The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-19
BRUTAL PRIZE FIGHT
Wiley Evans the California Negro,
Knocked Out by Charles johnson.
Nine Hard Rounds Fought in the Woods
Northwest of the City-The Victor a
White pug" from st. Paul.

About one hundred gamblers paid So
apiece last night to witness O brutal exhi-
bition. given under the auspices of the
gambling JOINT on Illinois street. just
above Market. From s o'clock until 10
haokload after hackload of sports pulled
out from 1.-THE ~levee." and made
their way northward. The occasion was
the prize-fight between Wiley Evans. the
California mulatto. and Charles Johnson.
of st. Paul. The place selected for the
mill was scrupulously concealed. The
man who entered q hack did not know
whether he was going TO Broad Ripple.
COney island or Kokomo. The route was up
Tennessee street to KisscPs. Ii ere there was
O halt while q sentence was Whispered
into the hack drivers ear and then the
journey continued northward. Perhaps
two miles north of kisseps there was q
turn TO the west, across the canal. Here q
sentinel examined the credentials of can
dida tes and directed the way across White
river, first gate TO the left.
away from the road and safe from interfer-
enos. Ii was an ideal place for the pur-
pose. aud the conditions for O mill
were never more favorable nor in
viting. 1t was 11:25 o'clock when
the principals stepped into the
ring. AS a curtain Tommy Miller. of this
oity, and Charley Vokes, of Coving ton.
KY. lsmbasted each other for three rounds.
the Kentucky man easily O%utpOinting his
opponent.
Evans wentinto the ring at l43 pounds.
The white man tipped the scales at q
pound less. Both showed up In magnif-
tioent form. Evans looked the heaviest
and appeared better muscled, but his OPP
ponent had the advantage OF height and
reach.
The first rouud was not productive of
substantial results. johnson was on the
aggressive and backed the mulatto about
the ring, but the latter showed wonderful
oleverness In lodging and ducklng. which
faculty saved him several times at critical
points. There were one or two sharp en-
changes. but when an inventory was taken
at the call of time the negro had suffered q
jab in the ribs and the white man had been
plugged in the neck.
In the second round it developed that the
sy mpAthies of the crowd were with John
son. and he was exhorted to 90 in and kill
the Niger. The saddle-colOred citizen.
however. was not dismayed. and the round
ended with honOrs easy and no damage.
In the third round Evans claimed a
foul. but it was not allowed. he swung
his right, but 1t encountered moth
ing but the wind. and Evans went sprawl
ing from the momentum of the blow that
failed to land. 1t was claimed that John
son struck his antagonist before he had re-
covered. but the alleged foul was over
ruled.
The fourth round was the negro's round.
He hit the white man in the eye and
punched him in the wind. and the man
from st. Paul went TO his corner
looking like q loser. Evans stock
rose and men with punches of
bills between their fingers went through
the ranks offering fifty to twenty-five on
Evans, with no takers.
In the fifth round Johnson came to the
scratch with blood trucking from his
nose. He appeared confident, how
ever. and his antagonist failed to
push the advantage he had gained.
In this round there were frequent sharp
exchanges. The principals were evidently
getting mad. and the crowd was becoming
loud and uprOarious. The referee gave
warning tina he would call the fight of if
order was not maintained, but the warning
was not needed and Johnson was ad-
vised to go in and kill the niger.
The sixth and seventh rounds were de-
his antagonist very busy. Evans claimed
q foul In the seventh. but 1t was not al
lowed.
Evans scored the first knock-down In the
eighth. He caught Johnson In the jaw
and knocked him under the ropes et the
feet or the spectators. Johnson recovered
with surprising ~Quickness. and came back
In cyclone style, the round ending IN q
clinch.
At the beginning of the ninth and last
round the tight looked like it might last all
night. The men were still both in
good condition with apparently not a
feather weIghts advantage III favor of
other. Evans being backed into his corner
As usual led and missed. johnson then
charged ana raIned several blows
IN the Africans face. winding up
with q left-handed upper-cut on the jaw
which sent Evans To the ground like a log.
He failed TO come up within the allotted
ten seconds and was counted ont.