Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-18
orr FOR 7HE Fight.
TEE WHARF SWARMED WITH SPORTING
PEOPLE LAST NIGHT.
Rowley and Boloa and Their Friends aud Backers
Lsts For the Battle Ground About Midnight
Betting About Even

About midnight last evening a local
packet, towing large dOu5le-deeked
barge, left the wharf and started down
the river for the scene Of this mornings
asht between Mike HOwley and Jack
Bolen.
On board was about a hundred aud
Fifty Of the typical sporting people Of
Wheeling and vicinity, while mixed Ia
with them were not few young bust
ness men and other well-known citizens,
who take a lively sort OF interest in
pugiistic matters, where there is
a chance that there will be some real
spor., and yet wouldn't have the fact
that they had gone to see the fight
''known for the world"
The crowd was a very orderly one, at
least the indications we're all that way
while the boat was lying az the land
ing, aud beyond an occasional loud
voiced invitation D bet, or an eQuaiIy
b0isterous acceptance, there was little
10 attract attention. The eXcurSiOnlstS
were seen OF By about two hundred and
fifty people, who either didn't have the
three dollars which ticket cost, or were
prevented from embarking by business
or other reasons. As rule these stay
at.homes looked on at the departure OF
the craft and their friends with many
an expression OF regret, and az the last
al
they would remain In the city, threw
their resolution 10 the winds ana luSheu
up the gang-plank. The asSemOlage on
the barge, taking Il all through, was
quite mixed one, about dozen colored
men being there 10 addition TO several
sorts OF white men, and some folks
were unkind enough 10 predict bolster
Gus times before the aggregation OF tai
ent got back 81 <s.sOS-say.
Those contemplating going on the
excursion or otherwise Interested In
the affair began 70 cOugregate about the
corner OF Market and Twelfth streets,
and in the Water street saloons, as
early as hali-past eight o'clock, and at
haIf-psst nine there were two hundred
men scattered along the block between
Eleventh and Twelfth streets. The
friends of the two principals in the
affair were apparently sanguiGe OF sue
cess. and there was q good deal or
betting, even money being put up
all the time ina ten, twenty ana
twenty-five dOllars-a-side bets. No
odds were offered during the entire
evening, on either man, as FAR as could
be learned, but there were q uumOer or
expressions OF a fear that HOw.ey's In
iured ankle might 90 back on him, this,
however being the only indication OF
ANYTHING ike One-sidedneSS observable
10 the casual spectator. Both prlGci-
nails went down 20 the boat compare
lively early, and they weighed In
about q quarter after ten, Doth men
being under the prescribed weight.
About the same time the posts ana
ropes for the ring were hshed up
from saloon cellar and were carried
down TO the barge by number or men.
The posts were cut of square at the
bottom. indicating that they were 70 be
set up on the floor OF ouiIulng--proo-
ABLY a barn-by driving spikes at an
angle through the bottom into the 1Oor.
This fact started a rumOr that the hght
was 10 come OF In a building as soon
"a the boat landed, without regard 70
what time it might be, but the knowing
ones said this wasn't so, and that time
w0uld be called about daylight, or say
balf-past four O'Clock. The locality OF
the fight was kept a close secret, and
not one man in twenty on board tue
barge knew where he was going. The
general belief, however, was that the
mill would take place on the Ohio side,
at some point not far distant from
Cresap's Grove.
On board the barge, which was very
roomv affair, was a great layout Of eat
abIes. extemporiZed tables for the sale
OF sandwiches, pies, cakes, lemonade,
aud stronger drinks having been set up
here aud there, and all were presided
over By rObust-lO0kiug men with a
weakness for white aprons, white ties,
and smoothly shaver faces, and who
had the general air OF people who were
determined 20 keep strictly sober
themselves and attend 20 business,
no matter how full anybody
else might get. The lower floor OF the
barge was occupied by the rank and ME
of the crowd, while the state-rOoms up
on the upper deck were sequestered by
a select forty or fifty early in the even
ing. A few sought accommodations on
the steamboat by permission Of the OIL
GERS. and made preparations 70 catch a
few wiuks Of sleep as the boat pulled
out, but IL is safe 10 gamble that there
was no sleep on the barge.
The excursiOnists expected to reach
the city about eight or nine o'clock this
morning, il everything went we'll and
some Sheriff didn't get his clutches on
them.