Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
The Prize Fighters at the Washing
ington Athletic Club.
A BRUTAL CONTEST At ALEXANDRIA
Hard Singing is What the Crowd
Went to See.
THE LICE LOOK ON

gymnasium, on South Capitol street near
street, last night, demonstrates the ease
with which professional sparring bouts
can be publicly given in this city without
fear of interference by the authorities. The
exhibition consisted of six bouts be-
tween what are commonly known as mix
ed ale fighters" all but one of whom were
specially imported from Philadelphia and
Wilmington by Tony Stannard. known as
the lightweight champion of Wilmington,
who has a local prominence from the fact
that he has twice defeated Ned Cartwright
of the District in the prize ring. The ex-
ception was a Washington professional
named Hugh Lines, who entered the lists
against Jack Kelley of Wilmington. He
put up a good stiff fight, but his antag-
oniSt got the decision.
An admission fee of 81 was charged, and
it is estimated that there We're nearly 800
men in attendance, including one very
near-sighted enthusiast, who sat near the
stage with opera glasses to his eyes. The
audience was made up of the people usually
seen at such affairs, with a fair sprinkling
of "dead-game sports" Taken altogether
the sparring was on a par with similar eX-
hibitions in this city; no better and no
worse. and although there were three spir-
tied bouts, there were no knockouts, nor
any special Exhibitions oil brutality, as
such things go. There was considerable
struggling and a little blood shed, but none
OF the participants were badly injured.
During the contest between Kelley and
Lines the police got on the stage, but the
round had just ended, and there was no
special occasion for interference, as was
evidenced by the fact that the fighters
were allowed to continue.
On Raised Platform.
The arrangements for the exhibition were
fairly well made. The contests took place
in a postless ring on a raised platform in
the center of the gymnasium. The club
recognized the birthday of Washington by
harging two banners bearing portraits of
the father of his country in the gal
lery at either end Of the hall, and they
locked down benignly on the exhibition
All the events had distinct air of profess
s'or alism. The participants were entirely
naked with the exception of a breech clout
ard shoes and stockings. They had their
seconds and bottle holders, and We're treat
ed during the rests just the same as though
engaged in an actual prize fight At the
close of each round they took their corners
and were sponged, rubbed down and their
injuries attended to. They would throw
themselves back in their chairs and calmly
submit to the resusciating manipulations
| Of their seconds. Spraying was a promi-
nent feature of their treatment. The sec
onds filled their mouths with water, and
then discharged it in a spray full in the
faces and over the breasts and backs Of the
sparrers in the manner adopted by Chinese
laundrymen in mOistening a shirt. 1t I'M
doubtedly did the recipients good, but II
was not pleasing spectacle to a person of
ordinary refinement.
y platoon of police, under Lieut.. Vernon,
was present, but with the exception above
noted made no attempt to interfere with
the exhibition. MIR. VIM. Benham of the
club acted as master of ceremonies, and
made all the announcements. He has a
good. clear voice and a self-possessei man
ner. Mr.. Robert Elder of the Columbia
Athletic Club acted referee in all the
/ bouts except the last. He showed his 10y
atty to his club by wearing a sweater of
the club coors, red and blue. His deci-
sions were fair and just. and gave general
! satisfaction. MIR. Schlessinger did duty as
/ timekeeper The only bouts that seemed to
please the audience were those between
Hoffacher and Moore, Rogers and Thorn
/ ton and Kelley and Lines. These were of
/ the smuggling order, or, i'll other words, they
were for blood
4 Game Representative.
/ While all three were full of ginger" the
last one, in which the Washington boy fig
ured. aroused the greatest enthusiasm. He
put up a game Gght struck many vigorous
. blows, and was loudly cheered and encour-
aged at each good point, but his antagonist
| had the advantage of him in height aid
reach. and secured the decision. The bout
was scheduled for four rounds, but it took
an extra one to determine the victor The
| two men fought like wildcats for five
rounds, and il seemed strangely incon-
/ sstent at the close that the winner, after
striking his competitor a most savage blow
/ in the face, should take his head in his
hands and kiss him in a most affecciOnate
manner. During the heat of the fight the
audience became so loudly demonstrative
| that Mr.. Benham, felt called upon to say
that a repetition of the offense would GER
7 tcinlV nynr,lCinn h,A Of
| tenders. The cause of this reproof was ie-
peated remarks to Hit him again. Now
you've got him. Slug him in the belly
| again." &c. Thornton and Rogers nut up
a good fight. Both were hit hard and bled
| freely. Thornton got the worst of it, how
ever, and presented badly battered lace
at the close The only other blood shed
| during the evening was when Mr. Moore
| hit Mr.. MCGEE an accidental blow on the
| nose, but as he carefully refrained from
| striking Mr. MCGEE in the face again the
injury was not very serious
| Before beginning this bout Mr. Moore
announced that he would meet any man IN
| Washington at l2S pounds at any time ar d
at any place, whereupon Mr. Ned Cart
wright, who was in the audience. an
nounced his willingness to meet the GENTLE
man on his own terms.
HOfFnchcr-Moore Fight.
| The first fight was between Frank Hof-
facher of Wilmington, Del, and Billy Moore
of Philadelphia, at 12S pounds. Before call
ing the men to the scratch, Referee Elder
explained that the fight would be under the
Marquis of Queensbury rules, with three
! slight notifications; no roughirg il on the
| ropes, no inighting unless both hands were
! free, and on a knOCkdown the fallen man
/ should DE allowed to rise and face his man.
AT the call of time the men lost no time
| in getting to work, and for nearly three
! rounds they We're at it hammer and tongs.
! In the first round Hoffacher knocked mis-
/ man down with d still right on the head
and in the second put Moore on his knees
with a similar blow. Moore while clumsy
and slow, was thoroughly game, taking a
| wonderful amount of punishment. Hoffach-
| er. however, was unable to land the knock
out blow, and when the third round had
| been nearly completed Moore suddenly cried
/ out: Il am done" Hoffacher was himself
quite willing to stop.
| The next go was between Jimmy Kerri-
gan of Wilmington and Jack Walsh of
| Philadelphia, at 115 pounds. 1t was a long
distance affair, and harmless as a French
duel In the first round the men were round
/ ly Missed for unwillingness to mix IL IN
| and one disguised enthusiast remarked
/ They're fust cousins, them fellers is They
amt goin ter hurt nobody unless they
| furgits themselves. Seer The gentlema n
was correct, although Walsh gently pushed
| his man down in the fourth round, Walsh
was given the decision.
The Smuggling Begins.