Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-17
FIGHT TO A FINISH
Two Local Sluggers Meet Across the River
Last Night.
HOlcOmb Defeats Robinson for a $40
Purse-BlOod Flowed I'm the
Frosty Air-The Winner.

Frosty Air-The Winner.
A desperate prize fight took place last
night across the District line. 1t was not
one Of those fakes engineered in the inter-
est Of the sweatcloth, roulette table, shell
game and bar. but a sincere ARRAY, Illus
trated with earnest whacks. 1ayed flesh,
splashes of blood and the encouraging yells
and jeering CRIES Of 100 enthusiastic spec
tators. The combatsnts were Charles Hoi-
comb and William Robinson, both Wash
ington negroes. 1t was tight to a finish.
with four ounce gloves for gate receipts.
Queensbury rules to govern. Holcomb vas
declared victor In the fourteenth round on
the count Of time. The decision Of the
referee was not wholly satisfactory. Each
man fought at about 15O pounds. They
were well matched as to physique, but Hol-
comb outclassed his antagonist as ring
tactician. Robinson was full Of vitality and
force. The fight was to have come OF be-
tween 9 and 10 o'clock, but 1t was long past
the latter hour when the preliminary rag
chewing Incidental to these events ceased
and business began. crude ring was
roped of IN an open field. There was no
shelter from the frosty night. but everybody
sought an antidote for the cold in strong
drink. Referee and time keepers were
chosen. corners tossed up for and we'll sea-
soned gloves selected and adjusted. Then
the principals stripped to the waist, shook
hands and opened the mill. For a lew
seconds the man pendulated their forearms
and each viciOusiy surveyed the other. Hol-
comb seemed to feel as though he had a
walkover, while Robinson promised to offer
severe opposition The former led conn
IDENTIFY, failed to land and received a neck
shot followed by a slam in the face that
caused a stream of claret to trickle down
his chin. He countered on his adversary
head and got an upper cut in the wind that
staggered him against the ropes They
clinched. broke away, rushed, met haro ana
landed a series of resounding thuds on each
others body. Betting. which had been s.
to s. on HolcomD, with few takers changed
to even money. The breath OF the fighters
and the vapors from their naked bodies,
condensed in the crisp atmosphere, arose In
small white clouds.
Plenty of EncouraYement.
The crowd began to grow excited Scores
of men shrieked: You've got him, Monk.
swat him in the wind. Charlie, Don
mind his face" Fifteen to ten I can pick
the winner" Watch his rushes," Swing
with your right duke" 'Golly. but that's
the time you smashed him" Hes done
for" Hes groggy." Put him to Sleep"
Five to four Monk does his man., Whack.
whirr, bang, break away there. time.
The men went to their corners. were
blanketed with coats, rubbed with coarse
towels by one man, and famed by anotp-
er; one admirer would rub down the mus
cles Of the arms and legs, one more would
press the heads, another would sponge
away the blood from the face and yet
another would furnish his champion water
with which to wash the mouth and gargie
the throat The patrons Of the sport urged
them on. At the call Of time they found
the center of the ring, spared for an
opening. lodged. ducked. hit like battering
| Several times the referee had to drag them
apart. Everybody a. the ring side was
shouting advice to the fighters and hurting
anathen1as at the referee because Of alleged
favoritism- The slaps and slams of the
pugilists could be heard above the vocal
| riot Peace-loving men would yell, Gentle
men! Gentlemen! You don't help the fight
talking through Your hat" Put him OUT "
Let the best man win." mo ref
e sse outs, outside the. the ring" Watch
and square in the jaw" Thus the mill went
on. Round after round was fought For
tune smiled first on one candidate for the
laurel belt and then upon the other. The
like panthers are said to fight
Gets the Decision.
In the tenth round Robinson seemed to be
| the winner. Holcomb appeared to be get
enemy against the ropes and at short range
pounded him with body punches. In the
| twelfth. thirteenth and fourteenth rounds
Robinson grew wild and began to
go down on his knees. Several
times the referee began to make
the count. but the man would ALWAYS
respond with few seconds to his credit.
At the end Of the fourteenth round, one of
the ring stakes was down and the people
began to trespass on the arena. The throng
grew SO demonstrative that functionary
rushed into the ring and declared that the
Tight should be called of. Robinson had in
tured his hand and hearing this declaration
| had removed his glove. He was putting II
on when the referee began the last count
Robinson did not answer and the cry went
up, "Holcomb wins the fight" The trainer
| OF that gentleman sprang to the center of
| the ring and shouldering the victor both
| joined In the enthusiasm and left the scene
Half minute later Robinson rushed in.
| sault anyone who stood between him and
| his foe The winner received so and the
vanquished a. After few of the usual
side nights, the torches which had lit the
scene were extinguished, and everybody
| travelled cityward.
| Holcomb first began to use his fists at the
| old Globe Theater. Here he defeated all
! corners in his class. He has done a good
\ deal or spar-ing at local variety show
| houses. did up Isaac Mingen in three
| rounds and Travelled with the Muldoon com
bination- He wants to meet anybody in his
class in the District of Columbia MARYLAND
| or Virginia This was his second nnish
| fight