detachment was detailed to the
spot by q different route, and all arrived
| about the same time but without discover
ing the mill. The officers numbered IA in
all-10 went by patrol wagon and foul
were transported by the electric line
They instituted search for the culprit;
who dared to overstep the statutes, but
without avail. They secuted the entire
neighborhood, but not sign of prize
ring was visible. Finally they had de-
cided the matter huge hoax and began
retreat to the city hall.
Some of the officers cut across tc
Eighth street and as they reached thai
street they ran right across the prize
fighters and the spectators coming in
The numbero of the crowd amazed the off
GERS, but still the guardians of the peace
did not know that these 200 people hao
Just witnessed fierce knuckle contest
and the blue coats returned to the city
hall.
There has been bad blood between the
young prize fighters who engaged in The
conflict for some time, and the atfail
last night is said to have eliminated
from that cause.
Both lads have been paying their ad
dresses to petite and pretty young
maiden, pupil of the girls high school
living on Jackson street. The arden
young fellows went awooing frequently
and were so often brought into eacl
others company will calling upon tn,
object of their devotion that they sough
to decide the question of supremacy il
love by scientific contest in the ring
1t was agreed before embarking il
this fistic enterprise that the victol
should have the field all to himself. Ii
accord with this compact Lee has Tough
himself out of loves race and leave
Pritchett to do his wooing undisturbed
The young girl in question had no idei
that she was to be put up as the prize il
a scrapping match and Is very mucl
amazed at the notoriety the affair hal
brought to her. She may have voic,
in the affair and overrule the verdic
reached in the ring, probably discardinl
both the loving and quarrelsome suitors