The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-21
OFF FOR BATTLE GROUNDS,
ar Anxious Sports Depart from FL paso.
Destination Unknown.

FL Paso, Texas Feb. oO.-Shortly at
ter , O'Clock tonight the crowd of in
tending participants began to line up
again at headquarters.
There Were perhaps 25O sports from
outside the city, while the local frater-
nlty was represented by about O. fifth
OF that number. As each man received
his paste board, the rend ezvous for the
departure was given in an undertone
Maher drove by at 9. 80 with big
crowd of enthusiastic friends i'm his
rear. lie was given "a cheer az he
passed the office and poking Il face
wreathed with smiles out of the win
dow. he waved his hand in response.
Maher will have in his corner tomor-
row, jim Hall, Buck Connelly, Peter
Lowry. Jack Quinn and Peter Byrnes,
while ParsOn Davies Will act as his
timekeeper. F'itzsimmons will have
behind him Martin Julia n, Jack Ever
hardt, Jack Stelzener and Jack Mccoy.
while Hugh Kane will probably act as
timekeeper. Bat Mast rsOn will Of
ficiate as master of ceremonies and
chief serSeant-at-armS. George Siler
as referee and Lou HouSeman, as Otli-
cial tmekeeper.
Governor Thornton, of New Mexico
arrived in the city this afternoon and
was closeted for an hour with one of
his representatives who has been under
cover in town for ten days. Suhse-
quently. however, the governor said to
the United Press representative that
his visit had no relation to the fight.
The latest tips atloat were taken across
the river to the Mexican authorities
by mounted couriers
Just before train time Fitzsimmons
and Julian We're brought to Dan Stu
arts Office i'm carriage. Julian, on
behalf of FitZSimmOnS, demanded that
the purse be converted into money to
be naiu at the ringSiue- He insisted
that no checks would be fought for or
accepted by Fitzsimmons- To this Stu
art agreed. Stakeholder o'Rourke was
hunted up and Produced the checks.
The carriage was sent out for the cash
iers of the banks and when they ap-
peared at their respective institutions,
the vaults were opened ~ nd SO 900 in
new one hundred dollar bills counted.
$4,000 from the State ba nix and $4,000
from the First National. The entire
pile was turned over to Referee George
Siler. who wrote note to Julian, stat
ing that he would prod uce it at the
ringside. Later Julian said he would
demand to see it before the trahfpulled
out. Il don't mistrust any of these
people" said he but we have been
turned down once and we propose to be
on the safe side this time"
Departure Is Made.
The departure was m a de over the
Southern Pacific road shortly after 10
o'clock. There were not Il dozen men in
the entire eight coach loads, however.
who knew just where they We're going
to bring up. Every other man had
different tip, and each was positive that
his was the only simon pure article.
There was surface Indications, however.
that the first destination was Del Rio.
Il point in the Sanderson branch of the
Southern Pacific railway. Del Rio is
IiSt 4 :. Across
the Rio Grande Del Norte, the MeXi-
can town is in the state of Coahuila and
outside of the jurisdiction of Governor
Ahumada The nearest military post
is that of Portirero Diaz, and is seven
ty-ive miles distant For scores of
miles around the country is wild and
mountainous, while the hills contain a
score of level plateaus that would make
an ideal spot for the encounter.
Those closest to the promotes believe
that this Is the destina on, but there
are others who claim to have authentic
Information that the intention is to run
to Del Rio or Langtry. "a station forty
miles this side. and then double back
to Fort Hancock, iiftythree miles from
here. where the Mexican frontier is
reached in "A walk of n mile and quar-
ter. Color is given to this theory by
a remark of one of the ma II gers, to the
effect that while it would take seven
to twelve hours to reach the battle
ground, the return might he made in
two hours If the engineer was so dis
posed. The wires tomorrow will take
up the thread of the story. whether the
strands be floating in old Mexico or
New Mexico. in Texas or in Arizona.
i;oth men claim tn be in fine physical
condition. and each expresses himself
confident of winning.
The United Press learned tonight that
the Mexican authorities Were advised
several days ago that the ring wa# in
process of erection near Ipel Rio and
that the kinetoscOpe appa ratus was ON
the ground. The mounta inous nature
of the country however. IN a kes the bat
tie ground inaccessible to Mexican
troops unless they cross the American
side at Eagle Pass and to do this. it
would be necessary to obtain a permit
from the war department.