The record-union., 1896-02-22
FITZSIMMONS THE VICTOR.
Makes Short Work Of Peter Maher in the
Championship HStC Battle.
The Australian Knocks Out the Son of
Erin in the First Round.

The Sporting Fraternity Pay Twenty
Dollars Admission Fee for the Priv
flege of witnessing a Fight Lasting
a Trifie Over AIinute-A Right
Hand swing in the Jaw Does the
Work, Maher Not Being Able to
Recuperate Before Time Was Called.
LANGTRY (Tex.), Feb. 21-It took
Robert Fitzsimmons just ninety seconds
this afternoon TO defeat Peter Maher
and become the heavyweight champion
of the world. The fight took place in
the bottoms of the Rio Grande River on
the Mexican side. mile and a half
distant from the Langtry depot.
Even to his friends it was evident
that the Irish lad was not in it from the
start. Before the round had progressed
thirty seconds Maher attempted foul,
and was heatedly warned by the ref
cree
Fitzsimmons' coup was in the form of
one of his famous upper hooks, with
which he knocked out Hall and broke
the nose of Jack Steiner, his trainer.
Maher made a gallant effort to get upon
his feet when time was called, but after
getting halfway to reeumbent posi-
tion he fell back, and still had his head
on the floor when time was called and
the decision was awarded to the Cor
nishman.
When the train of sports arrived from
Ell Paso at 2:30 o'clock there was no
evidence that anything unusual was
about to occur. The excursionists from
Eagle Pass, and other points had been
belated and only some fifty residents of
the country about had gathered at the
depot. One company of the Texas
Rangers guarded at the depot while the
remainder went down to the bottoms on
the Texas side but not the slightest eff
fort was made to interfere with the
sports in any of their movements.
When the word to move had been
given, the visitors speedily found that
although they had been on the road for
over sixteen hours and journeyed 400
miles, the hardest part of the enter
tainment was yet to come. Following
guides in struggling procession, they
went across the prairie for distance of
500 yards, and then commenced a pre-
cipitous descent Of a seldom used wagon
road that went in a cireuitous way down
TO the Rio Grande, over rocks and bowl
ders. Now slipping on their backs, now
clutching at a bramble to save them
selves from a fall and a broken ankle.
and now stubbing their toes against
huge cobb1estones or in cavities Of the
rocks. the sports toiled in double and
single file until the bank of the river
was reached.
Then there was tramp of 500 yards
more through sand and mud full ankle
deep to the point where the seventy
hve-foot pontoon bridge had been
stretched across the Rio Grande River.
which. swollen by recent rains, had been
changed from a sluggish stream to a
roaring torrent
Once across, the sports were on the
bottoms Of the Mexican side, and the
canvas inclosure that contained the
ring was to be seen in the distance.
Five minutes more brought the per-
spring and sore footed pedestrians to
the entrance stiles. where Bat Master
son and Joe Vendig examined the paste
board tickets and passed the holders
within.
a more ideal spot fer such an event
could hardly have been selected. To the
west, slcping down to the very foot of
the .inclosure. was a mountain 500 feet
in hight, rugged and almost perpendicu-
lar. Across the river on the Texas side
Was its counterpart, and fringed along
its stern summit. commanding a full
view of the ring, were some 300 men and
women who looked ike pigeons to those
below Between the two mountains,
I,
upon the bottoms, the river rushed with
a duh roar. Heavy leaden clouds over
head, and occasionally drops of rain,
completed the picture.
The circus canvas with which the
battle ground was inclosed was 200 feet
in circumference and sixteen feet in
hight The ring was composed of white
pine covered with white duck, and had
an elevation of four feet. Over in the
corner to the west were two diminutive
tents for the convenience Of the princi-
pals in making their final preparations.
F'itzsimmons and AIaher, with their
attendants in the front rank of the pro-
cession. walked down but a few yards
apart, 10th reaching the inclosure in a
profuse state of perspiration. They
were taken TO their tents and rubbed
down.
At O'Clock. when Referee George
Siler announced that all was ready, 102
people were at the ringside, the remain
der Of the visiting party, with the local
contingent. having decided that view
from the Texas hills was preferable TO
the expenditure of $50 for a ticket.
In response to Siler's call, Julian
asked for ten minutes delay. Quinn
consented, and it was readily granted.
At 3:13 o'clock. Fitzsimmons. envel-
oped in a flannel bath robe, emerged
from his quarters and bounded up the
steps of the ring, selected as his corner
the point to the west. with his back to
the Mexican mountains. Maher ap-
peared a moment later and took his
chair in the opposite corner, facing the
Mexican side and his back to the spec
GATORS on the Texas hill.
Maher had in his corner Jim Hall,
Buck Connolly, Pete Lowry, Jack Quinn
and Peter Byrnes. while Parson Davies
acted as his time-kaeper. Fitzsimmons
had behind him Martin Julian, Ever
hardt, Jackson Stelzner and Jack Nc
Coy. while Burt Sneed of New Orleans
acted as time-keeper.
The fve-ounce gloves were produced
from the boxes and fitted on
The men were about to strip their
overcoats. when Julian called George
Siler to the center of the ring, and the
two conversed quietly for a couple of
minutes. At its conclusion, Siler de-
manded in strenuous tones, rs Mr.
O'Ro11rIxp here ~