The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-11-24
Fitzsimmons Delivers a Death
Blow to COMFY Riordan
MANSLADGHTER is CHARGED
The slayer Claims That He Merely
Tapped His Boxing Partner
Does Blot Fear the Result.

Syracuse, N. T., Nov. 17-Con Rior-
dan, the pugilist who was knocked I'M
conscious last night by Bob FitZsim-
mons in a sparring exhibition. died at
the Candee house at $3.50 this morning.
Fitzsimmons, when informed of Rior-
dams death, burst into sobs. Fitzsim-
mons was locked up awaiting the action
of the coroner's jury.
Riordans death is the second spar
ring fatality in this city. "Yank" Sui
Ivan took the news of his sparring
partners death TO Fitzsimmons.
my God, you don't mean TO tell me
Connie is dead" said the pugilist. II
cannot believe it. did not hit him hard
enough to injure him." after which he
broke into sobs. Fitzsimmons did not
sleep at all last night and refused to
eat this morning.
To a reporter Fitzsimmons this morn
ing said: do you suppose / 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 / spared
with him he turned blue around the
mouth and it was a sign for me to let
up. Last night l noticed after the first
right I struck him as light as 1 could,
merely slapping him with the back of
my hand. He fell down and then rose
and staggered around. / put my arm
around him to assist him off the stage
when he fell headlong. thought he was
taking and was thoroughly Disguised
because everybody in the house Kissed
me. have known him eight years, and
he was always a hard drinker. l pre-
sumo he had some heart difficulty. am
not fearful of my position"
CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.
Fitzsimmons was arraigned in the po-
lice court today on the charge of man
slaughter in the first degree. He waived
examination and was taken before
County Judge Northcup, who fixed the
bail at $4,000, which was furnished.
The death certificate gives as the cause
of Riordan's death "hemorrhage within
the cranial cavity, causing compress
sion of the brain" Riordan was found
in perfect health. Dr. t. M. Tollman,
who conducted the autopsy, says Rior-
dan must have been struck a terrible
dow on the chin. uflatala eesaaillIi rinat a
direct with the base of the brain. The
depression on the right side of the brain
was very deep and remained half an
hour after the clot was removed.
RIORDAN'S RECORD.
Con Riordan was born at Melbourne,
Australia, and was 81 years old. When
20 years old he made his first appear
ance as boxer, and soon after fought
a six-round draw with Martin Costel-
10 in San Francisco, the police stopping
the contest in the sixth round. His next
bout was with Max Feurner, a Swede
whom he beat in IS rounds. He then re-
turned to Australia, and met Billy Cole
at Melbourne, defeating him in eight
seconds, the shortest fight on record
He next defeated George Bloomfield in
three rounds, George Langdon in three
rounds, young Wilson in two rounds, H
Gowan in five rounds and Tom Frakt
twice in three and four rounds respec
lively. Joe McAuliffe endeavored t
stop Riordan at San Francisco Angus
II, 1888, and the contest ended in a four
round draw. At the Golden Gate Athlet
ic Club he met Australian Bill Smith
and was defeated in eight rounds II,
went to England with Peter Jackson al
sparring partner, but soon returned Il
this country Later he was matched b!
the Ormond Club of London TO NEE
Jack Slavin, and on June 2, 1892, he wa
beaten by Hill in IS rounds. Since thei
he has not engaged in any pugilisti
contests.
CALLS IT AN ACCIDENT.
Chicago, Nov. 17.-Charles S. Davis
who had Con Riordan under his man
agement for nearly year, sparrin
with Jackson, says: "Riordan, while
clever boxer. was a heavy drinkei
While with Jackson he would often no
show up for the entertainment unit
the time to go on, and would usual
be full. He was one of the kind G
drinkers whom liquor made dull an
heavy, and to whom any over-exertio
would be liable to prove dangerous,
not fatal. I think. that it is purely a
accident, as Fitzsimmons is not a v
cious boxer. 1t can only be classed a
an accident, which, if happening to
person of any other profession, woul
have little or no attention paid to it,