The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-09
The Renowned "Chick" Draws a
Small Purse in the Fight
~... With Johnson.
a Contest In a Barn in Town
Under One Electric
Light.
Inc Golored Man Says He Got Tough
Deal and Wants Another Gothic
Other Slngsers.

Under the climmer of one electric light.
Chick Rodgers, white aid Ed. Johnson,
coored, fought six rounds in tho Helena
Cab cornpany's barn last night for purse
OF $3.50, contributed by about twenty-five
local sports of Helena. The fight was TO
have come off on Saturday night nert, but
one of the sports got impatient and has
tened matters in his anxiety to see some
blood spilled. The affair of last night was
arranged in leaa than twenty minutes, and
before midnight the sports were ''on," in
the yernacular of the street, and were
making haste to the locality in hacks, cleo
trio cars. private vehicles and on foot,
The first OF the crowd to show up
at the barn were met by q very
determined refusal on the part of the man
IN charge to allow the place to be turned
INTO slaughter house. While he was pro-
testing the remainder of the crowd arrived.
/! me watchmau concluded that they were
about twenty-five too strong for him and
recons,deted his opposition and settled
down to see the mill. A hack that has
pened to be standing in the center of the
barn was wheeled out of the way and the
ring was thus formed.
Ike Hayes, colored, the man who wanted
to light the Black Pearl of Minneapolis,
whs Johnson's second. Sid Huntington.
who expects to meet.sT Tommy Gllen at the
Coliseum on Friday night acted in
wore nothing but the customary shoes and
trunks OF the prize ring, and the only
thing to protect the knuckles of the
snggers were four ounce gloyes-so pro-
nounced, bnt of which there is no official
ser1tication IN the absence of scales. A
known Hf,Ef
referee.
The first round was DEVOTED to the GUS
tomary spnrring for advantage, and no
damage was done. In the second, how
ever, Rodgers began to lead for the col
ored mans body and landed several sound
ing blows in the region Of the heart.
Many thought johnson would be "out of
IT. from this on, but he was game, and re-
sponded to the cali Of time in the third in
way to cheer his hackers. This round, as
well as the fourth and fifth. was repeti-
ton OF the second. johnson acted guard
edly, while Rodgers aimed for his
opponents body with the evident intsn-
tion OF winding him. Many of the blows
landed, and Johnson claimed that some Of
them were foul. The referee refused TO
to evade vicious blow, slipped and hurt
his head against cab during ono of the
rounds. When time was called for the
sixth ronnd Rodgers responded smilinoly
ana ulnuft. johnson appeared winded
but game. After few blows had been
exchanged, the colored man claimed foul.
which was not allowed. He then threw
OF his Gloves claiming he was get
ting the worst of it. Then.
as the fight had not been declared at an end
Rodgers also threw off his gloves and struck
johnson three or four times about the body
and face with his bare fists. The referee
awarded the purse to Rogers.
In the opinion of the sports who saw the
contest Rodgers had the best of it from the
start, though johnson claims he was not
given fair show. Everybody admitted
that the colored man showed marked
cleverness with his fists, but thought he
lacked wind. Neither man showed signs
of punishment.
johnson dropped in last night to say that
he got the worst of the deal and would have
$500 up to-day at the White Horse cafe, for
another go with Rodgers when the referee
would be selected with view of showing
no favors on account of color. He says he
had the fight won two or three times but
the referee ordered him to break away inst
when he had his man ''done for.''
Ike Hays and his friends say they looked
all over town yesterday for some money
put up by Jack Stone but could find none.
They say Stone is newspaper fl ghter.