The morning call., 1894-12-16
DEATH OF BOWEN.
Killed by a Blow From
Lavigne.
SAD NEWS FOR THE PUGS.
All the Participants Charged
With Murder.
OF COURSE 1T WAS HIS FALL.
Somehow IL Never Is the Knock
Out SIog That Proves Fatal
in Such Cases.

NEW ORLEANS. La. Dec. 15.-On the
gatepost OF modest little cottage on
Thalis street hangs streamer of Grape
announcing to the passers-by that some
one had been called by the angel of death.
Beyond the portal in prettily furnished
parlor lies all that is mortal of Andy
Bowen, the best lightwei ight the South has
ever produced and one of the pluckiest
lighters who ever entered ring. The cot
tage is removed from the street with a
pretty flower garden in front and the in
terror is quietly but neatly furnished. The
dead pugilist had been married for several
years and despite his calling, was domestic
in mis- life and habits and had surrounded
himself with all the comforts of life His
wife was waiting for him to return from
the fight, hopeful that he would come to
her victorious, and some idea may be
formed of the shock to her nerves when he
was borne into the house all but dead.
But she bore up bravely under the strain
and with the devotion that had always
marked her conduct toward him she
helped the physicians and the friends who
came from all sides to make the sorely
wounded pugilist as comfortable as pOssl-
Bile under the tragic circumstances. The
physicians who had been called into
Bowen's room at the club accompanied
him home, and, re-en forced by the family
physician, remained with him till the end.
The Coroner's jury declares the cause of
death due to concussion of the brain, but
failed to determine whether it was pro-
duced by Lavigne's blow or by Bowen's
head striking the floor of the ring The
legal proceedings in connection with the
fatal fight have hardly terminated yet.
The Grand Jury. it Is thought, will take
the matter up on Monday, and the States
attorneys for their part will press TO
conclusion the suit against the Olympic
Club, in which the legality of these glove
contests is involved.
Andy Bowen died this morning at 7:15
O'clock while Father Delaney was praying
over him. He remained unconscious from
the time he received the blow, and was
conveyed from his dressiug-room at the
club to his home on Thalia street, near
Magazine. Between and O'Clock faith
full watchers stood by the dying pugilist's
side, hoping that his eyes would give some
sign of CONSEQUENCES. Medical science
racked its brain in search of a remedy,
however violent, that would quicken the
pulse and set the brain TO working.
At 3 o'clock Mr.. FiuDey thought Bowen
bad improved, and at that hour he did not
think the fight would have fatal termi-
nation. In reply to a request from the
Chief of Police, Mr.. Flnney sent certif-
cate saying that Bowen was better. 1t
was message of relief to Lavgne and
Duffy aud the seconds who had been ar
tad nd rrbo f,ll
ing TO hear that the unconscious pugilist
had come back to life.
The doctor remained with Bowen to the
end. Just as the hands Of the clock were
creeping around TO Z. Mrs. Bowen leaned
over the bed and said:
candy, say something to me-" and her
ears were strained 10 catch the words.
Andy shivered and groaned. his frame
shook, and then, without having come
back to consciousness after Lavigne had
landed, he breathed his last. and the rec
ord of tragedy was written.
When the men faced each other for the
eighteenth round it was apparent that the
end of the fight was near. Bowen had re-
ceived 80 many hard right-handers over
the heart that he was weakened and
groggy when he left his corner. He was
game, however. and walked mechanically
toward his strong adversary Lavigne
opened with left jab on the neck and the
blow was not particularly hard one, but
1t brought look of anguish to the face of
the thoroughly beaten little man. His
mouth was partially open, while his ewes
wore wild, frightened look. His cheeks
were bruised and swollen and his lips
were puffed out. The cut over the left
eye was the only color in his pallid face.
His breath was coming in short gasps and
after breathing for moment he would
catch his breath. With wonderful game
ness he would not finch from the shower
OF blows rained upon him, and although
his strength was going, he tried bravely to
tight back every time the visitor was close
enough. Lavigne knew that he could
dodge the blows thus attempted, or let
them land harmlessly on him. He was
landing on the local man at will Bowen
was staggered TO the ropes in a helpless
condition and trying to clinch. Lavigne
planted bis left over the heart. and cross
Ing savagely with his right, landed a ter
rlble blow on the angle of the jaw. Bowen
fell back like felled tree and his head
struck the floor heavily. Lavigne walked
TO his corner, while Duffy counted the ten
seconds. The beaten man was picked up
limp and to all appearances lifeless by his
handlers and carried to his dressing-room.
Concerning B0wen's injuries, the Times
Democrat says: "The blow which sent
Bowen down was not one of extraordinary
force, but it was delivered at very short
range. He was so weak as to be able to
make no resistance, and falling directly
backward the back of his head struck the
unpadded floor of the stage upon which
they had been fighting with such tremen-
dous force that it sounded as If the floor
had been heavily hit with the poll OF an ak.
When Hall and FitZsimmons fought in the
same arena the floor was thickly covered
with padding, over which a sheet of can
vas had been tightly stretched. Last