Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-14
IN FOR THE STUFF.
THE EXCURSION TO THE PRIZE FIGHT SOLELY
MONEY MAKING AFFAIR
After Eighteen Hours Of Waiting With no Fight in
View Most Of the Crowd Deserted and
Came HOms-Sunday Ball Pre-
vsntsd-LOeal Sporting
Notes

A moro thoroughly disgusted crowd
is seldom seen than the one which has
been out since Saturday midnight on
the John L. Lowry in the expectation
of seeing the fight announced to take
place between Jimmie Rowan, Of this
city, and Jack Burge, of Australia. AT
six o'clock last night the boat was down
near SstersVilie. almost out OF coal.
Most OF the crowd had deserted it, and
the rest of the party, after eighteen
hours OF waiting, saw no more indiea-
tions OF fight than when they left
Wheeling the night before.
When the boat pulled out OF Wheeling
Saturday night it was expected that the
fight would take place just below
Moundsville about daylight.
By the time Wegee was reached, some
ten miles down, the coal supply ran out
and the boat tied up. No coal could be
secured. Several miners were aroused
and put to work and the boat laid too
while coal enough was dug to last awhile.
By that time there was a heavy fog aud
the boat could not 90 on. Deputy Sheriff
Darby, Policeman Strobel, OF Bellaire,
and several other officers appeared and
warned the crowd not TO land In Bel
mont county.
BY 8 o'clock the fog had risen and the
boat went on its way, the officers on q
hand car, keeping we'll in sight TO pre-
vent any attempt at landing. The Ias-
sengers began to get impatientand tried
-, III al xyh nd
when the fight was TO occur. The same
mystery with which the whole thing
had been Shrouded was maintained and
40 one could find out anything about 1t.
The mutterings OF discomfort grew
louder as the day wore on, and every
effort TO get information was in vain.
The captain could not say where he
was going, and no one seemed to know
whether there would be fight or not.
A large part of the crowd began TO
think they had been made the victims
of a swindling scheme, that they had
been taken aboard and would be kept
there for the patronage they might
give the i'm prOvised bar in the rear OF
the boat. This feeling was increased
when the request of few that they be
put ashore was refused. Nearly twelve
hours had been spent on the boat and
the bar was netting handsome profit,
when the concerted action OF about a
third OF the crowd induced the captain
to land at Darlington against the orders
OF the management and put them of.
The boat went on to Sistersvllle and
there took on another crowd, then start
ed back. At Sstersvlle more of the
original party deserted and nearly half
the crowd that left here on the boat
came back by rail last night.
AT six o'clock the Lowry was only a
few miles above Sistersville and there
was no more indication of fight than
there had been all day, but the bar was
still doing well. There were differences
OF opinion as TO whether there would be
a fight or not Rowan had been on hand
all day. apparently ready, while Burge
had gone TO bed as soon as he got on
the boat, and up to noon yesterday
scarcely more than half dozen people
had seen him.
The whole thing looks like IL was a
concocted scheme TO get crowd on
board and get their money, and in that
respect it was complete success.