The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-23

letic Club have issued an address declar-
ing that the organization has been I'M
justly dealt with and grossly maligned
in the action of officers of the law, and
the fact that the cndeavor to pursue the
original programme by tho club might
be made pretcXt by riotouslY disposed
people to foment disorder, and as blood
shed might result, it has been decided
to declare the fight between Fitzsim-
mons and Hall tonight off, All money
paid for tickets will be refunded at 10
o'clock to morrow morning.
Beardless young fellows in fatigue
uniforms hurried in twos and threes
through the streets OF the capital as
the sun was going down this evening
Gangs of men on the street corners
and blocking up the entrances to the
hotels glanced with. foreboding brows at
the youngsters as they passed by and
filled the air with imprccations loud
and deep, and out in the northern SUI
burbs the setting sun cast its shadows
over big circular structure looking for
al the world like q Confederate stock
ouc VI WIZ JlultS, uuJ Wfl1CQ SLOOu soil
tary and desolutc save for the watch
man who sat smoking at the entrance,
and the flock OF birds that were settled
on the palisades and kept up an eternal
cav"
The young men were members of the
LEGAL company OF National Guard who
had been ordered to materialize to Ire
vent fight thath already been aban-
doned. The men at the corners were
disappointed sports, and the deserted
stru ;tu:c was the Amphi theatre, in
which, had ali gone we'll to night, would
have been witnessed one of the most OK
citing contests in this history of pugi.
lism in the United States.
more disappointed, Disguised lot Of
sports than ST. Paul contains tonight
has probably never been gathered to-
gcther any where or under any circum-
stanc, They had come from far and
near; from Houston and San Francisco,
from New Orleans to Winnipeg, from
British Columbia and from tho sister
city across the river, and they are going
home again with depleted pocket books
and the knowledge that they have spent
their stuff and had their travels for their
pains.
The action OF the authorities this
morning came upon the aggregation Of
sports like thunder clap. The proc
lamation issued yesterday by Governor
Merriam and the arraignment of Fitz-
simmons and his trainers in the police
court had been regarded especially by
the IT ncipals OF the Fitzsimmon and
Hall contest as very much in the nature
OF u bluff, and there seemed to be
very general understanding that having
thus offered sop TO the protesting law
reform element the powers tina be
would allow the influential citizens who
make up the governing body of the
Minnesota Athletic Club to go ahead
with their programme in their own way.
When, therefore, Sheriff Bean, whose
name was actually on the list of invited
guests, put his foot down this morning
and declared that he preferred to offend
his friends and disappoint the assembled
sports to losing his own official head,
there was CONSERVATION and dismay.
Even then the club directorate might
have determined to take the chances
had not the Governor haStehed to the
support of the subordinate officers by
issuing instructions to the adjutant
general to hold four companies of
National Guards in readiness to sup
press the fight, and when the call TO
arms" had been circulated the fact was
realized at last that Merriam and Bean
meant what they had said, ana that it
would be worse than ridiculous for the
organization to fly in the face of organ
ized law and authority.
Visions of riots and bloody conflicts
were conjurcd up in the meeting Of the
board and reluctantly the wold went
out that so far as st. Paul was con-
cerned the fight was off for good and
all There is very general impression
tonight however. that there was
colored man and brother in the woods
back OF the action Of the authorities,
and that something more than the de-
termined action and attitude of the law
element was Il factor in the premises
upon which the prohibition was based.
1t was broadly limited and in MANY
places boldly charged that the move was
in Halls interest and that pressure had
been brought to bear upon the sheriff
by certain friends OF the Australian
WhSs ad come TO the conclusion that
their %lan was not in it and who pre-
ferred that there should be no fight at
all than to see him carried from the ring
defeated and disgraccd.
THEY WILL FIGHT IN WISCONSIN.
Late tonight, in consequence of
rumor that the fight between Fitzsm-
mons and Hall was to come off at all
hazards, companies c., D., e. and II of
the National Guards, under Command of
Col w. Bend, marchtd out to the Am
phitbeatre and went on guard duty, sur
rounding the building at distance of
200 feet.
Shortly afterwards Jim Hall. accom-
panied by Parson Dawes and TWO other
friends and with package containing
tights, shoes and other sporting para
phernalia, drovs up to the line and re.
quested permission to pass. lyon being
refused the Carriage was turned haciy