Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-22

 | lousing cheer was given for FftZsim- l mons. Then they stripped.
 Fitzsimmons had chosen for his ring 1 costume a navy blue breach4cloth, with l a belt of stars and stripes. His legs were l bare and his shoes of the standard run | ming shape. Maher wore short legged | black fighting pants, with green belt. From the moment the men had entered the ropes it was patent to everybody that
 while the Cornishman was logged for the l fray and full of confidence, his opponent
 was nervous and ill at case His mouth moved necessarily, as though he was chewing gum, his eyebrows twitched and he kept his thumbs revolving one after the other. Fitzsimmons eyed him with q sarcastic smile, and his breast
 heaved like that of an animal ready to bound for it's prey.
 At 4.25, when Referee Siler called both
 men to the center of the ring to give them their instructions and warn them against foulng or other infractions of the code, the spectators enjoyed the first oppor-
 tunlty of seeing them face to face. Fitz- simmons presented a better appearance than in any of his previous encounters.
 His flesh was hard and pink and the veins stood out like whipcords.
 Maher. on the contrary, appeared some what habby, while his movements on his feet lacked the agility that character1zed those of Fitsimmons. Manager quinn had evidently been honest in the opinion
 
 Pete is not in the condition that l would have him be in"
 Time was called at 4:25, and the Specta- tors pressed to the ropes.
 First round-Fitzsimmon led with his left. and Maher backed towards his cor ner. Fitzsimmons landed with his right and a cinch followed Maher struck Fitzsimmons with his right hand while they were clnched and Referee Sller
 warned him that if he did so again he would give the fight to Fitzsimmons After a break-away Peter landed his left on Fitzsimmons' neck. Close in-fighting followed and Maher succeeded in landing
 his left on FitZsimmons' upper lip, draw
 ing blood. Fitzsimmons landed his left
 on Maher and followed with right. A
 clinch followed. Maher feinted, and Fitz-
 simmons led with his right, but fell short.
 A mix-up followed, in which Maher land
 ed both right and left on either side of
 Fitzsimmons head. Maher led with his
 left and another clinch followed Fltz- simmons seemed a bit bothered, ana
 broke ground on Maher's leads; Maher followed him up and led with his left, when Fitzsimmons stopped and, swing ing his right landed full on the point or Maher's left chin. Maher measured ms length on the floor, his head striking the canvas with great force. He Vainly at- tempted to arise, but could not do more than raise his head. His seconds called
 
 and sank back to the canvas
 The fatal tenth second was counted, Maher was declared out and FitzsimmonS announced the victor after one minute
 and thirty-five seconds rather lively fighting
 Fitzsimmons' admirers cheered him to
 the echo, and Mahers seconds carried the defeated Irshman to his corner. It was several minutes before he realized
 what had happened to him, and Fitzsim-
 mons walked over to his corner and shook
 him by the hand FitzSimmons also
 shook hands with Quinn and the seconds in Peter's corner.
 Barring the slight bleeding at the nos tris occasioned by the left hand jab of
 Maher's, the Cornshman showed no marks of injury, and appeared as fresh
 as at the opening of hostilities. Maher showed no sign of punishment except
 a slight break in the skin just above the point of the left chin, where FitZsimmonS'
 master stroke had landed
 When the cheering of the people around | the ropes and the waving of handker- chiefs by those upon the mountain sum- l init had in measure subsided and F'itz- | simmons had tired of lowing his appre- citation, Julian took the center of the | ring, and, clearing his throat made the l following announcement with theatrical l effect:
 "Gentlemen: MT. Fitzsimmons has worked himself up from the bottom of | the ladder, and by the decision of the | referee he is now the champion of the | world. He is ready to defend the title l against all corners at any time and place. l receive recognition"
 Then came shouts of warning that the l pontoon bridge was in danger of being | washed away by the strong currents. | The fighters and assistants hastily gath cred their traps together and the crowd | rushed for the Texas side. All got over l safely. Peter Maher and his following | were disappointed looking lot of in | dividuals as they tramped their way back across the rocks and sand to the l train. Peter was unusually communica- l tive.
 Well, it was a chance blow that did l the work" he said. 'I did the best l | could under the circumstances. My con-
 dition was not of the best, but as a | further postponement was not to be con- l sidered by the Fitzsimmons crowd, l | was obliged to get into the ring. My eyes | were in worse condition than I believed them to be- and found my gauge of dis
 tance at fault. However, l still believe | that I am able to whip Fitzsimmons or
 any other man in the world. If Fitzsim-
 mons proves himself champion will challenge him again and will be ready to ] meet him at any spot or at any time. l was not a bit over-confident. I knew my | condition better than any one else, and l fought Fitzsimmons only when his ar 1 btrary actions made it necessary to do so or be called a coward.
 | Immediately after the fight Mir Rector, l on behalf of the kinteoscope people, of | fered Fitzsimmons and Maher purse of l S50OO to be battled for tomorrow. Fitz- l simmons declared that he would agree to l put Maher out In six rounds. but insisted
 on selecting his own time and place. He | declared that under no circumstances l would he fight before a kinteoscope un- l less for purse of $10,00 and 30 per cent 1 of the profits. He based his proposition l on the fact that the kinteoscope people | had consistently ignored him, and now he | was in a position to dictate to them. l Nothing came of the proposition, and the l negotiations are off for the present. l At precisely 6 o'clock the train bearing | the victor and the vanouished and their | admirers and chagrined friends drew away from the crude railway station, | leaving only representatives of the press | associations stalled in the hamlet for the l next twenty-four hours.
 1 The departure signal was a discharge l of carbines as a salute from the Texas ] rangers, who from their point of vantage l in the Texas mountains had been willing