Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-19
all enthusiasm, and not speck of doubt

"Timcn' called out the referee, and
instantly you could hear pin drop at any
point throughout the big hall.
In a moment Champion Weiss, half
black protruding eyes. was circling with
panther-ike movement around the Will
mingtonan. All eyes were fixed with in
stant curiosity on Weiss He was the
stranger. The audience knew their own
man and focused their attention in I'M
conscious fascination on Weiss.
They closed, and Cooper was on the ag-
gressive. The audience bpeathcd freer.
Cheers broke out here and there. Few
dared cheer. The brain tension called
every mental and physical power on the
one duty of seeing-and that alone was tax
enough. The wrcstlers tumbled about in
lightning changes.
IL all seemed to transpire in a few
seconds. Weiss stood head down in air in
the grasp Of Cooper and the champions
legs tailed out comet-like towards the
ceiling. Down he came again Hat on bis
back--as everyone and Cooper thought
all but the referee. But the latter did not
concede it, as the Wilmingtonian stood
straight up in momentaTv astonishment
and doubt mt the denial. He tackled Weiss
again and downed him a second time.
Fortunately for Weiss in the second effort
the referee got kicked in the face by the
HyinB legs OI SOIneOle anu ~ iacL WIS
temporarily blinded. He could not there
fore give Judgment. Cooper set to for the
third time. But now the audience was
aroused, indeed enraged. Scores of voices
demanded decision. The insistence,
however, died out in the intense interest
of the continuing contest.
Again Cooper downed Weiss. This time
Referee Irvine saw it plainly, potwith-
standing his partially blinded eyes, and
the judge gave the award.
The great victory was won in l minute
and 90 seconds.
The words were hardly out of the judges
mouth when the hall was transformed
into pandemonium. The very air shook and
shivered with the din Of shout and cry.
The Warren yell could not be heard. The
audience was on its feet Ell masse, ranged
on the tops of the chair benehcs waving
sticks, hats and umbrellas. 1t was worse
than a Chicago stock exchange. People
would not stop shouting. The din pre-
vented any attempt at talking: Through
the visions of waving arms and umbrellas
Superintendent Kane was seen bearing off
the collapsed form of Weiss across the
platform. The champion was literally
dazed at his terrific fall. Cooper never
touched the floor. He was shouldered by
the enthusiastic Warren men and borne
in triumph to the dressing room.
Then recommended the saturnalia of fra
ternization, of promenading, and of con-
graduation parties They sang and
shouted, walking proudly on tip-toe all
around still .retelling the story OF the great
victory.
"Alil'' cried one, who seemed to know it
all, lit was . half-Nelson and leg-hold did
the business"
"There is no dispute about it this time,"
echoed another.
HE had him on his back in one minute
and three seconds echoed third.
And so it went all around the room, for
each speaker was an individual witness of
what he claimed and possibly as correct a
judge, under the circumstances, as the
referee himself.
Thus ended the Warrens most glorious
night.
The result is that John Y. Cooper is vir-
tually the champion l25-pound wrestler of
the United States. He has completely
vanquished Weiss who beat Holzhauer,
who in turn held a disputed supremacy
over Cooper since the last great contest in
the Metropolitan Opera House, New York
| city.
The enthusiasm on the street almost
oqualled that in the hall. Cooper, the
| victor, was chaired and escorted in tri.
umphant march down Market street OH
| the shoulders of his admirers. Nothing
| was too good for the Warren pet. Courlers
| swlft-footed tospread the good news rushed
to the telegraph and telephone offices
Others quickly brought the message to the
Opera House, where il quickly spread by
whisper and white paper billet from circle
to orchestra chairs.
Almost till midnight knots of enthu
siasts stood on the street corners discussing
the great event and retelling the story III
every minute particular.
The victor's escort brought him tt
Willis Hotel, where he was rendered 4
supper by the Warren Athletic Club
Brief congratulatory addresses were made
by c. T, Barnes of the Prospect Harricrs
New York; w. 5. de Saussurc of tn,
Columbian Athletic Club, Washington
ID. C., and DIR. John Crumbaugh of tn,
Warren Athletic Club
Among the visitors present at the enter
tainment we're; IL. g. Farson of Philadel
phia. j. Ii. Green of Linwood. Pa, William
Ii. Recap of Philadelphia, W. $. De Saus
sure of the Columbia Athletic Club o
Washington, G., T. Barnes of the Prospec
| lIarriers. New York; Charles Il. Tompkin
son of the Union League Athletic Club o
Brooklyn, Mr.. Bellyille of Yonkers. N. Y.
Il. S. Farson of the Athletic Club of til,
Schuylkill Navy, Philadelphia; Frank
Garwood of the Wynnewood Athlete
Club Philadelphia, and Mathew Strattol
of the A. g. S. N, Philadelphia.