Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-01


N FOUR RoUNDs-DETAus OF THE
TTEKS-MNUTE FIGHT-DIsGRACEFUL SCENES
-'sATIsFYrNG THE SHERIFF"
About $50 of the toughest element Of WASH
ington's sporting fraternity gathered in a shed
On the other side Of the Long bridge early this
morning TO witness prize fight between James
Brooks Of New York and Frank Holcomb. one
of the local aspirants for fstic honors. The
fight was short and hot, and when the referee
called for the men at the beginning Of the fifth
\ round HOlcOmb was in such battered condi-
ton that he threw up the sponge and the fight
PAS awarded TO Brooks. Considerable money
ehanged hands on the result.
The tip was given early last evening that
here was fight on the program. but no one
ieemed to know that it WAS assured or where it
would take place long procession Of We
hicles. fling in funeral-Eke order down Penn
sylvsnia avenue, vas the signal the large crowd
OF toughs bad been watching for and the word
was quickly passed that the fighters had gone
to the battle ground.
NEW YEAR CHIMES
Everything with wheels was eagerly grabbed
at BY the tstic enthusiasts and when the re-
porter Of The STAR, safely ensconced in an old
night liner. joined the procession, which was
now moving rapidly across the Long bridge.
the chimes in the steeple of the Metropolitan
Church were ringing out the tidings that new
year had been born. Across the bridge the
strange caravan halted Near by. almost hid
den by the railroad embankment and nesting
in the big marsh. was a cabin whose red lights
displayed IN the windows shOne a sign which
set forth that the weary wanderer could find
good whisky and cool beer for a consideration.
There was a stampede in the direction of the
hut. and soon the small bar room was filled |
with as tough a looking set Of men one could |
meet an a week : travel. Everybody of course |
ef1ll al1R FALL fftrT liz. DIIz 4Usff Ihav-
call 1t old but they know 1t isn't. In one |
corner of the room tall, lanky individual with |
q scant red mOustache and a hungry look sat at |
. table whose cover consisted of a green oil |
cloth on which was rUdely constructed three !
squares. each with a number inscribed in it, /
The one to the right also contained the word /
under while that to the left had over /
painted IN red within Its borders In the ceEter |
under the inquire was the word even This !
was
TIE OVER AND UNDER GAME,
the hardest gambling game in the world to /
beat. The man who runs the game. armed I
with dice cup and two dice. shakes in the I
presence of the players, while they bet on what |
the added spots ON the dice will figure up. For 1
instance. one man bets 10 cents that it will be 1
under seven. If he Is correct he WINS an /
amount similar To that put down. The same
when he bets on the over. II he should guess
that the added spots the dice Will come to
seven even and he should be correct IN his
guess the banker pays him three times the
amount he wsgers- Inc gamblers shrlll voice
sings oct: Come on. boys and place your
mOney-anythlng from nickel. dime.
quarter, hall dollar; place a nickel
and try YOUR luck Don't be afraid-a uiC kel
will neither make. break set YOU mp III bust
hess Why. my grandmother lett me 100000
when she died To distribute among the poor.
aud that why L here. And 50 he sings
out, varying HE speech now and then. until lie
Is hushed by Spectator who thinks he can
win his expenses. The gambling went ON at "a
RAE nd v.f s1ft a NJ
hotter pace. Bat the morning hours were get
ting larger In their denominations and the
crowd became restless A corps Of volunteers
was called for to sweep ont the ring. and
dozen men. anxious to get peek at the fight
ing ground, stepped forward They came back
and announced that
THE RING WAS READY
There a rush toward the door leading TO
the room where the ring was pitched. but
couple of b!awny negroes barred the way and
told the crowd that they couldn't get III with
out ticket This seemed 10 stagger the crowd
minute and they fell back. Behind the bar
the manager dispensed the tickets at $50
apiece. but bankruptcy stared him III the face,
for few purchased. Inside the room where the
ring was pitched about twenty-five of the most
respectable sought dry places To stand under
the leaky roof. IN Ii, those buffers as won't
pay. yelled the manager of the show. greatly
excited Turn en- out doors. The crowd
didn't object and they uncercmoniously
ushered out into the cold night t. listen to the
erOaklng frogs and symlathIze with the clouds
which were weeping then IN earnest no doubt
cut To the quick by the way the New Year /
opening. The managers little scheme
worked 10 perfection. and soon there was
eamOr for tickets. After every
man who had the wLerewith had |
purchased ticket. and the manager was salts
ned he couldI get any more out of the re-
manning ones he said that he would give the
poor devils who were uut IN the ram a New
Year present and accordingly invited them in |
Ky ffYlt 81. l. Il.
the ring. each one apparently armed with the
regulation black bottle which PLAYS such a
prominent part IN prize fights shell man"
soon made his presence known bV entiCiug |
those who were lucky enough 10 have a few
cents left 20 try their luck at the game '"your !
uncle lost his leg at" The she'll came Is familiar
- many Vi the readers Vi The STAR having
been fully described some months ago. At any
rate 1t is a gambling game If such il NAV be
called where the player hasn't the slightest I
semblance Of q chance TO win. Over in one
corner Of the ring some cOlOred BARRIERS were
shooting crap. while three-card-mOnte game
was doing a thriving business in the corner
opposite The gamblers were even getting
tired and the black bottles had long since been
relieved of their contents.
MoSEY-NO FIGHr.
A general murmur Of dissatisfaction WAS and /
ible when the manager stepped into the middle
Of the ring. and, taking a position on a chair.
announced in a speech OF rare literary merit
that de purse wasn't large enough an ef dere
WAS gOln 10 be scrap collection would
have 10 be taken up The crowd were Just
spelling for hight and wouldn't have objected
TO anything, so long fight promised
And the hat went the rounds with an 1915 re-
suit This amt enough cried the manager
once more; you ain bulldogs enough TO see
two men fight for such purse rs Ss.75: Come
on, boys, once more. And the hat went on its
weary way again, with $40 result. Vow
boys. this amt gOin TO do" once more sang
out the manager: we have got to give de boys
eyn IA |
the idea much and grumbled. A fne-Iooking
gambler from the faro bank across the way
happened in just then and added a flyer TO the
purse A cab driver handed III a quarter of q
dollar and enemy Of his across the rims.
raised him and went 75 cents better. Finally
the purse made up and Everything pointed
~ . fight III. 'ttle while.
TO rIsFY THE SHERIFF.
very blacS IN with a heavy overcoar
moved in the lg nj whispered in the man
ayers
Il can't DO il. manager replied aloud.
Moving over to lress Representatives who /