The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-24
AN EARLY. MORNING MILL
Two Local COlored Men Have a Prize.
Fight in the Old Thayer Distillery.
"Red Shirt" Knocked Out in One Round
Sports from the 'Ievee" Drive to the Scene
in Carriages-A Poor Exhibition.

Saturday night q "tip" was circulated
among the sports on the ''levee." 1t was
gwen ont to be q full-grown one with q
welLauthenticated pedigree, and warrant
ed not to scare at "coppers.H To the few
who were let in on the ground floor 1T was
to the effect that 1t was y mill between o
man from Philadelphia and local light.
and to others it meant that something was
going on, and, if they could keep mp with
the better posted, they might find out what
it was. Accordingly, about 1:30 Sunday
mornIn z, first one back and then another
filled up with members of the fraternity,
until . half dozen OF SO had WHIPPED
around the corner of Washington street
and started west. They hurried on, the
lamps glimmering in the cold. foggy night.
across the river, across the Belt
railroad ana out where bare fields
conld but family be- seen between the
houses that cams only at intervals, but
still keeping due west. In the course of a
half hours driving the vehicles were
pulled up at Billy KissePs saloon in Mount
jackson, not far from Eagle creek: The
occupants there got ont, and. while the
SCANNING horses were being blaDketed,
rap on the door had gained admittance,
and they all went trooping In. Already
quite crowd had gathered. and there was
hardly Gface that Is not seen nightly some
where around the "leyeev promenade. Some
were playing pool, others. and there were
many OF them. were trying to drive out the
fog by sampling the Droprietor's best
forty -rod;' over In ono corner q crap game
was going merrily on to the click of
de bones and the swapping Of fingers
and the unenRaged skirmished around TO
find out what they were there for. 1t was
soon learned that the scene of the scrap"
was to be the old Thayer distillery,
which stands on the banks of the creek,
and it was not long until the word was
passed around to load up and make a break
for IL. The ride was short one, and the
occupants of the carriages were again piled
out. this time in the mud and slime of the
unused distillery yard. A few faint gSeams
of light showed through some cracks in an
old shed in the distance. and thither the
crowd wended its way. 1t was an ideal
place for stolen .set-to. There was no
house to be seen in the intense darkness,
the lights in the city had faded from view,
and the shed sat back where it could not
be seen from the road. Inside every hing
was in readiness. A headlight hung from
the ceiling and several lanterns sat around
on barrels and boards. Underneath the for
mer two ropes were stretched from wall to
wall, while two others were strung from one
70 the other of them. making ring about
six feet by twelve. In one end OF the shed,
by the uncertain light of the lanterns,
could be seen a pile of rubbish. from which
material was faxed" to improyise benches
for seats. and everything smelled musty
and looked uncanny. Pretty soon we'll
known proprietor of one of the ''levee' re-
sorts informed the crowd that they would
have to get outside. and then put mp 1.-The
price" to get in .agaip. This accomplished.
he took his station at the door. saying:
Come on, gents, it's only dollar q
throw. Give little something to helm these
fighters ont. an the show will begin"
Too mnch" yelled man in the crowd.
MAKE it half. and III go yon"
1t was done after a little parleying, and,
probably. twenty-five, people pair their
way in: They were then accorded
glimpse at the scrappers. irone corner of
the shed negro was divesting him
self of his shirt. which be hung on
the floor when he got it of. In another
corner another dafkey was performing the
same operation. Around each were two or
three men assisting No time w as lost, and
they were hustled into the ring. pair of
we'll two-ounce mits put on to
the hands of each. and, the suitable officers
of the fight having been chosen, they were
ordered TO shake hands. A little dumpy
fellow with red flannel uudershirt on
rose from one corner Off barrel from
which lime was sitting and u tall angular
one from the other, clad in a white under
shirt. where no had been sitting on the
edge of an upturned board. arose. It was
a sort of Ne and Him pair The red shirt
said his name was James Rice and the
other Elmer Martin. They were told to
get ready, and time was called. while the
crowd pressed up to the ropes. Neither
man was a past master in mis- art. The
red shirt showed his right duke to the
front, and the other man held
his hands far enough apart to
shove feather-bed in bis face.
The little fat man shut his eyes. put his
head down and blazed away at his OppOn-
ent missing him by about three yards
while the tall man famed the air with
both hands rs many feet above red shirts
head. The little man tried il again and
landed lightly on the breast. and the other
swiped him on the nose. Then they spared
to avoid punishment. The tail man held
ont his fist and the short man ran his nose
into il, which made him mad, and he
banged the other fellow funny bump In
the teeth which made him grunt Just
then some one yelled. Five on the red
shirt" but before no got done talking. the
tail man burned his ships behind him and
sailed into that red shirt like saw-mill
into pine knot. He batted HMM the face
aud poked him IN the stomach. and slapped
him beside the jaw until he had him TO
stood with his hands above his
head while the other would take
aim and blaze away at him. That state of
affairs lasted just about two seconds. when
the pummeled mans toes went mp. he
| pitched over the rope and his head struck
| the boards with q reseunding whsck. He
| didn't move and ever bouy yelled count.
| The spectators. in unison went up TO ten,
I while some man with generous heart.
| poured the contents of flask of whisky
| over the PROSTATE mans face. He was
| he ped to his feet In moment or So. looked
| stupidly around. and then exclaimed:
What tn at air Niger have IN his gloves TO
| Hit me like thatf Martin was declared
| the winner. while his dummy opponent
| limped over 10 tho corner To don his clothes.
and the crowd hurried back 10 town.