The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-21


liHst Was Very Much Under the
Influence OF Liquor ut the Time.
SYRACUSE. n. Y, Nov. 17.-Riordan,
the pugilist who was knocked uncon-
scious last night by Fitzsimm0ns, the
coming opponent of Champion Jim Cor
bett, died at the Candee house at $50
this morning. At about 3 o'clock he was
in the same state of Inconsistencies
which he had been all evening, when mis-
labOriOus breathing and nervous twitch-
ing Of the muscles Of his face and body
warned the physicians that his death was
approaching. At 315 his breath had al
most entirely stopped and at $3.50 Dr.. II.
H Totman pronounced him lifeless. Al
his bedside at the time Of his death We're
three physicians and about twenty men,
bers Of the local sporting fraternity.
FftzsimmOns, when informed of his death.
was much affected and burst into sobs.
The coroner was notified of his death at
3:45.
The fatality, which occurred in Jacobs
theater in this city last evening, and
which resulted in the death of Con RiOr-
dan five hours after receiving a blow
from Bob FitzsimmOns in a sparing ex-
hibition. is the second sparring fatality
in this city within two years. Fitzsim-
mons is in custody and Ri0rdans body is
at the mOrgue. ''Yank" Sullivan brought
the news Of his sparring partners death
TO F1tZSimmOnS.
My God, you don't mean To ,ell me
Connie Is dead - said the pugiliSt
Il cannot believe it. I did not hit him
hard enough to injure a child"
FltzsimmDns was completely broken up
a % r1pF sfl all
last night and refused to eat anything
this morning.
You can have anything in the world
You want. FiJz If You viii only ask for
1t, said the officer ii charge of the police
station.
That's the way they all treat me.
You're very kind was Bobs reply.
What FitzsimmOns Says.
To a reporter Fitzimmons said: do
you suppose 1 would strike my sparring
partner with any force? 1 know he had
been drinking hard. but did not know he
was in such a condition. Invariably when
1 spared with him he turned blue around
the mouth and it was a sign for me to
let up. 1 never struck him hard.
Last night 1 noticed after The first
exchange Of blows that he was not right
The blow that I delivered that caused
the trouble was as light as I could make
it. merely s.apping him with the back of
my hand. He fell down and then rose
and staggered around. 1 put my arm
around him 10 assist him off the stage
When he fell head,Ong i thought he was
fainung and was thoroughly disguised be-
cause somebody IN the house, thinking il
was fake. Kissed me- I was never
Kissed before. began to comprehend in
a few minutes later that something was
wrong with my sparring partner, and
was Mortified to find him still unconscious.
l attributed this 10 his drunken condition
and thought he would revive from the
stupor in a few minutes. I have known
THIS man Tor eight years and he was al
ways a hard drinker. Being in poor con-
dition, ] presume he had some heart diff
ficu.ty that brought on the disaster.
Il 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 1t makes my blood run cold
when I think Of the condition of my
friend. not because have any fear of the
results TO me. but 1 do not want that
mans death laid ar my door,"
II feel as If at this moment that
would not care II 1 ever put on a glove
again. Mind you, do not say that what
l did had anything 10 do with poor Rior-
dams death, for 1 know it had not At
the same time this affair will have moth
ing to do with my meeting Corbett 1
shall meet him If l am alive. 1t is absurd
nurL
him. He was my sparring partner. [ paid
him a salary 10 spar with me, and II I
hit him hard he would not go with me-
Before we went on with our act RiOrdan
SAID to me: Go easy bit tonight. Bob
/ am not feeling We'll We got together
and after a bit 1 touched him with my
left on the chest and face and I intended
that he would counter and mix things I'D
little. He ed out with his right and left
and stepped back, as he did not land
and his effort seemed to jar him Then
we came together again and he asked
Capt. G.Ori TO cal time and I saw that
he was pretty shaky and pretty soon ne
settled down upon his knees and put his
hands behind him upon the stage and
laid down I asked him what was the
matter and he looked up and smiled and
settled down again. and he smiled a sec
ond time; then I tried to pick him I'D and
some one he-ped me and I fell over Rior-
dan. They helped him off the stage and
/ went on with Dunfee.
Il see that the newspapers say RiOrdan
was not conscious after he fell on the
stage This Is not so. He was assisted
TO a chair in the wings and said to one
of the attendants that he guessed he was
no good for this business any more One
Of the men started a little later TO take
OF his gloves and RiOrdan said: No.
I've got to go on for another round 1t
was all over in thirty seconds, and
shall never think that / am in any way
responsible for RiOrdan's death. would
~ dllJ tAAiiA5 III my power u DIlnS the
poor fellow back. His is a case of too
much liquor. Only the other day ne re-
ceived from Billy Madden Of Buffalo a
letter in which the latter said that Jim
DAILY Of Buffalo, Corbett's old sparring
partner, had retired from the ring forever.
knocked out by drink, and that he had
heard that he was drinking very hard
and asked him to take warning by Daly's
fate. We viii give poor Con a good
funeral and do all can to show that
we feel his death deeply"
Capt. GIori. Fitzsimmons's manager
said: 'Riordan has been drinking heavily
for months. / advised him several days
ago 10 stop drinking and go TO work and
train. He promised he would and had
started out and walked about ten days,
causing swelling of the feet. He was ac-
customed TO fortify himself with whisky
before his performance each evening and
last night he probably took an extra large
amount. as he felt more than usually out
Of sorts. / am convinced that had we
known more Of his condition we would
never have let him go on the stage"
Joe Dunfee, who boxed with Fitzsim-
mons last night after the mishap to Rior-