Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-19
DEATH OF RIORDAN.
Fitxsimmons TelIs How IL All Happened
Deadly Blow . Very Light One.


SYRACUSE, n. Y, Nov. l9.-Robert
Fitzsimmons knocked out Con Riordan,
his sparring partner. in the first round Of
his usual exhibition, which closes the
programme of his vaudeville show
Jacobs theatre was crowded to witness
the entertainment and the audience de
parted for their homes, little knowing
that Riortian was still unconscious.
The blow was a right handler and caught
Riort!an squarcly on the chin He did not
fall to the floor from the force of the blow.
but sunk slowly until he measured his
length on the stage. The accident &C.
Cured at 1879 clock and two physicians
worked over him with applications of
electricity for several hours, but he never
recovered consciousness and died at 3:l5 a
IN. fitZsiInmons was taken to Jail to
await the verdict of the coroner's jury.
Fitz Makes a Statement.
After a nights soiourn in a prison
cell, Fitzsimmoas had the following 10
say:
Docs an. one suppose l would strike
my sparrinS partner with any force: l
knew he had been drinking hard. but did
not Know he was in such a condition. In
varibly when l Spared with him he
turned blue around the mouth and il was
sign for me TO let up. l never struck
him hard. l noticed after the first ex-
change of blows that he was rot right
The blow delivered that caused the trouble
was as light as could make it, merely
slapping him with the back OF the hand
He staggered around I put my arm
around him to assist him of the stage.
when he fell headlong. thought he was
taking. and was thoroughly Disguised, be-
cause somebody in the house, thinking it
WIS fake, Kissed me. / was never Kissed
before
Thought He Would Revive.
y began to comprehend few minutes
later that something was wrong with my
sparring partner, and was Mortified to
discover him still unconscious / attrib-
uted this to his drunken condition and
thought he would revive from the >tupor
in few minutes. l have known this
man for eight years and he has always
been hard drinker. Being in poor con-
dition l presume he hal some heart
difficulty that brought on the disaster. l
am not fearful of my position Every
body in the opera house was aware that
the blows which l struck Rordan were
light As l could possibly make them. Nat
urally il makes my blood run cold when
think of the condition of MY friend. not
because / have any fear of the results. but
l DO not want that mans death laid at
my door. l have seen many fighters un-
conscious, but they never remained out
for that length Of time
Released on BAIL
When FitZ>iinmons appeared before
Judge Northrup for bail. it was discovered
that his attorney had failed TO waive ex-
animation in his behalf The error was
corrected and bail was fixed at $1,000
Yank sullivan and Charles Gang signed
the bail boa. and Fitzsimm0ns was re.
leased. An autopsy was held on Biordan' ;
remains. The certificate issued gives as
the cause Of death 'Hcmorrhaye within
the craniai cavity. causing compression of
the brain" Riorrlan was found to be in
perfect health. DIR. ID. NJ. Totman, who
conducted the autopsy SAYS Riorlian must
have been struck a terrific blow on the
chin. which communicated direct with the
base of the brain. The depression of the
right side of the brain was very deep and
remained for half an hour after the clot
was removed.