The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-24
DICK PLUNKETT IN TOWN
Noted Patron of the Manly Art Spending q
Few Days in Wichita.

Colonel Richard Plunkett, the all
round swell guy OF Oklahoma and the
greatest patron of athletic sports in the
world, is spending a few days in the
city. His principal mission TO Wichita
was to pay a visit to Mrs. Mary Lease
on an invitation extended to him while
she was in Oklahoma recently. She
liked Dick because of his big heart and
great humanity and Dick liked her be-
cause he thinks she is the greatest liv-
ing orator of the day.
While the colonel was here he met
wonderful collection of friends gather
ed from all quarters of the world Some
of them knew him in Colorado where
he regulated rough mining towns with
his good nature, others knew him in
New York, Ireland, Scotland, England
and Mexico.
Dick has quite a history. In his time
he has hobnobbed With the greatest
men in the country and has been BAN
quoted at the executive palaces Of
more than half a dozen states. For
years he was city marshal of some of
the toughest mining camps of the west
and while he has made thousands of ar
rests, including the toughest pills, 1t IS
said that he has never yet pulled a gun
on man. He does not know what fear
is, and yet his heart is SO tender that he
couldn't kill a mouse.
Dicks long suit is the manly art. A
twenty-four foot ring is the world TO
him, not because he likes to see man
punished or bled but because he thinks
the salvation of all that is good in the
human race depends on their physical
culture. To him the man who can jump
a ten rail fence is a greater hero than
the man who could write a book Of
4 +,-a1 off n
l.. Sullivan for gross of Paderews1i's s.
Recently he returned from the Maher-
Fitzsimmons fight at Lantry and he
probably saw more Of the fine points in
the fight than any man who was there.
He thinks Maher is by far the best man
of the two and that he will whip Fftz-
simmons in two rounds if he ever meets
him again. He helped to put the finish
ing touches on Mafher before the fight
and was in a position TO know his condi-
ton. He said that his sight was in a
terrible fix on account of the alkan at
Las Cruces. He tells exactly where
FitzsimmonS struck him the knockout
blow which, by the way, was the only
blow he struck him and illustrates very
scientifically that ii was chance blow
and had nothing at all to do
with the relati physical or
scientific merits Of the two
men. He heard Fitzsimmons acknowl-
edge afterwards that Maher is the best
fighter in the world including himself.
The governor of Jaruez, where Dick Wis
tied a bull fight, gave him a beautiful
shawl for a present and Dick has so
many lady friends in Oklahoma that he
is in great trouble as TO which one he
shall give il to-
After the fight he returned TO FL
PaSo where a banquet was rendered
him at which the mayor gave him a
beautiful cane as a manifestation Of his
good will. He thinks the people OF FL
Paso are the finest people in the world
If they gave Dick $4,000 he would not
sing the praises Of that town or that
people any better than he is doing. He
would like 10 live there but he has an
ambition 10 pull off the greatest set to-
in history in Oklahoma. He says he
viii accomplish il some day.
Notwithstanding his love for pugilism
and the fact that he has lived for years
| in rough communities he has never for
gotten the lessons he received at his
mothers knee. There Is not enough
money on earth to pursuade him 10 do
a thing he believes 70 be wrong and an
oath or profane word of any kind has
never passed his lips. He would engage
10 swim across the Atlantic 70 serve a
friend and this is why all the people
| like him.