The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-17
Fitzsimmons Knocks Out
His Sparring Partner,
Bob Riordan, for
Keeps.
JUST A GENTLE TAP
But 1t Causes Death Within Six
Hours-The Would-Be Cham
pion Under Arrest.

| SYRACUSE, N. Y. Nov. IT, 1S94.-At
| Jacobs Opera House. last evening, dur
| ing the exhibition bout which is arranged
| to conclude the performance to bring be-
| fore the audience the would-be cham
pion of the world. Robert Fitzsimmons.
| Con Riordan, Fitszimmons' sparring
partner, was struck by Fitszimmons,
and the result of the blow was death.
| Riordan, it is claimed, had been drink
| ing heavily. He gave evidences of his
condition as he walked on to the stage.
| but DESPITE this, he was allowed to enter
| into the bout.
| There were a few exchanges, and then
| Fitzsimmons, with a quick pass, landed
on Riordans jaw with his right There
are differences of opinion to the force
| of the blow. but it was sufficient. Rior-
| dan reeled and fell to his knees. Then
| he Topped over like a dead man.
The audience was worked up to a fury
| of excitement. Boys and men stood up in
| their seats and shouted.
| Back in the wings the unconscious man
| lay in his ring costume with two physi-
clans vainly endeavoring to bring him
| back to consciousness.
Riordan remained unconscious despite
every effort to revive him. The probable
| fatal results were announced after mid
night by DIR. Tolman. and Fftzsimmons
was promptly placed under arrest.
DIED AT $3.50.
The injured man breathed his last at
$3.50 o'clock this morning. After three
o'clock he began to sink rapidly, res
piration growing fainter with every min
ute, until finally, with few spasn1odic
contortions he died. The physicians,
few members of the company and Mrs.
Fitzsimmons were present to the last.
AS soon as the seriousness of the af-
fair was apparent Detective O'Brien was
| ordered to remain with Fitzsimmons.
About 2:15 O'Clock Captain Quigley
placed Fitzsimmons under arrest, and
took him to Police Headquarters. The
middleweight champion seemed to expect
what was coming, and did not even
change color 'tYank" Sullivan was with
him, and offered to go his bail. which
the police would not accept until Rior-
dams condition was more certain.
A GENTLE TAP
Fitzsimmons stated to reporter:-
"Do you suppose would strike my
| sparring partner with any force? Yes
| terday 1 knew he had been drinking
hard, but did not know he was in such
condition. Invariably when I spared
with him he turned blue around the
| mouth, and it was a sign for me to let
up. I never struck him hard. Last
night 1 noticed after the first exchange
of blows that he was not right. The
| blow 1 delivered that caused the trouble
| was as light as I could make it, mere
Ixr clio rxrif hoo Of
hand 1 put my arm around him to as
sist him off the stage, when he fell
headlong. 1 thought he was taking and
was thoroughly disgusted because some
| body in the house, thinking it was
fake hissed me. I was never hissed
before. 1 began to comprehend few
minutes later that something was wrong
| with my sparring partner, and 1 was
| Mortified to discover him still uncon-
scious 1 attributed this to his drunken
condition and thought he would revive
from the stupor in a few minutes.
| have known this man for eight years
and he was always hard drinker. Be
| ing in poor condition I presume he had
some heart difficulty that brought on
| the disaster. I am not fearful of my
position. Everybody in the Opera House
was aware that the blows which
struck Riordan were light as 1 could
possibly make them. Naturally it makes
my blood run cold when I think of the
condition of my friend not because 1
have any fear of the results, but do
not want that mans death laid at my
door. I have seen many fighters un-
conscious but they never remained out
for that length of time
MORE SERIOUS THAN RUM.
DR.. Totman, before Rierdan's death,
said:-The man is evidently suffering
from a brain hemorrhage, brought on
by something more serious than drink
ing.'' On the advice of DR.. Totman
Fitzsimmons was held in custody by the
police.
The test which DIR. Totman applied to
ascertain Riordan's condition is one of
the last resorts of medical science. He
opened one of Riordan's eyes and held a
flame from lighted candle to the pupil.
There was absolutely 40 response.
Riordan died at the Edldee House at
$3.50 O'Clock this morning. AT about 300
o'clock he was in the same state of un-
consciousness in which he had been all
evening, when his laborious breathing
and the nervous twitching of the muscles
of his face and body warned the physi-
clans that his death was approaching
AT 3:15 o'clock his breathing had almost
entirely stopped, and at $50 DR.. Tot4aan
pronounced him lifeless. At his bedside
at the time of his death were three ply
sicians and about twenty members of the
local sporting fraternity.
Fitzsimmons, when informed of his
death was much affected and burst into
sobs. The coroner was notified of Rior-
dan's death at 3;45 A. M. Fitzsimmons
has been locked up awaiting the action
of the Coroner.
VERY TAME BOXING.
Captain Glori, Fitzsimmons' manager,
who held the watch, said today:-"Bob
punched the bag for over minute be-
fore his round with Riordan. When the
latter came on he said to Bob, Don't
hit me in the stoin. n..ch or in the ribs
So Bob aimed all his blows at Cons
head. The boxing was the tamest l
ever saw and made me disgusted, Why,
| from the moment / called time it took
at least ten seconds for the two men
to meet in the center of the stage and
shake hands. Then they began some
very light sparring. Suddenly Con turn
ed to me and said, Call time The
| next instant he sank down. / looked
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