The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-11-18
RIORDAN DONE FOR
FLTZSIMMONY sPARRING PARTNER
WILL SPAR NO MORE,
oeath Due to Hemorrhage Producing
Compression Of the Brain-Fitz-
simmons Arraigned for Man
slaughier-Opinions of Those Who
Knew the Habits Of the Men.

SYRACUSE, \. Y, Nov. 17.-Riordan, the
pugilist who was knocked unconscious
last night by Bob Fitzsimmons, died al
the Csndee house at $50 o'clock this
morning. At about O'Clock he was III
the same state of Inconsistencies which
he had been in all the evening when his
laborious breathing and nervous twltch-
iEg of the muscles Of his face and body
warned the physicians that bis death was
approaching. At 3:l5 o'clock his breathing
had almost entirely stopped, ana at 5:oe
Dr. D. IL Tolman pronounced him llfeless.
AT his bedside at the time OF bis death
were three physicians and about twenty
members of the local sporting fraternity
Fitzsimmons. when informed OF his death,
WAS much affected and burs: into sobbing.
The coroner was notified of his death at
B:45. Fitz-immous has been locked VI
awaiting the action of the coroner.
s'Yapk" Sullivan brought the news OF
bis sparring partners death to FItzsim-
mons. My God, you don't mean to tell
me Connie is dead?" said the pugilist. Il
cannot believe it. did not hit him hard
enough to injury a child"
Fltz,immons was com pletely broken NJ
over the affair. He did not sleep at "a
last night and refused to eat this moru-
ing. To a reporter FitZsimmons said;
DO YOU suppose l would strike nv
snarring partner with any forceI l knew
be had been drinking hard, but old not
know he Was in such condition. ln-
vsriably when I spared with him he
turned blue around the mouth. and 10
was a sign for NE to leo up. l never
struck him hard. Last night after the first
Ii I ha NJ nnt
right. The blow that | delivered that
caused the trouble was as light as could
make il, merely Shaping him with the
back of my hand. When be fell headlong
Thought that he was taking.
II am not fearful of my position. Ev-
erybody in the opera house WAS aware that
the blows which struck were light as
could possibly make them. Naturally my
blood runs cold, though, when think OF
f.. but do not want the mans death laid
ut my d. or"
Captain Glori, Fitzsimmons' manager,
said: "Riordan bad been drinking heavily
for months. advised him several days
ago 10 stop drinking and 90 TO work and
Train. He promised me he wOuld and had
started out and walked about ten days,
causing a swelling of the feet.
He WAS accustomed to fortify himself
with whiskey before each performance,
nnd last mig hit be probably took an extra
large amount as he felt more than usually
out of sort. / am convinced that last night
he had been drinking harder than usual.
Fitzsimmons was arraigDed III police
court at / o'clock on the charge of man-
slaughter in the first degree. He pleaded
not guilty and was released on $4,000
bail.
Every man in the house was positive
that Fitzsimmon's blow landed on the
jugulsr veiu. The chances are that it was
q new punch which Fitzsim mons has said
he discovered a few weeks ago
An autopsy was held on Riodan's re-
mains at IL O'clock a. m. The certificate
Issued gives as the cause of death hem
prrhage within the cranial cavity, causing
rompres sion OF the brain" Riordan was
fonnd TO be in perfect health. Dr. ID. VI.
Tolman, VINO conducted the autopsy saws,
s'Rordan must have been struck terrific
blow on the chin, which communicated
directly with the base OF he brain. The
depression of the right side of the brain
was very deep and remained for half an
hour after be clot was removed.
Charlis f (Parson) Davies. who had Con
Riordan under his management for nearly
q year sparring with Jackson, says:
sRiordan, while a clever boxer, was a
very heavy driuker. While with jackson
he would often not show up for the enter
tainment until time to go on and would
usually be full. He was one OF the kind of
drinkers whom liquor made dull and
heavy and to whom any over-exertion
would be liable to prove dangerous, If not
fatal.
Think it purely an accident, as Fitz-
simmons is not vicious boxer. He also
bad habit, while boxing, of sleeping"
.nd would thus meet a blow, which, if
striking him at "A vital point would be
liable to put him out. This sleeping" p"
while it would catch the crowd. was al
ways dangerous. and think it will be
found hat be did this last night. 1t can
only be classed as an accident, which. if
happening TO a person of any other pro-
Iession. would have little or 10 attention
paid TO it.